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C   LIBRARY 

I  NE  Sl  ALLEN  CO.,  I  NO. 
N 

30 


&&* 


ALLEN  COUNTY  PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


3  1833  01747  7883 


GENEALOGY 

973.005 

M27 

1893 

v. 29-30 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2012 


http://archive.org/details/magazineofamericv2930stev 


MAGAZINE 


OF 


AMERICAN     HISTORY 


WITH 


NOTES    AND     QUERIES 


ILLUSTRATED 


EDITED   BY    NATHAN    G.  POND 


VOL.    XXIX 

January — June,    1893 


MAGAZINE    OF    AMERICAN    HISTORY    COMPANY 

120  Broadway,  New  York 

1893 


'.  [|    rOR    I  ONSTAN  i 


i  jui<  ■-.  i  ... 

■ 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

Adams,  John  Quincy.     Dramatic  Ending  of  his  Career R.  C.    Winthrop.  394 

Alaska,   Administrations  in 390 

American  History,  Fountain-Heads  of 388 

Andre,  Major,  Traditions  of 522 

Archdale,  John,  and  some  of  his  Descendants Stephen  B.   Weeks.  157 

Arnold's  Raid  on  Connecticut  Avenged 393 

Astor  Library,  N.  Y.     Our  Leading  Libraries . .  .Frederick  Saunders.  150 

A  Strange  Story 179 

Blackhawk's  Farewell  Speech Eugene  Davis.  40 

Book  Notices -75>    !90,   300,  413,  542 

Brown,  John.     What  Support  did  John  Brown  rely  upon  ?    The  Famous  Raid  and  its  Localities, 

Robert  Shackleton,  Jr.  348 

Burgoyne's  Surrender,   An  Eye- Witness  of , 279 

Bushnell's  Submarine  Torpedo  in  1776,  Sergeant  Lee's  Experience  with   .  .  .H.  P.  Johnston.  262 

California  in  the  Civil  War. Capt.  F.  K.   Up  ham.  387 

California.      United  States  in  Paragraphs Chas.  L.  Norton.  61 

Canada,  Oldest  Bell  in 64 

Castine,  Maine,   The  Story  of E.  I.  Stevenson.  21 

Cathedral  of  St.  John  the  Divine,  The Allan  Grant.  172 

Christmas  Sentiments 18 

Colorado.      History  of  United  States  in  Paragraphs Chas.  L.  Norton.  271 

Columbian  Celebration  of  1792.     The  first  in  the  United   States Edward  F.  de  Lancey.  1 

Columbian  Celebration  in  1792.     Baltimore , 527 

Columbus,   An  Allegorical   Drawing  by 267 

Concord  Monument,    Hymn    to Emerson.  266 

Congressional  Library,  Washington.      Our  Leading  Libraries Ainstvorth  R.  Spofford.  492 

Constitution,    Escape  of  the 518 

Diodati,  Count  Jules,   of  Italy Frederick  Diodati  Thompson.  60 

Elizabeth,  Queen,   A  Glance  at  the  Age  of George  E.  Hepburn.  32 

Exile,  An  Unknown  :  was  he  Chaides   X.  ? Henry  C.  Maine.  440 

George  III.'s  Proclamation  against  the  Rebels  of  America.     Original  Document 514 

Gladstone,  Wm.  E.,    An  Autograph  Letter  from 181 

Hayes,  R.  B. ,  Death  of  Ex-President   175 

Historical  Novel  and  American  History Leonard  Irving.  338 

Holly  Song,   The iS 

"  Horse  Shoe  Robinson,"  the  Successful  Novel  Fifty-six  Years  ago Emanuel  Spencer.  42 

How  we  Lose  our  History (W.  G.  Simms,  MS.)  280 

Hurlbut,  John,   A  Journal  of  a  Colonial  Soldier  kept  by 395 

Indian  Medals W.  M.  Beauchamp.  65 

Iron  Industry  in  America.  The  first 66 

Jackson,  Gen.  Andrew.     An  Incident  in  his  Career Horatio  King.  19 


^0*^ 


\  hn  rs 

TAGE 

Rev-  Danid  Van  Pelt  126 

lth  of,  by  Society  of  Colonial  Dames  of  America.  .  2S3 

A-  E-  Allaben.  10S 

M"  Fiske-  393 

3g2 

-  Name 2^2 

etter  from  City  Point,    ^pril  27,  1805.  to  his  Wife 174 

n    ■ 3Sl 

v  3.  volumes  now  in  the  Library  of  Congress  at  Washing- 

Alexander  Brown.  371 

Chas.  D.  Piatt.  370 

189,   297,  411 

nner  with  the  Poets ' Henry  C.  Lodge.  54 

387 

on,  i "                    Henry  P.  Johnston.  305 

in  the  Civil  War.      1    Gen.   T.  F.  Rodenbough.  193 

cis,    A  Sketch  of Worthington  C.  Ford.  499 

\ ..J.S.  Bassett.  131 

d   Replies 68,  69.  183,  185,  284,  294,  397,  409-  528,  539 

.<                                    -           J88 

[umbian   Fair 389 

lent.      Ballad  and  Sonnet 3°3>  4X5 

f   Moneys   furnished  by,  to  American  Officers,  Prisoners  of  War, 

\  Revolutionary  Document 163 

n  Virginia,"  1585 Edward  Graham  Daves.  459 

520 

Howard  A.  Giddings.  360 

es  and  ( Commerce ' .John  Austin  Stevens.  243 

Capt.  A.   7\  Mahan.  52 

ted  States ,E.   T.  Lander.  471 

1 78 

in John  Austin  Stevens.  419 

le  Alleghanies  prior  to  1776 G.  C.  Broadhead.  332 

523 

the  Republic James  Grant  Wilson.  Si 

72,186,285,39s,  530 

I)  Told 281 

li  ( Carolina Dr.  Muzzey.  64 

iyi,  The  Grave  ol H.  C.  Mercer.  255 

The  Editor.  136 

»r   Independence William  H.  Mayes.  235 

--;      (Farmington,  Conn) , 521 

'  ;'!y Henry  E.  Chambers.  37 

I     libit  at  Madrid 1S0 

ph    Manuscript  of Walter  S.    Wilson.  169 

Ball           ■  ..        524 

275 

"'  "f  hi     0  •...    Person   and    Height  in  1763,  when  Thirty-one  Years  of 

06 


CONTENTS  v 

PAGE 

Washington's  Sweethearts,  One  of 177 

Washington,  George,  Do  we  Know Leonard  Irving.  222 

Webster,  Daniel,  An  Incident  in  the  Life  of W.I.  Crandall.  252 

Whittier's  Birthplace J.  G.   Tyler.  50 

Winthrop,  John,  An  Injustice  Done  to 275 


Il.l.l'STRATIONS 


PAGE 

.  .  .    2^7 


239 

Reuben   M.  Totter 242 

Portrait I97 

9 

I51 

I    rtrait I5 

98 

it 84 

Portrait ■ 99 

' 364 

2o6 

' 97 

e   ( >ld   93 

■ 3°5 

r 359 

hn  Brown's  Fort 354 

•    -  -  »-   23 

the  Divine • 172 

ise,  where  John  Brown  was  Tried 357 

• 322 

ttion . 3°° 

npt   to  Found  an  American.     Wm.  A.  Beardslee 367 

;  by 268 

lington 498 

•  <>f  Frigate 419,  423 

Italy.      1  '<  >i  1  rait 60 

nile  of  his  Historic  Order 195 

316 

Pi  -rtrait I 

'in.  Procession  in  Honor  of 331 

it 202 

221 

1    Pearl  Streets..... 13 

rail ,     428 

17 

I    '    imile 516 

I        Autograph    Letter 182 

of  a  Mac ( 520 

91 

350 


ILLUSTRATIONS  Vll 

PAGE 

Hayes,  R.  B. ,   Ex- President.      Portrait 176 

Houston ,  General  Sam .     Portrait 240 

Hughes,  Archbishop  John.      Portrait 208 

Hull,  Isaac.     Portrait 432 

Inglis,  Bishop  Charles.      Portrait 309 

Jay,  Mrs.  John.     Portrait 83 

Kent,  James.      Portrait   go 

King,    Mrs.     Portrait 86 

Kirkland,  Mrs.  E.  M.     Portrait , 212 

Lamb,  Colonel,   Mansion 323 

Lamb,  Mrs.  Martha  J.     Portrait 81 

Lexington,  News  from 361 

Liberty  Hall,  Birthplace  of  Mrs.  Jay 87 

Lincoln,  Abraham.     Facsimile   Letter  to  his  Wife 174 

Lispenard  Meadows 314 

Livingston,  John.     Portrait '. 88 

Livingston,   Philip.      Portrait 104 

Luzerne,  Letter  to  Jefferson.     Facsimile 384 

Madison,   James.     Portrait 430 

Madison,  Mrs.  D.  P.     Portrait 431 

Morgan,  E.  D.     Portrait 200 

Morris,  Mary  (Philipse).     Portrait 177 

Morton,  General  Jacob.     Portrait 425 

New  York,  Great  Seal  of  the  State 306 

O'Conor,   Charles.     Portrait 193 

Pintard,  John.      Portrait 3,  313 

Provoost,  Bishop  Samuel.     Portrait .  95 

Rodgers,  Rev.  John.     Portrait ....  94 

Royal  Exchange  in  Broad  Street 10 

Royal  Savage,  The 307 

Santa  Anna,  General.      Portrait 235 

Scott,  General  Winfield.     Portrait 214 

Seal  of  United  States  of  1784.     483.— Of  1782.     485.— Of  1885 489 

Sleigh  of  1788 317 

Smith,  William.     Portrait 421 

Soldiers  and  Sailors'  Memorial  Arch,  Brooklyn,  New  York 217 

Stirling,  Lord,  Residence  of 106 

Tammany  Hall  in  1830 7 

Taylor,    Bayard.     Portrait 136 

Autograph   note 146 

Temple,  Sir  John  and  Lady.     Portraits 101,  102 

Temple  Arms 105 

Tilden,  Samuel  J.     Portrait 199 

Van  Cortlandt,  Pierre.     Portrait ' 310 

Vanderbilt,    Commodore    C.     Portrait 204 

Vanderbilt,   Steamer 205 

Van  Rensselaer,  Cornelia.     Portrait 96 

Vespucius,  Americus,  An  Autograph  MS.  of 169,  170 

Wadsworth,  General  Jas.  S.     Portrait 220 


.  SI  RA  riONS 

PAGE 

J93 

'    234 

233 

82 

e .... 318 

201 

209 




MAGAZINE   OF   AMERICAN   HISTORY 


Vol.   XXIX  JANUARY,   1893  No.  1 

COLUMBIAN    CELEBRATION    OF    1792 

THE   FIRST   IN   THE    UNITED    STATES* 

ON  the  eve  of  the  opening  of  the  fifth  century  from  Columbus's  dis- 
covery of  America  it  is  proper  that  the  New  York  Historical 
Society  should  call  public  attention  to  the  fact  that  to  the  action  in  1792 
of  John  Pintard,  the  founder  of  historical  societies,  New  York  and  the 
world  owe  the  first  movement  in  America  to  commemorate  an  anniver- 
sary of  the  greatest  event  in  the  history  of  mankind  since  the  death  of 
our  Saviour. 

In  October,  1592,  a  century  from  the  discovery,  what  is  now  New  York 
was  still  a  savage  wilderness.  In  October,  1692,  a  hundred  years  later, 
New  York  had  not  recovered  from  the  baleful  effects  of  that  rebellion  and 
usurpation  of  the  government  by  Jacob  Leisler,  which  ended  in  his  exe- 
cution for  treason  in  the  preceding  year.  In  October,  1792,  the  third 
centenary,  was  seen  the  first  celebration  in  America  of  its  discovery  by 
Columbus. 

That  celebration,  like  the  one  we  are  about  to  witness  in  October,  1892, 
originated  in  this  goodly  city  of  New  York.  In  a  society  organized  here 
in  May,  1789,  through  the  efforts  of  John  Pintard  and  some  of  his  personal 
and  political  friends,  and  at  his  suggestion,  the  celebration  of  the  third  cen- 
tenary of  America's  discovery  was  decided  upon,  and  measures  taken  both 
to  call  to  it  general  attention,  and  to  carry  it  into  effect  in  the  citv  of  New 
York. 

That  society  was  one  of  limited  membership,  which  still  exists  in  its 
pristine  strength  under  its  original  organization,  and  a  few  years  later 
gave  its  name  and  influence  to  a  great  political  party,  whose  members 
believed  in  and  supported  its  political  principles,  though  not  possessed 
of  any  control  in  the  internal  direction  of  the  body  itself — the  Tammany 
Society  or  Columbian  Order,  of  the  city  of  New  York — of  which  the  first 
sagamore  was  John  Pintard. 

*  Paper  read  before  the  New  York  Historical  Society  by  Mr.  Edward  F.  De  Lancey,  on  the 
evening  of  October  3,  1892. 

Vol.  XXIX.-No.  i.-i 


W  ,  ORATION    OF    i; 

.,    RCV.  Jeremy    Belknap,  of  Boston,  dated 

;  previous  to  the  Columbian   centenary 

avocations,  especially  as  a  citizen,'  are 

i  moment  for  private  or  literary  corre- 

;ion    for    American    history    increases,  tho'    I 

nd  scant  means  of  gratifying  it.     ...     An 

.iture  magazine,  of  our  Tammany  Society. 

national  society,  I   engrafted  an   antiquarian 

.     .     .     We  have  got  a  tolerable  collection 

rn,  \\  ith  some  histories.      .      .     ." 

he  also  writes  to  Dr.  Belknap  the  first  suggestion  of 

n  the  United  States,  in  these  words:  "Our  society 

the  completion  of  the  third  century  of  the  discovery 

day   ot   October,  1792,  with  some  peculiar  mark 

memory  of  Columbus,  who  is  our  patron.     We  think, 

1    and    au    oration — for   we    have    annual    orations — of 

mn   to  his  memory." 

Tammany  Society  was   communicated    later  by 

nbers  of  a  society  which,  at  Pintard's  suggestion,  he  had 

1   [790,  for  the  promotion   of  the  study  of  American 

quities,  and   which  later  became  the  "  Massachusetts  His- 

5  was  the  first  institution  of  that  nature  in  America, 

>mmemorated  the  first  centenary  of  an   existence  at  once 

sachusetts,  to  America,  and  to  the  great  cause  of  historic 

truth. 

11  of  the  society,  which  he  termed  "A  Society  of 

made  to  I  )r.  Belknap  in  the  latter's  own  house  in  Boston, 

:rview  on   the  19th  of  August,  1789.     The  idea  pleased 

he  mentioned   it  to  many  persons  in  Boston,  but  its  ger- 

»w,  though  it  was  discussed  in  conversations.     A  year  later, 

1  August,  1790,   Dr.   Belknap  tells  his  friend    Ebenezer 

York,  "I"  the  first  step  successfully  taken  in  the  matter, 

"When    Mr.    Pintard  was  here   he  strongly  urged  form- 

liean   antiquarians.     Several  other  gentlemen  have 

1   to   me   on    the   same   subject.      Yesterday  I    was   in 

again   mentioned,  and   it  was  wished  that  a  begin- 

Thi    mi  >rning  I  have  written  something,  and  commu- 

"  nth-Hi,  n   who   spoke  of   it  yesterday."     This   "some- 

"  plan  of  an  antiquarian  society,"  afterward  called  the 

*>,"  and,  later,  the  "  Massachusetts  Historical  Society." 


COLUMIJIAN    CELEBRATION    OF    1792  3 

In  October  of  the  same  year,  1790,  Belknap  sent  to  Pintard  a  copy  of 
Eliot's  Indian  Bible,  which,  on  the  eleventh  of  that  month,  drew  from 
Pintard  this  interesting  account  of  his  own  society  in  New  York.  "  I  am 
exceedingly  indebted  to  you  for  your  present  of  the  Indian  Bible,  which 


v -■'.-■ 


The  Founder  of  Historical  Societies  in  America. 
[From  a  rare  print  presented  to  the  Editor  by  the  late  Stephen  Whitney  Phoenix?^ 

came  safe  to  hand.  I  shall  deposit  it,  with  your  permission,  and  in  your 
name,  in  the  American  Museum,  lately  instituted  by  the  St.  Tammany 
Society  in  this  city,  for  the  express  purpose  of  collecting  and  procuring 
everything  relating  to  the  natural  or  political  history  of  America.  A 
small  fund   is   appropriated   to  that  purpose,  and  should  the  society  exist 


L-MBIAN    I  El  EBRATION    OF    1792 

.ad    to  something   useful.       I  have  not  time  to 

this   society,  oi  which   I   am  a  member,  further 

istitution  founded  on  a  strong-  republican  basis, 

es  will  serve  in  some  measure  to  correct  the  aris- 

: 

n«nv.  intensely  interesting  as  it  is,  to  give  an  account 

true  causes  of  the  origin,  and  the  formation 

Columbian   Order.     That   is  a  subject  which 

1    the   hour   devoted    to   these   meetings,  even  to 

ic.      [t    has   never  yet    been   done  with   the    fullness,  and 

1   are  demanded   by  its  historic  importance,  as  well    as  by 

-  icial   and  political,  which  have  flowed   from   it,  in 

md  nation. 

lation  to  the  Columbian  tercentenary  of  1792,  is  all  that 

set  forth.     At  the  dinner  on  the  second  anniversary  of 

May  12,  1  79 1,  about   five  weeks  after  Pintard's  letter  to  Dr. 

•ntioncd,  in  which  he  announced  the  society's  decision  to 

e  the  third  centenary  of  the  discovery,  the  eighth  toast  drank, 

v  of  the  renowned  Columbus — may  our  latest  posterity 

ilv  land   which   his  intrepidity  explored,  and  his  sagacity 

sentiment  than  which  none  better  can  possibly  be  given  at 

the  addresses,  to  which  we  are  about  to  be  bidden  to 

• 

:mber  of  the  same  year,  1791,  a  formal  proposal  by 

a  celebration    by  the    Massachusetts   society  was   "  post- 

isideration."     In  the  following  March,  however,  the  proposal 

by  that  society,  and    Dr.  Belknap  was   invited   to  deliver  an 

October  12.  1792,  at  the  Brattle  street  church,  Boston.     The 

same  day,  "  voted   that   the  corresponding  secretary 

spondence  with  the  St.  Tammany  Society  of  New  York." 

had  been  elected  to  that  office,  accordingly  addressed 

1  John    Pint  aid,    Esq.,   secretary  of   the  Tammany  Society  of 

a  friendly  intercourse,  exchanges,  etc.,  etc.,  and  sent 

of   a  publication   called    The  Apollo  which  the  Boston 

in  to  issue.      Mr.  Pintard    replied  with  expressions  of 

y  and  offer    of  aid  in  every  way. 

1   day  the    Massachusetts   society  went   in   procession, 
'  >  th<    Brattle  street  church,  and  heard  Dr.  Belknap's 
I    poem,  or   rather   an    ode,  in    honor   of  the  occasion  ;    after 
to  a  reactionary  party  then  existing. 


COLUMBIAN    CELEBRATION    OF    1 792  5 

which,  in  the  language  of  the  day,  "  His  Excellency  the  Governor,  His 
Honor  the  Lieutenant-Governor,  and  such  of  the  honorable  council  as 
were  in  town,  accompanied  the  members  [of  the  society]  to  dine  with  the 
Hon.  James  Sullivan,  the  president,  at  his  house,  where  the  memory  of 
Columbus  was  toasted  in  convivial  enjoyment,  and  the  warmest  wishes 
were  expressed  that  the  blessings  now  distinguishing  the  United  States 
might  be -extended  to  every  part  of  the  world  he  has  discovered." 

Such  was  the  celebration  of  1792  in  Boston.  Dr.  Belknap,  however, 
found  that  his  address,  which  was  subsequently  published,  was  not  an  easy 
one  to  write  ;  for  he  tells  his  friend,  Ebenezer  Hazard  of  New  York,  under 
date  of  the  27th  of  the  preceding  August,  "  My  labour  for  October  3d  is 
nearly  accomplished.  I  find  myself  obliged  to  dip  deeper  into  antiquity 
than  I  was  first  aware,  but  I  think  I  can  vindicate  Columbus  against  those 
who  would  rob  him  of  his  fame,  not  excepting  Mr.  Otto."  * 

The  change  of  date  in  this  letter  to  "  23d  of  October  "  was  a  mistake  in 
adapting  the  old  style  to  the  new.  In  1792  but  nine  days  only  were 
required  to  correct  the  difference  of  the  calendars,  which  would  have  made 
the  2 1st  the  true  day  ;  instead  of  which,  eleven  days  were  stricken  from 
the  old  calendar,  an  error  later  corrected.  These  facts  have  been  stated 
somewhat  at  length  to  show  that  the  action  of  Massachusetts  in  1792  and 
its  celebration  were  really  due  to  the  primary  movement  of  New  York 
through  its  earlier  organization  the  Tammany  Society  or  Columbian  Order. 

What  that  society  did,  and  how  it  carried  out  its  own  idea  in  its  own 
city,  will  now  be  stated. 

On  October  10,  1792,  each  member  received  the  following  "Notice: 
The  members  of  the  Tammany  Society  or  Columbian  Order,  are  here- 
by notified  that  an  extra  meeting  will  be  held  in  the  Wigwam  [then  in 
Broad  street]  the  12th  inst.,  at  seven  o'clock,  to  celebrate  the  third  cen- 
tury since  the  discovery  of  America  by  Columbus. 

By  order  of  the  Grand  Sachem, 

Benjamin  Strong, 

Secretary. 

October  10,  1792. 

The  society  accordingly  met  at  the  wigwam,  and  an  address  was  deliv- 
ered by  Mr.  John  B.  Johnston,  which  was  followed  by  a  dinner  and  the 
drinking  of  appropriate  toasts.  Previous  to  the  meeting  there  was  dis- 
played at   the  wigwam   an  illuminated  monument  in  honor  of  Columbus, 

*  This  was  Lewis  William  Otto,  who  had  printed  a  paper  in  the  Transactions  of  the  American 
Philosophical  Society,  to  prove  that  Martin  Behaim  of  Nuremberg  had  discovered  South  America 
before  Columbus   embarked   on  his  first  voyage. 


,n    ell  EBRATION    OF    1792 

»  ing  is  an  account  of  it,  and  the  celebra- 
■.  which  is  of  more  interest  than   any  briefer  state- 

•-  New  York,  October  17,  1792. 

>mmencement  of  the  IV.  Columbian  Cen- 

:.    Festival  by  the  Tammany  Society,  and 

sentiment  which  distinguishes  this  social  and 

the   evening   a   monument    was   erected   to   the 

lamented  by  transparency  with  a  variety  of  suit- 

n  was  exposed  for  the  gratification  of  the  public 
•  previous  to  the  meeting  of  the  society. 

1    was  delivered   by  Mr.  John  B.  Johnston,  in  which 

ipal    events    in   the  life  of  this  remarkable  man   were 

ibed,  and   the    interesting    consequences,    to  which  his 

5    had    already  conducted,  and   must    still    conduct    the 

were  pointed  out  in  a  manner  extremely  satisfactory. 

s  entertainment,  a  variety  of  rational  amusements 

following  are  some  of  the  toasts  which  were  drank  : 

Christopher   Columbus,  the    discoverer  of   this    new 

1   never  experience  the  vices  and    miseries  of   the 
happy  asylum   for  the  oppressed  of  all  nations   and  of  all 

nd  liberty  ever  pervade  the  United  Columbian  States.' 
the  last   centenary  festival  of  the  Columbian  Order  that 
I 

litnry  be  as  remarkable   for  the  improvement    and 
;  rights  of  man,  as  the  first  was   for   discovery,  and   the 
•  :.  of  nautic  science.' 

America  never  experience  that  ingratitude  from 
h  Columbus  experienced  from  his  King.' 
;  of  liberty,  as  she  has  conducted  the  sons  of  Columbia 
nent  of  the  fourth  century,  guard  their  fame 
• 

1  patriotic  songs,  inculcating  the  Love  of  Country  and 

gratifying    in   the    highest    degree.     Among   others  an 

ed  and     ung  on   the  occasion  (some  stanzas  of  which  are 


COLUMBIAN    CELEBRATION    OF    1 792 


Vk  W& 


lit?     Iff     %%t 


in  WT./J  ii*       mi 
«*  mm    m      if* 


TAMMANY    HALL    IN    183O. 
THE    BUILDING    NOW    OCCUPIED    BY    THE    "  NEW    VORK    SUN.'" 

'  Ye  sons  of  freedom,  hail  the  day, 

That  brought  a  second  world  to  view  ; 
To  great  Columbus'  mem'ry  pay 
The  praise  and  honor  justly  due. 
Chorus  ;  Let  the  important  theme  inspire 
Each  breast  with  patriotic  fire. 

Long  did  oppression  o'er  the  world, 

Her  sanguine  banners  wide  display  : 
Dark  bigotry  her  thunders  hurl'd, 
And  freedom's  domes  in  ruin  lay. 
Justice  and  liberty  had  flown, 
And  tyrants  called  the  world  their  own. 

Thus  heaven  our  race  with  pity  viewed  ; 

Resolved  bright  freedom  to  restore  : 
And,  heaven  directed  o'er  the  flood, 
Columbus  found  her  on  this  shore. 

O'er  the  bless'd  land  with  rays  divine, 
She  shone,  and  shall  forever  shine. 


COLUMBIAN    CELEBRATION    OF    1/0,2 

.  ihe  great  decree 
stial  notes  along, 
a  ever  shall  be  free," 
thousands  swell  the  song. 
Patriots  revere  the  great  decree, 
nbia  ever  shall  be  tree. 

Here  shall  enthusiastic  love. 
Which  freemen  to  their  country  owe; 

idled,  glorious  from  above, 
In  every  patriot  bosom  glow, 

Inspire  the  heart,  the  arm  extend, 
1  ig    ts  of  freedom  to  defend. 

Secure  forever,  and  entire, 

The  Rights  .7"  Man  shall  here  remain: 


Here  commerce  shall  her  sails  extend, 

Science  diffuse  her  kindest  ray  : 
K     gion's  purest  flames  ascend, 

And  peace  shall  crown  each  happy  day. 
Then  while  we  keep  this  jubilee, 

While  seated  round  this  awful  shrine, 
Columbus'  deeds  our  theme  shall  be, 

And  liberty  that  gift  divine.' 

:nt   is   upwards  of  fourteen    feet  in  height,  being  well  illu- 

•  i.  and   resembling  black   marble;  it  blended,  in  an  agreeable  man- 

ind  solemn  with  a  brilliant  appearance.     At  the  base  a  globe 

ging  out  of   the  clouds   and   chaos,  presenting  a  rude  sketch 

cultivated  coast  of  America.     On  its  pyramidal  part,  History 

\   up   the   curtain  of  oblivion,  which  discovers  the  four  fol- 

•  ations : 

the  right  side  of  the  obelisk,  is  presented  a  commercial 

inding   ocean  ;  here   Columbus,  while   musing  over  the 

eometry  and   navigation,  the  favorite  studies  of  his  youth,  is 

•1.  e  i"  cross  the  great  Atlantic.      She  appears  in  lumin- 

ringover  it.  skirts;   with  one  hand  she  presents  Columbus 

nd  w  ith  the  other,  she  points  to  the  setting  sun.     Under 

phere,  the  eastern  half  of  which  is  made  to  represent  the 

1   terraqueous  globe;    the   western   is  left  a  blank.      On   the 

'  •      following  inscription  : 


COLUMBIAN    CELEBRATION   OF    1 792  9 

THIS     MONUMENT 

WAS  ERECTED  BY  THE 

TAMMANY   SOCIETY,  or,  COLUMBIAN    ORDER 

OCTOBER   12,    MDCC,  XCTI, 

TO  COMMEMORATE 

the  IVth  COLUMBIAN    CENTURY: 

AN  INTERESTING  and  ILLUSTRIOUS 

On  the  upper  part  of  the  obelisk  is  seen  the  arms  of  Genoa,  supported 
by  the  beak  of  a  prone  eagle.  The  second  side,  or  front,  of  the  monument 
shows  the  first  landing  of  Columbus.  He  is  represented  in  a  state  of 
adoration  ;  his  followers  prostrate  as  supplicants  around  him,  and  a  group 
of  American  natives  at  a  distance.  Historical  truth  is  attended  to,  and 
the  inscription  on  the  pedestal  is  as  follows  : 

SACRED  to  the  MEMORY 

OF 

CHRISTOPHER    COLUMBUS, 
THE  DISCOVERER  OF  A  NEW  WORLD, 

OCTOBER    12,    I492. 

Above,  the  arms  of    Europe  and  America  are  blended  and   supported  as 
on  the  right  side  of  the  monument. 

The  third  or  left  side  exhibits  the  splendid  reception  of  Columbus  by 
the  court  of  Spain,  on  his  first  return  from  America.  He  is  seated  at  the 
right  hand  of  Ferdinand,  and  his  illustrious  patroness,  Isabella.  A  map 
of  the  newly  discovered  countries,  and  some  of  their  peculiar  produc- 
tions, lying  at  his  feet,  distinguish  the  interesting  scene.  Above,  the 
prone  eagle  supports  the  arms  of  Isabella,  and  on  the  pedestal  is  the 
following  inscription  : 

COLUMBUS 

WAS    BORN   AT   GENOA, 

H47, 

WAS    RECEIVED    BY    THE   COURT   OF   SPAIN 

IN    TRIUMPH, 

1493; 

WAS   PUT    IN   CHAINS    BY    ITS    ORDER, 

SEPTEMBER,    I  500  ; 

died  at  VALLADOLID 

MAY   20,    1506. 


...  ;  \\    CEI  EBRAT10N    Ol-    1792 


.   on   the  rear 
;t  its  bare  wal 


or   fourth,  side  of  the  obelisk, 

scribed  ;   Columbus  is  seen  in  his 

The  chains  with   which  he    had   been 

on  which  is  seen  written,  "  The 
ingratitude  of  Kings." 
To  cheer  his  declining 
moments,  the  Genius  of 
Liberty  appears  before 
him  :  the  glory  which 
surrounds  him  seems  to 
illuminate    his    solitary 

/  habitation.     The    em- 

blems of  despotism  and 
superstition  are  crushed 
beneath  her  feet  ;  and,  to 


intimate    the     gratitude 


ft         S-         & 

and  respect  of  posterity, 
she  points   to   a   monu- 
ment, s  a  c  re  d    to    his 
memory,    reared    by    the 
Columbian     Order.       On 
n  caressing  her  various  progeny  ;   her  tawny  off- 
n  over  the  urn  of  Columbus.     The  upper  part  of  the 
;llished   as  on  the  other  sides.      But  the  eagle,  as  an  emblem 
ent,  is  seen   no  longer  prone,  or  loaded  with   the  decora- 
y  :   she  soars  in  an  open  sky,  grasping  in  her  talons  a  ferule, 

the   RIGHTS  of  MAN. 


[ANGl      IN    BROAD    STR] 

I     IN    THE   TAMMANY 
v's    MUSEUM. 


monument   at    the   close   of    the  celebration   was   placed   in  that 

•  Tammany  Society,  which  Mr.  Pintard  "  engrafted  "  upon  it, 

3   in    the   letter  which  has   been  quoted.     This  "  museum  " 

room  in  the  "  Exchange,"  a  building  upon  arches  which 

line  of   Pear]  street,  across,  and  facing  up  Broad  street, 

<•  old  De  Lancey  house  at  south-east  corner  of  Pearl  and 

I    by    Etienne    De   Lancey  in    1701  ;  the  same  building 

1    old   by  Colonel  Oliver  De  Lancey,  the  youngest 

h  r,  about    1750,  was  finally  bought  by  the  famous  mulatto, 

e  .  the  Delmonico  of  his  day,  for  a  tavern,  and  was  the  house 

bade   far-well   to  his  officers  in    1783.     It  still  stands, 


COLUMBIAN   CELEBRATION    OF    1 792  II 

and  is  now  the  oldest  building  in  New  York.  The  monument  remained  in 
the  Exchange,  occasionally  illuminated  for  exhibition,  till  the  close  of  1792. 
Shortly  after  that  date,  the  museum  was  given  up  by  the  Tammany  Society 
as  its  own,  and  transferred  to  Gardiner  Baker  who  had  been  its  curator 
and  keeper.  While  he  was  in  control  he  added  new  objects  of  interest  to 
the  public,  and  advertised  its  attractions  in  the  papers  of  the  day.  One  of 
these  was""  A  collection  of  wax-work  figures  belonging  to  a  Mr.  Bowen," 
and  another  was  "The  excellent  American  patent  steam  jack,"  which  was 
shown  in  operation  during  the  evening.  Mr.  Bowen  withdrew  his  wax 
figures  in  June,  1794,  and  afterward  exhibited  them  at  No.  75  Broad  street, 
the  house  of  Mrs.  McEwen.  How  long  after  the  Tammany  Society  gave 
up  the  idea  of  forming  a  museum  it  continued  in  existence  is  unknown, 
as  well  as  the  ultimate  fate  of  the  Columbus  monument. 

It  is  a  striking  fact,  that  this  Tammany  monument,  and  another  after- 
ward projected  in  Baltimore,  antedated  by  over  half  a  century  any  monu- 
ment to  Columbus  in  the  city  of  Genoa  itself. 

This  celebration  of  1752  was  not  the  only  one  at  which  the  memory 
of  Columbus  was  honored  by  the  Tammany  Society.  In  181 1,  it  did  so  at 
the  laying  of  the  corner-stone  of  its  new  building,  Tammany  hall,  at  the 
corner  of  Nassau  and  Frankfort  streets,  now  the  property  of  Mr.  Charles 
A.  Dana,  and  the  publication  office  of  his  Sun  newspaper,  in  which  it 
remained  until  the  erection  of  its  present  "  hall  "  in  East  Fourteenth  street. 
"The  procession  on  that  occasion,"  as  described  in  the  papers  of  the 
day,  "  was  very  picturesque  and  attractive.  In  the  centre  of  the  ninth 
division,  between  the  files  of  the  first  six  tribes,  Tammany  and  Columbus 
appeared  in  character:  Columbus  bearing  the  cross  of  the  ancient  flag- of 
Christendom  and  the  civilized  world  ;  and  Tammany,  the  thirteen  Ameri- 
can stars  or  constellations.  Smoking  the  calumet  of  peace  alternately 
with  Columbus,  they  were  seated  on  an  elevated  car  or  seat,  on  the  rear 
part  of  an  extensive  stage  (or  float),  in  the  centre  of  which  appeared  the 
Genius  of  America  supporting  the  great  standard  of  the  United  States, 
attended  by  her  attributes;  the  flames  of  liberty  burning  on  an  altar  dedi- 
cated to  freedom,  directly  in  front  of  Tammany  and  Columbus,  the  attri- 
butes continually  feeding  the  flames.  The  stage  represented  an  open  field 
covered  with  grass  and  shrubbery,  and  an  oak  tree  in  the  rear  under  which 
Tammany  and  Columbus  sat  ;  the  whole  drawn  by  six  white  horses  con- 
ducted by  postilions.  A  grand  band  of  music  preceded  the  car,  playing 
native  airs." 

But  to  return  to  the  tercentenary  of  October,  1792.  The  proposed 
celebration   of   it   in    New  York  and  Boston,  which  was  noticed   in  news- 


i:  COLUMBIAN    CELEBRATION    OF    1792 

the  country  during  the  whole  of  the  preceding  summer, 

attention  :   and   when  the  day  came,  there  were  minor 

nany  places  in  Baltimore,  Windsborough,  South  Carolina, 

I      de    Island,    Richmond,   Virginia,    and    numerous    towns, 

ilitary  parades,  dinners,  and  toasts. 

on   August    3,    1792,  was   laid   the    corner-stone    of    an 

n  the  gardens  of  a  villa  called  "  Belmont,"  the  country- 

lier  de  Nemours;  and  on  the  12th  of  the  following  Octo- 

nscriptions  on   bronze  were  to  be  affixed  to  the  completed 

is,  however,  scorns  to  have  been   the  result,  of  private  or  semi- 

n,  and  whether  it  was  actually  erected  is  not  known. 

\  .•       illy  enough  the  approach  of  the  end   of  the  eighteenth  century 

rawn  to  the  great  discovery  the  attention  of  educated  and  thoughtful 

In  1786  the  first  edition  of  the  poems  of  Philip  Freneau  appeared  in 

iladelphia,  and  in   it   are  three  poems  referring  to  Columbus.     The  first, 

in  [770,  is  an  appeal  to  Ferdinand  for  aid  ;  the  second,   The  Rising 

America,  written  in  [771,  and  the  third,  entitled  Sketches  of  Amer- 

also    refer  to   Columbus   by   name.     The   next   year,    1787, 

Iso,   in    Philadelphia,    The  Miscellaneous    Works  of  Mr.   Philip 

lume  of  poetry  and  prose  which  opens  with  "  The  Pictures  of 

nbus  the  Genoese,"  a  series  of  eighteen  brief  poems,  depicting  his 

er,  written  in  1774.     The  first  of  these  four  poems,  Columbus  to 

.  is  very  remarkable  for  a  fine  translation  of  those  famous  lines 

in  the  Medea,  containing  his  prophecy  of  America's   discovery. 

iu,  a  graduate  of  Princeton  and  a  fine  classical  scholar, thus  renders  it : 

"  The  time  shall  come  when  numerous  years  are  past, 
The  ocean  shall  dissolve  the  bands  of  things, 
And  an  extended  region  rise  at  last  ; 
And  Typhis  shall  disclose  the  mighty  land, 
I-  ir.  tar  away,  where  none  have  roved  before  ; 
Nor  shall  the  world's  remotest  region  be 
r's  rock  or  Thule's  savage  shore." 

an  and  Pint  aid  were  warm  personal  and   political  friends,  as  well 

the  Tammany  Society.     Another  Princeton  graduate  deliv- 

;     merit   of    1 792,  on  taking  his  degree,  an   oration   on 

which  was  of  merit  enough  to  be  printed  in  a  magazine  of  that 

.;  .     T:i  s  was  Jos<  pi)  Reed,  a  son  of  the  President  of  Pennsylvania  of  the 

d  father  of  the  late  distinguished  historical  writer  William  B. 

d  the  late  learned   Professor  Henry  Reed   of  the  University  of 

1'         y\\  inia. 


COLUMBIAN    CELEBRATION    OF    1 792 


13 


Another  work  which  appeared  in  1787  was  The  Vision  of  Columbus,  by 
Joel  Barlow,  published  by  subscription,  a  pretentious  poem  of  some  merit, 
which  the  author  recast  and  extended  into  a  massive  quarto  volume  in 
1807,  and  which,  being  practically  the  whole  of  American  history  in 
verse,  fell  by  its  own  weight,  and,  though  having  some  fine  passages,  is 
now  scarcely  known. 

In  England,  in  1792,  two  Columbian  works  saw  the  light  :   one  by  an 


M.  fe 


»  *  ft 


II  in 

Hilt  urni 


1  %  1 


FRAUNCES  TAVERN,  SOUTHEAST  CORNER  OF  BROAD  AND  PEARL  STREETS. 


American,  the  Rev.  Elhanan  Winchester,  the  other  by  an  English  barrister 
of  Lincoln's  Inn,  Thomas  Morton  by  name. 

Winchester  was  a  New  England  Baptist  clergyman,  who  became  a 
Universalist,  and  finally  went  to  England  to  reside.  There  he  published,  in 
London,  an  oration  in  honor  of  the  discovery  and  Columbus.  It  is  a 
resume  of  Columbus's  career,  but  is  only  noteworthy  for  a  prophecy,  since 
fulfilled,  in  these  words: 

"  Behold  the  whole  continent  highly  cultivated  and  fertilized,  full  of 
cities,  towns,  villages,  beautiful  and  lovely  beyond  expression.  I  hear  the 
praises  of  my  Creator  sung  upon  the  banks  of  rivers  unknown  to  song! 


\    OF    1792 

Sec  the  silver  and  gold  of  America 

of  the  whole  earth  !     See  slavery  with 

lied  !     Sec  a  communication  opened 

i  north  to  south,  and  from  east  to  west, 

hold  the  glory  of  God   extending, 

igh  the  whole  land  !  " 

1  for  he  was  a  dramatist  as  well  as  a  barris- 

World  Discovered,  an  historical  play  as  it  is 

e  Royal,  Covent  Garden."     It  opens  with  Colum- 

»n   by  an  Indian  king.     But  the  story  is  drawn, 

Aztecs  and   their  worship   of  the  sun,  and 

two  from  Columbus  nothing  is  seen   or  heard  of 

Maal  lor  a  spectacle,  however  ;  had  a  moderate 

was   produced    in   New  York.     The   references 

aid  contemporary  interest  in  the  discovery  at  the  time 

live  incident,  but  of  a  different  kind,  was  the  presenta- 

\     \   York,  through  its  president,  Lieutenant-Gover- 

mdt,  in    17S4,  of  an   ancient  portrait  of  Columbus  of 

o      in.  donor  was  Mrs.  Maria  Farmer,  by  birth  a  Gouverneur, 

•   portrait   was    taken    from    an   original   painting,    of 

1   in   her  family   for  one    hundred    and    fifty  years. 

'  id   1  1  say,  unlike  most  early  gifts,  is   still   at  Albany 

state.      It  is  a  bust  portrait,  and   represents  Columbus 

fe.     Another  picture,  of  a  little  later  date  than  1792,  was 

Ivvard  Savage,  the  artist,  whose  portrait  of  Washington  is 

r  painted.     Savage  established  an  exhibition  of  paint- 

2,  at   the   "  Pantheon,"    No.  30   Greenwich   street, 

i:.d  Morris  street,  which   he  called  "  The  Columbian 

•rv."      In   it   he   showed  a  collection  and   his  own   painting  of 

»f  Christopher  Columbus,"  which  the  catalogue,  still  extant, 

1     lumbus  is  the  size  of  life,  richly  dressed,  with  a  drawn 

1,  at   tin-   time  he  set   his  foot  on   the  New  World  which 

I.     Tin-  portrait  of  Columbus  is  copied  from  the  original 

collection  of    the    Grand  Duke   of   Tuscany    at    Florence." 

•  of  this  painting,  or  what  its  later  history  is,  I  do  not  know. 

Mini  of  the  Columbian  celebration  of  a  hundred 

mould  be  made  of   the  evidence  adduced  by  a  former 

and  officer  of  this  society,  now  no  more,  on   the  con- 

:  of  the  birth-place  of  Columbus.     Mr.  John   R.  Bartlett, 


COLUMBIAN    CELEBRATION    OF    1 792 


15 


whom  the  older  members  of  the  New  York  Historical  Society  will  remem- 
ber with  great  pleasure,  after  he  removed  to  Providence  to  take  charge  of 
the  great  American  library  of  John  Carter  Brown,  gave  much  attention 
to  the  study  of  Columbian  history  ;  and  he  produced  well-nigh  conclu- 
sive evidence  of  the  discoverer's  birth-place. 

Very  many  of  my  hearers  may  have  visited  Genoa,  and  none  who  have 
done  so,  can  ever  forget  her  great  beauty  as  she  sits  enthroned  on  her 
amphitheatre  of  mountains,  their  bases  gently  washed  by  the  azure  waves 


'    > 


;/ 


JOHN    RUSSELL    BARTLETT. 


of  the  Tyrrhene  sea.  A  magnificent  church,  built  somewhat  after  St. 
Peter's  at  Rome,  stands  out  on  the  highest  part  of  the  promontory  which 
forms  the  eastern  bounds  of  her  semicircular  bay,  some  three  hundred  and 
seventy  feet  above  the  water.  Ascend  with  me  to  the  gallery  surmount- 
ing its  lofty  dome.  What  a  view,  magnificent  in  its  extent  and  splendor, 
meets  our  eyes!  Far  to  the  east,  gleaming  with  beauty,  stretches  the 
glorious  mountain  coast-line  of  the  famed  Riviera  di  Levante — the  east- 
ern Riviera — stretching  away  toward  Spezia  and  its  romantic  gulf,  and 
beyond.      At    our    feet    lies    the    proud    old    Ligurian    city,    never    more 


COLUMBIAN    CELEBRATION    OF    1/92 


day,  her  gardens  and   terraces  filled  with  orange 
..d  vines,  with  her  palaces,' 

..  tic,  walls  of  arabesque, 
»ns  clustering  in  patrician  splendor." 

beneath   us,  filled  with  steamers  and  feluccas,  the 

rbors  of  Italy.      Far  to  the  west,  bright  with  picturesque 

UU1  p.daees.  perched  amid  its  purple  mountains  over- 

beauty   the  magnificent  Riviera  di  Ponente,  the 

Before    us  is    the   wide   blue   expanse   of  the   glorious 

the  h^h  coast   o\   Corsica   rising-  above  the  southern  hori- 

:   azure  sky  and  brilliant  sun   of  Italy.      In   one  of 

e  white  villages   upon   the  sea,  at  the  western   end  of  the 

i   the  old   republic   of  Genoa,  was   Columbus    born, 

an   ancient  historian   of  Genoa,  who  there  wrote  and 

in  1331.  less  than  half  a  century— forty-five  years  only— 

nbus  died   at   Valladolid.     This   Genoese   historian    was    Paolo 

s  by  no  means  impossible,  may  have  actually   seen   and 

it  discoverer  himself.      His  work,  entitled  A   Brief  History 

.  one  of  the  rarest  works  of  its  day,  Mr.  Bartlett  obtained.      It  is 

ban.  and  the  account   its  author  gives  is  thus  translated  by 

:   ••  Tin-  happiness  of  the  city  was  disturbed,  in  1491,  by  a  ter- 

which  spared  hardly  a  fifth  of  the  population,  by  the  freez- 

about   the  wharves  and   bridges,  and  also  because  the 

en    into  some  disputes  with   Ferdinand,  King  of  Castile, 

b  ii.i.      Francesco   Marchesio   and    Giovanni    Antonio 

envoys  to  adjust  them.     On  their  return  they  estab- 

ertainty  of  tin:  glorious  discovery  of  the  new  land  west  of  that 

by   Christopher  Columbus,  a  Genoese,  whose    name  pos- 

•  :rnal   veneration.     This  man    (for  I  do  not  think  the 

rlooked),  born  of  most  obscure  parentage,  in  a  town 

from    our  city,  on   the    Riviera  di    Ponente,  called 

sailor's   life,  rose  to  be  a  guide  or  pilot  of   vessels  that 

ran,  and  with  the  dexterity  of  unaided  genius  (although  of 

rience  in  taking  the  sun  and  the  pole,  acquired  by 

tions,  he  came  to  have  so  much  confidence  in  himself 

elf    to   an    enterprise   which    few   others   attempted 

ible   to   believe  that   by  sailing   from   the  straits  of 

hould  fail  to  make  new  land,  he  applied  to  the  Catholic  sov- 

Spain,  -tnd  having,  after  many  delays,  received  from  them  three 


COLUMBIAN    CELEBRATION    OF    1 792 


17 


VIEW   OF  THE   CITY   OF   GENOA,    LOOKING   EAST. 


caravels  and  one  hundred  and  twenty  men,  he  took  his  way  toward  the 
Fortunate  Islands  [the  Canaries]  and,  sailing  thence,  in  the  space  of 
thirty-two  days  from  the  time  of  his  departure,  and  after  many  debates 
and  contests  with  his  men,  who  wished  to  turn  back,  he  discovered  those 
islands  which  gave  him  indication  of  Hispaniola,  and  that  with  so  much 
glory  to  the  moderns,  for  the  size  of  the  land  which  has  thus  been  con- 
quered and  brought  to  the  faith  of  Christ,  that  he  may  be  said  to  have 
given  life  to  another  world." 

This  statement  and  testimony  Mr.  Bartlett  brought  to  the  knowledge 
of  American  scholars.  But,  singularly  enough,  it  does  not  seem  to  have 
been  considered  by  our  numerous  writers  of  these  latest  Columbian  days. 

A  great  pageant,  both  military  and  naval,  to  celebrate  the  fourth  cen- 
tenary of  the  great  discovery  of  Columbus,  will,  in  a  few  days,  pass  before 
the  eyes  of  many  hundreds  of  thousands  of  people.  From  all  quarters  will 
these  hundreds  of  thousands  be  gathered  together  in  this  city  and  on  the 

Vol.  XXIX.— No.  1.— 2 


v  S    CE1  EBRATION   OF    1 792 


bay.     And  while  gazing  upon  its  splendor  and 

be   forgotten   that    to    the    Tammany   Society  or 

the  city  of   New  York  was  due  the  first  Columbian 

e  only  one  ever   witnessed  till  now  in   the  United 

\  lerica.     Honor  to  whom  honor  is  due. 

CHRISTMAS    SENTIMENTS 

the  only  holiday  in  the  year  that  brings  the  whole  human 
non  communion;    the  only  time  in  the  long  calendar  of 
n  and  women  seem,  by  one  consent,  to  open  their  shut- 
ts  freely." — Dickens. 

^•■c\\oc^  of  that  song  which  proclaimed  peace  on  earth   and 

;es   up  a  dormant   sense   of  universal    brotherhood   in 

ther  season   of  the  year   is  the  predominant  spirit  of 

fectually  rebuked; — and    never  are  the  circles   of  love  so 

idened."—  Hervey. 

»n   for  kindling  the  fire  of  hospitality  in  the  hall,     .     .     . 

•  of  charity  in  the  heart." — Washington  Irving. 
ound  over  all  waters,  reach  out  from  all  lands — 

I        chorus  of  voices,  the  clasping  of  hands: 

g  hymns  that  were  sung  by  the  stars  of  the  morn, 

of  the  angels  when  Jesus  was  born." — WJiittier. 

THE    MOLLY   SONG 

\.  thou  winter  wind!  Freeze,  freeze,  thou  bitter  sky! 

•  unkind  Thou  dost  not  bite  so  nigh 
gratitude;  As  benefits  forgot; 

1     een,  Though  thou  the  waters  warp, 

art  nol   seen,  Thy  sting  is  not  so  sharp 

•  breath  be  rude  As  friend  remembered  not. 

igh,  ho!  Heigh,  ho!  sing  heigh,  ho! 

green  holly  ;  Unto  the  green  holly  ; 

lip  :    f'  igning,  Most  friendship  is  feigning, 

g  mere  folly.  Most  loving  mere  folly. 

— SJiakespeare, 


AN    INCIDENT   IN    GENERAL   JACKSON'S    CAREER 

In  1824  there  was  a  social  gathering  in  Paris  of  many  distinguished 
Englishmen,  among  whom  was  an  American,  then  representing  his  country 
abroad,  who  had  served  on  the  staff  of  General  Jackson  at  the  battle  of  New 
Orleans,  and  another  American  who  related  the  following  incident.  The 
conversation  turned  on  the  pending  Presidential  election,  and  fears  were 
expressed  that,  should  General  Jackson  be  elected,  the  amicable  relations 
between  the  two  countries  might  be  endangered  in  consequence  of  his 
implacable  hostility  to  England  and  his  high-handed  exercise  of  power  as 
evinced  during  his  command  at  New  Orleans.  The  necessity  on  the  part 
of  the  American  diplomatist  of  replying  to  these  observations  was  antici- 
pated by  the  prompt  and  generous  outbreak  of  one  of  the  Englishmen — 
Colonel  Thornton  of  the  eighty-fifth  regiment — an  officer  well  known  for 
his  frank  and  gallant  character,  and  whose  regiment  suffered  severely  in  the 
attack  on  the  8th  of  January,  181 5.  It  was  probably  the  same  Colonel 
Thornton  mentioned  as  having  been  seriously  wounded  in  the  battle  of 
Bladensburg,  and  who  was  with  Commodore  Barney  in  the  hospital  at 
Bladensburg,  where  both  recovered  from  their  wounds.*  He  testified  in  the 
handsomest  terms  to!the  conduct  of  General  Jackson  as  an  able  and  faith- 
ful commander  on  that  occasion,  and  declared  that,  had  Jackson  not  used 
the  power  confided  to  him  in  the  "  high-handed  "  way  alluded  to,  New 
Orleans  would  inevitably  have  been  captured.  As  to  the  charge  of  "  impla- 
cable hostility,"  Colonel  Thornton  declared  that,  in  all  the  intercourse,  by 
flag  and  otherwise,  between  the  hostile  commanders,  General  Jackson  was 
peculiarly  courteous  and  humane,  and,  to  support  this  assertion,  begged 
leave  to  mention  one  circumstance.  He  said  that  on  the  day  after  the  battle 
the  British  were  permitted  to  bury  such  of  their  dead  as  were  lying  beyond 
a  certain  line,  one  or  two  hundred  yards  in  advance  of  General  Jackson's 
intrenchments — all  within  that  line  were  buried  by  the  Americans  them- 
selves. As  soon  as  the  melancholy  duty  was  performed,  the  British  general 
was   surprised  at  receiving  a  flag,  with  the  swords,  epaulets  and  watches  of 

*  "  The  Battle  of  Bladensburg  and  Burning  of  Washington  in  1814."  By  Hon.  Horatio  King. 
Magazine  of  American  History  for  November,  1885  [xiv.  438-457].  An  account  of  the  scene  in 
Paris,  when  Colonel  Thornton  related  the  incident  concerning  General  Jackson  after  the  battle  of 
New  Orleans,  maybe  found  in  the  volume  of  the  Jeffersonian  for  the  year  1833,  a  newspaper 
published  in  Portland,  Maine. 


vx    IN  .  m     is    GENERAL    JACKSON'S   CAREER 

h    had  fallen,  and  a  note  from  General  Jackson,  couched  in 

lCTC  raying  that  one  pair  of  epaulets  was  still  miss- 

Srd;^  being -dl  and,  when  found,  it  should 

articles-always  considered  fair  objects  of  war  plunder 

leral  Jackson,  and  thus  handed  over  with  a  request 

smitted  to  the  relatives  of  the  gallant  officers  to 

ttand  the   franka„d  soldierly  style  m  whtch  it  was  to  d 
holc  current  of  feeling  in  favor  of  the  general   and  drew  fo 
expression  of  applause.     The  Americans  were  thnlled  w^h 
.carta  thanked   the  old  general   for  provmg  by  his 
onduct   that   the  defenders  of  America  were  above  the  sordtd 

mercenary  warfare.  _ 

act  of   •  Old   Hickory,"  though  not  so  broad  in  its  benefi- 
generous  consideration  of  General  Grant  at  the  Appomattox, 
„  more  touchingly  inspiring  and  eloquent.     Either  could  have 
ned  .mly  by  brave  and  true  soldiers. 


THE    STORY   OF    CASTINE,    MAINE 

The  honor  of  being  the  first  European  to  set  foot  on  Castine's  rocky 
heights  is  accorded  to  the  great  Champlain  himself,  about  1604.  It  appears 
probable,  however,  that  a  French  settlement,  either  for  fishing  or  for  trad- 
ing purposes,  existed  prior -to  Champlain's  advent  ;  its  members  leading 
the  usual  life  of  privation  and  activity  proper  to  such  an  existence.  The 
district  was  at  this  time  included  in  the  tract  known  on  early  charts  as 
"Pentagoet."  Its  Indian  inhabitants  were  the  stalwart  tribe  of  Eche- 
mins,  or  Tarratines.  Succeeding  to  Champlain's  visit — whatever  that 
amounted  to — in  the  year  1605  James  Rozier  explored  the  Penobscot 
river  and  bay,  and  his  name  is  perpetuated  in  the  beautiful  headland 
known  on  our  coast-survey  charts  as  Cape  Rozier.  In  1614  Captain  John 
Smith  appeared  in  the  neighborhood,  and  he  makes  a  reference  to  find- 
ing French  traders  installed  in  it. 

In  that  eager  and  jealous  search  for  every  item  of  whatever  includes 
history,  into  which  our  American  communities  have  entered  of  late  years, 
it  has  often  appeared  that  the  rewards  must  be  unjustly  distributed.  It 
hardly  can  be  said  that  in  comparison  with  scores  upon  scores  of  European 
localities  any  single  town  or  neighborhood  in  the  United  States  is  lucky 
enough  to  possess  too  much  local  history.  But  if  the  absolute  barrenness 
as  to  its  historic  past,  of  this  or  that  spot  in  various  parts  of  our  country, 
be  taken  into  account,  and  if  we  allow  our  remembrances  to  run  over  the 
names  of  the  populous  towns  and  imposing  cities,  the  foundations  of  which 
have  not  yet  grown  green  through  more  than  the  time  of  two  generations, 
one  well  can  wish  that  there  existed,  even  latent  in  them,  a  little  of  that 
dignity  of  age  which  belongs  to  many  of  New  England's  mere  villages. 
Had  they  only  even  a  modest  part  of  that  honor  that  appertains  not 
merely  to  a  trade-centre  and  an  aggregate  of  millionaires,  but  to  places 
that  have  nurtured  patriots  who  knit  their  brows  in  anxiety  over  the  Dec- 
laration of  Independence,  who  fought  at  Lexington,  and  camped  in  the 
snows  of  Valley  Forge,  and  whose  graves  in  our  churchyards  may  be 
unsung,  but  are  never  in  any  danger  of  being  unhonored  !  History  in  the 
instance  of  a  town  corresponds  with  established  character  in  the  individ- 
ual. Quite  as  a  pictured  landscape  often  is  doubly  attractive  if  empha- 
sized in  details  by  a  sombre  background,  so  does  either  a  hamlet  or  a 
metropolis  please  better  the  thoughtful  mind  if  its  individuality  comes 
forth  from  a  shadowy  past  of  stress  and  storm  and  patriotic  activity. 


11  IK    STORY    OF   CASTINE,  MAINE 

[n   what    is  here  written    o\   Castine — externally  nothing  more  than  a 
quaint  and  beautiful  village  on  the  Maine  coast  with  a  great,  green,  British- 
tort  still  overlooking  it — nothing  new  or  notably  original   is   practi- 
ro    three  or  tour   industrious  workers  in   the  little  field   invaded, 
new  friend   o(  the   place  must  pa}-  tribute.*     But  it  is  a  new  story 
nany,  told  so  far  south  of  the  Penobscot;  and  one  that  includes  almost 
undue  share  oi  our  national  patriotic  coloring,  in  proportion  to  the  town's 
I   present   importance  in   New  England.     Castine  is  able  to  spare 
.'.  hundredweight  of  historic  dignity  to  Cincinnati  or  Chicago,  or  to 
man>-  of  our   smart    Middle  States    towns.     As  one  speaks   of  the   place 
with  its  soft  French   name,  the  mind   of  the  poetry  reader  reverts   to   Mr. 
^fellow's  verse,  or  to  that  of  Mr.  Whittier,  and  the  Baron  de  St.  Castine 
up   from   the   gloom,  like  some   mediaeval    myth.     The  form  of  the 
hollow-eyed   French  Jesuit,  in  his  black  robe,  succeeds,  eager  to  baptize  a 
Convert  from  the  dirty  Tarratines,  or  to  be  burned,  a  martyr  at  the  stake, 
in  one  of  their  war-dances.     The   figure    of  Champlain   is  beheld,  gravely 
surveying  the  township's  forest  heights  for  the  first  time.     Sir  John  Moore 
.p.  a  young  and  enthusiastic  soldier,  without  a  presage  of  the  silent 
drum  and  voiceless  burial  that  is  his  in  the  schoolboy's  ballad.     The  Dutch- 
man   is    seen  walking  about  the  town   in  his  short  breeches  and  owner- 
ship.    We  hear  the  revolutionary  skirmishes  with  the  British,  and  watch 
one  fort  after  another  erected  in  Castine's  limits.     We  see  one  squadron  of 
ships  after  another,  American  or  British,  in  the  lovely  harbor,  manoeuvring 
and  spouting  fire.     We  have  the  worthy  General  Wadsworth  scouting  the 
invaders,  and   being  routed  by  them,  and  finally  making  an   escape  from 
an  imprisonment  in  the  village,  worthy  of  a  romance.     We  have  the  revo- 
lutionary activity  of  the  place  subsiding  as  the  young  nation's  liberty  was 
ieved.     And — lastly — to-day  the  eye  of  the  visitor  rests  not  on  shapes 
from  the  land  of  shadows,  the  past,  but  on  hay-fields  and  peaceful  farms; 
and  it  is  difficult,  save  for  the  green  glacis  of  the  forts,  to  believe  that  war 
rolled  its   thunders  into   so  lovely  a   spot    for  peace  to  enjoy  and  to 
>rn. 

In  the  year  1626  something  approaching  a  permanent  colony  was 
founded  in  Castine's  forests.  Isaac  Allerton,  a  member  of  the  Plymouth 
society,  erected  a  block-house,  and  conducted,  with  his  companions,  a  suc- 
il  trade  in  furs  with  the  natives.  This  offshoot  of  the  Plymouth 
colony  continued  to  abide  in  Castine — it  must  be  remembered  that  it  was 
not    yet  called    by  that  name,  but  merely   "  Pentagoct  " — until    1635,  nine 

il  acknowledgments  are   due  to   Dr.  George  A.  Wheeler  of  Castine,  whose  admir- 
able local  -  a  model  of  its  sort  of  record. 


THE    STORY    OF   CAST1NE,  MAINE 


23 


g**      'tit   s 

**                                      uC£V,       '-           v^ 

STREET    SCENE    IN    CASTINE,    1892. 


years,  when  the  French,  who  had  pillaged  the  block-house  once  already, 
long  having  been  aware  of  the  advantages  of  the  place,  sent  a  small 
force  from  Acadia  under  one  de  Charnissy,  an  officer  of  that  military  post. 
De  Charnissy  drove  southward  the  Plymouth  colony  emigrants.  He 
occupied  whatever  buildings  they  had  possessed.  From  this  date,  1635, 
until  1654,  nineteen  years,  Pentagoet  was  a  French  post.  In  the  year  last 
named,  the  English  protectorate  sent  a  handful  of  troops  at  Cromwell's 
own  suggestion,  and  recovered  the  place.  So  it  became  again  English.  In 
1667  it  was  ceded  to  the  French,  and  formally  occupied  by  them  under  the 
Chevalier  de  Grandfontaine  in  1670.  This  last  French  official  consider- 
ably developed  the  little  settlement,  and  proceeded  with  the  aid  of  his  lieu- 
tenant, a  certain  de  Marson,  to  put  Pentagoet  into  a  fortified  condition. 
Of  course,  this  could  not  be  elaborate  ;  but  the  value  of  the  topographical 
situation  of  the  colony  was  more  and  more  recognized. 


24  THE    STORY    OF   CASTINE,  MAINE 

I:  was  not.  however,  until  1667,  that  this  little  Maine  hermitage  was 
known  as  Castine,  which  name  it  has  borne  ever  since  the  coming  to 
it  of  the  locally  and  otherwise  celebrated  Jean  Vincent  de  St.  Castin,  a 
ected,  adventurous  nobleman,  originally  from  Oleron,  a  town  in  the 
Pyrenees.  About  this  time  dismissed  rather  cavalierly  from  the  Quebec 
garrison   by  its   French   commandant,  as  a  superfluous  officer,  St.  Castin 

-  -  1  embittered  by  the  affair  that  he  decided  to  turn  his  back  on  his 
own  people,  to  make  the  Indian  his  brother,  and  to  abjure  civilization 
even  more  than  its  modest  degree  across  the  Canadian  frontier.  It  is 
this  man — not  by  any  means  a  hero,  not  at  all  a  saint,  and,  I  fear, 
scarcely  more  than  by  courtesy  a  Christian,  but  a  resolute,  arbitrary, 
quick-tempered  character,  and  with  a  very  fair  share  of  manly  goodness  in 
his  blunt  disposition — that  the  name  of  the  village  perpetuates  to-day,  Jean 
Vincent  de  St.  Castin  ;  the  same  adventurer  that  Mr.  Longfellow's  charm- 
ing verses  depict,  and  that  Mr.  Whittier's  dramatic  lines  have  portrayed, 
not  to  speak  of  other  belles  lettres  references  to  him  in  prose  and  poetry. 

As  to  St.  Castin,  or  Castine,  himself,  I  am  not  going  to  be  an  apologist 
for  him — in  fact,  it  is  not  a  very  clear  task;  but  there  are  these  things  to 
be  .-aid  of  him  :  that  he  bought  his  land  from  the  Indian  king  in  power 
over  the  region  at  the  time  ;  that  he  lived  in  faithfulness  to  all  his  con- 
tracts with  the  natives,  and  among  them  as  their  friend,  without  anything 
but  their  highest  esteem  and  even  veneration  ;  and  that  whether  he  had 
been  aforetime  a  dissipated  French  wanderer,  loose  of  tongue  and  morals 
and  sword  in  the  army  of  his  own  countrymen,  St.  Castin  ripened  now  into 
a  sort  of  friendly  demi-god  among  the  Tarratines  before  he  and  they  parted 
company  in  1 701,  through  his  ultimate  return  to  France,  a  rich  man, 
advanced  in  life.  Long  after  the  Indian  parents  who  had  known  St.  Cas- 
tin were  dead,  their  children  in  the  wigwams  spoke  his  name  with  affection 
and  with  honor;  and  there  was  no  rupture  between  him  and  his  red  pro- 
tege-.     Mr.  Longfellow  alluded  to  him  as 

"  Abroad  in  the  world,  alone  and  free  ; 
.     .     .     hunting-  the  deer  through  forests  vast 
In  the  royal  grant  of  Pierre  du  Gast  ;  " 

and  of  the  night  in  old  Oleron,  when  one  could  sec  that 

.     .     .     "  The  front  of  the  old  chateau 

Is  a  blaze  of  light  above  and  below  : 

There's  a  sound  of  wheels  and  hoofs  in  the  street, 

A  cracking  of  whips  and  a  scamper  of  feet  ; 

Bells  are  ringing  and  horns  are  blown, 

And  the  Uaron  hath  come  again  to  his  own.     .     .     ." 


THE    STORY    OF   CASTINE,  MAINE  25 

And   Mr.  Whittier's  picturesque  passage  in  Mogg  Megone  gives  us  more 

correctly  a  view  of 

.  .  .  "  One  whose  bearded  cheek 
And  white  and  wrinkled  brow  bespeak 
A  wanderer  from  the  shores  of  France.     .     .     ." 

As  may  be  supposed,  Baron  de  St.  Castin  very  materially  added  to  the 
fortification  of  Castine.  Down  on  the  street  that  runs  to-day  along  the  har- 
bor's azure  waters,  you  will  find  the  site  of  the  strong  little  fort  he  erected, 
with  its  chapel,  well,  orchard,  and  stanch  block-house.  Some  years  ago 
a  considerable  portion  of  its  stone-works  was  uncovered,  along  with  vari- 
ous relics  of  the  baron's  residence  ;  and 'these  are  now  in  care  of  the  Maine 
Historical  Society  and  of  some  private  individuals,  but  its  site  is  distinctly 
marked,  and  the  visitor  can  trace  the  outlines  at  his  will  to-day. 

Abominated  by  the  English  as  a  distinctly  inimical  influence  in  poli- 
tics and  in  religion,  and  looked  at  askance  by  his  own  people  in  Castine 
and  Canada,  the  bluff  French  nobleman  further  strengthened  his  relation- 
ship to  the  Tarratines  with  an  act  that  is,  perhaps,  the  most  romantic,  and 
certainly  the  best-known,  of  any  of  St.  Castin's  doings.  His  marriage 
(first  without  legal  formalities,  but  later,  at  home,  in  due  form)  with  the 
daughter  of  the  Tarratine  chief  Madockawando  is  one  of  those  unions 
which,  like  that  of  Pocahontas  with  Mr.  William  Rolfe,  has  always  inter- 
ested the  social  historian.  And  it  was,  apparently,  a  perfectly  happy 
experiment.  The  young  Indian  girl  is  said  to  have  been  of  great  loveli- 
ness of  person  and  nature — allow,  as  we  must,  for  romance's  glamour — and 
certainly  lived  happily  with  her  husband,  a  record  not  possessed  by  many 
more  recent  and  fashionable  French  and  American  alliances.  Her  return 
with  her  husband  to  France  completes  a  pleasing  picture  in  the  imagina- 
tion, of  her  being  transformed  into  a  provincial  chatelaine,  and  courtesying 
in  a  contra-dance,  instead  of  cutting  off  the  noses  of  French  prisoners  at 
a  war-dance.  One  regrets  to  add  that  there  is  a  record  that  St.  Castin 
took  to  himself  four  other  dusky,  or,  rather,  copper-hued,  partners,,  how- 
ever much  special  affection  he  undeniably  felt  for  this  one;  but  we  must 
make  allowances  for  the  notions  of  his  day  on  such  over-appreciation  of 
the  fair  sex,  and  it  is  certain  that  they  were  all  left  behind  as  superfluities 
in  Castine,  when  he  sailed  back  to  France  and  Oleron.  Possibly ,  this 
much  marrying  of  his  is  but  a  slander,  or  a  sort  of  quadruplication  of  excel- 
lence and  beauty,  by  time's  slow  course  ;  and  it  is,  indeed,  to  be  doubted 
if  any  husband  would  rashly  espouse  four  wives,  any  single  one  being  able 
to  scalp  him  with  neatness  and  despatch,  at  an  instant's  provocation,  if  he 
refused  them  new  beads,  feathers,  hatchets,  and  the  like,  all  around  (in 


rHE    STORY    OV   CASTINE,  MAINE 

lew  bonnets),  or  would  not  permit  them  to  run  the  longest  possible 
seventeenth  century  Castine  store. 
1  have  dwelt  thus,  at  some  length,  on  the  Baron  de  St.  Castin,  because 
is  to-day  its   figure-head,  in  preference  even   to   De  Grandfontaine,  the 
ernor,   romantically  and   practically.     I   pass  rapidly  now  over 
between   his  date  and  the  revolutionary  outburst.      The  little 
own  began  to  thrive,  but  it  was  handed  back  and  forth,  from  one  nation  to 
ler,  like  a  plate  oi  refreshments  at  a  drawing-room  rout.      In    1674  a 
Flemish  pirate.  The  Flying  Horse,  sailed  up  to  it,  from  Curacao,  completely 
;ed  the  French   habitants,  and  held  the  village  to  a  heavy  ransom. 
In  1071  the  Dutch  sent  a  very  good-sized  man-of-war  and  captured  Castine 
uit   of   hand.      So  it   became   a    Dutch   port    until   the    French  and  their 
Indian  aids  expelled  the  invaders.      In   the  year   1688  (it   is  to  be  remem- 
bered  that  St.  Castin  and  his  people  were  still  living  in  the  place — with 
r  without  those  three  extra  wives — along  with  several  missionary  priests), 
after   a   previous    notification,   Sir    Edmund    Andros,   the    New    England 
nor,  suddenly  arrived   at  Castine  in  a  frigate,  The  Rose,  and,  though 
the  guest  of    the    baron,  demanded    the    surrender   of    the  place   to    the 
British.     Some  of  us  will  remember  the  old  story  of  the  darkey  to  whom 
somebody  propounded  the  question:  "  Pompey,  if  in  the  day  of  judgment 
the    devil    stands  at    one   end    of    the   road    to   catch    you,   and    Gabriel, 
with   his  sword  of  fire,  stands  at  the  other,  what  will  you  do?"     Pompey 
replies:    "In   dem   cases,  massa,  dis   yer'  chile  doan'  do  neider — he  takes 
to  de  woods."     The  baron  took  to  the  woods  with  all    his  family,  and 
left   the  place  to  Andros,  who  sailed   away   from   it   in  a  few  days.     The 
colony  of  Massachusetts  denied   all  participation   in  this  affair,  and  even 
offered  a  reparation.     St.  Castin,  however,  said   that   the  English  annexa- 
tion of  the  settlement  was  not  to  be  postponed.     It  was  formally  ceded 
to  the   English.     A  year  later  the  matter  was  confirmed,  and   Governor 
William   Phipps  of  Nova  Scotia  established  its  ownership  to  his  queen. 
As    has   been   said,   St.   Castin   returned  to  France   in  1701,  his  voluntary 
:   over,    a   rather    elderly   prodigal    son.       He   had    several    direct    de- 
scendant-. 

There  i^  a  considerable  hiatus  in  any  eventful  history  of  the  town 
between  the  year  1704  and  the  beginning  of  the  Revolution.  The  period 
intervening  included  Queen  Anne's  war.  The  colony  apparently  fell  off 
as  to  it>  numbers,  particularly  in  its  French  element.  After  1667  we  find 
ences  to  new  settlers — Averill,  Perkins,  McCullam,  and  others.  They 
d  gradually,  and  General  Gage  in  1775  found  it  convenient  to 
destroy  the  block-house  on  the  settlement's  western  side,  lest  disaffected 


THE   STORY    OF   CASTINE,  MAINE  2J 

colonial  inhabitants  should  make  it  useful  against  British  misrule.  And 
it  is  quite  certain  that,  however  limited  the  colonial  population,  patriotism 
was  latent  in  it  very  early. 

The  war  of  liberty  was  declared.  Although  far  from  the  hot  centre, 
Castine  was  not  to  be  separated  from  its  stir.  The  geographical  location 
forbade..  In  1779,  with  the  battles  in  progress,  there  came  a  fleet  under 
General  Francis  McLean  and  a  force  of  seven  hundred  British  soldiery, 
and  a  strong  fort  was  thrown  up — the  remarkably  well-preserved  and  dig- 
nified old  earth-structure  visible  to-day  for  miles  about  the  town,  and  the 
pride  of  the  place  in  its  verdant  decadence.  Colonial  attention  was  at 
once  directed  to  this  act.  In  June  of  the  same  year  an  American  fleet 
of  nineteen  fully-armed  vessels,  the  Black  Prince,  the  Warren,  the  Defiance, 
the  General  Putnam,  the  Vengeance,  and  so  on,  a  really  noble  little  squadron, 
with  a  patriot  force  commanded  by  Generals  Solomon  Lovell  and  Peleg 
Wadsworth  and  Colonel  Paul  Revere,  set  out  for  Castine,  and  on  the 
morning  of  July  28  landed  their  not  very  numerous  hundreds  at  a  point 
a  little  removed  from  the  village.  A  sharp  engagement  ensued,  in  which 
the  British  were  entirely  victorious.  In  this  affair  Sir  John  Moore  was 
a  participant — not  then  a  knight — and  Captain  James  Henry  Craig  was 
another  actual  assistant.  The  month  of  July  was  an  active  one  in  Cas- 
tine's  revolutionary  story.  On  the  31st,  General  Wadsworth  set  in  order, 
upon  the  high  hill  back  of  the  village,  those  rifle-pits  and  battery-coverts 
still  there.  On  August  11  a  general  attack  was  made,  by  land  and  sea, 
on  the  fort,  and  our  forces  had  the  satisfaction  of  taking  it,  but  with 
an  unfortunate  sequel.  In  view  of  the  news  of  a  squadron  of  the  enemy 
standing  up  Penobscot  bay,  General  Lovell  retreated  in  good  order, 
abandoning  the  place  to  the  enemy  as  far  as  to  the  fleet.  Its  departure, 
however,  was  intercepted  by  the  expected  British  ships.  The  American 
vessels,  awkwardly  handled,  were  all  destroyed  by  their  crews.  The 
American  ownership  of  Castine's  position  was  thus  ended  in  anything  but 
a  success  or  a  credit  to  us. 

After  this  engagement  the  British  continued  to  hold  Castine  and  to 
garrison  the  fort — still  known  as  Fort  George — throughout  the  remainder 
of  the  Revolution,  until  peace  was  declared;  nor  did  they  evacuate  it  till 
1783.  Sundry  attempts  were  made  upon  it,  but  not  with  effect  nor  by  the 
state.  The  fort,  an  admirably  contrived  and  well  constructed  one,  was  kept 
in  constant  repair  and  use  ;  and  I  know  of  no  similar  structure  to-day  that 
is  in  such  satisfactory  and,  indeed,  extraordinary  preservation.*     It  is  at 

*  Not  a  little,  it  may  be  said,  through  the  public-spirited  generosity  of  Mr.  George  Witherlee  of 
Castine,  who  spares  no  care  nor  taste  in  the  preservation  of  its  relics. 


THE    STORY    OF   CASTINE,  MAINE 

iuty  and  a  strength  to  the  landscape.     In  its  compass  the  tennis 
\  ers  ilit  about  under  the  blue  skies  on  fair  days,  instead  of 
iguresof  the  British  infantry;    and  on  its  green   rampart 
ntide  stroll  of  Castine's  inhabitants  to-day  takes  the  place  of 
patrollings,  and  friendly  greetings  stir  the  echoes  instead  of 
But  it  is  still  soldierlike  and  stanch,  still  an  intact  fort,  not 
illocks;   and  from  its  verdant  bastions  one  looks  always  farther 
ban  to  the  opposite  shores  of  the  Penobscot  or  of  the  harbor,  even 
o  the  days  when  our  fathers  fought  for  their  liberty  and  lives,  some- 
ith  defeat,  but  with  defeat  swallowed  up  in  victory,  whereof  we  enjoy 
ceful  fruits. 
It  is  proper  to  say  here,  that  during  the  succeeding  British  occupation 
of  the  place,  the  colonial  population  were  well  treated — so  well  treated  as 
ply  a  good-sized  Tory  element  in  the  town,  a  Fabri,  as  has  been  inti- 
mated.    This  fact  is  recognized  in  a  military  order  to  General  Lovell  in  1 779, 
1  which  he  is  ordered  to  keep  a  wary  eye  on  the  villagers.     But  during  the 
h  tenancy  the  townspeople  generally  were  not  permitted  to  meddle 
with  fire-arms  or  visit  the  garrison;  they  were  forced  to  contribute  rations 
liberally.     Strangers    suspected  of    colonial  sentiments,   and    not   able   to 
give  a  good  account  of  themselves,  not  only  were  banished  summarily,  but 
whipped.     On  one  occasion,  when  a  colonial  soldier,  during  a  skirmish-attack 
2  English  works,  then  in  progress,  attempted  to  procure   some  water 
a  spring  at  close  range,  a  somewhat  extraordinary  circumstance  hap- 
letl  ;  the  man  being  fired  upon  by  at  least  sixty  soldiers,  without  receiv- 
y  any  wound  from  the  whole  broadside.     Whether   it  was  a  matter  of 
bad  marksmanship  or  invulnerability  I  shall  not  attempt  to  say.      His  towns- 
II  believed  it  the  latter,  and  proportionately  reverenced  him. 
During  the  progress  of  the  Revolution,  Castine  and  Fort  George  often 
>ns  of    more  or  less  importance.     In  this  connection  is    to   be 
nicled   the  really  notable  escape  effected  from  the  place  in   February, 
;     .  by  our  revolutionary  officer,  General  Peleg  Wadsworth,  mentioned  as  a 
participator  in  an  early  engagement  at  the  town — an  escape  not  unlike  the 
of  the  European   adventurer  Casanova  from  his  durance — the 
nocturnally  making  his  way  out  to  freedom,  along  with  a  compan- 
was  retaken  unhappily),  from    a  grated  room,  via    the    ceiling, 
ntries,  over  the  stockade  and  chevaux  de  frise,  down  the  glacis 
the  ditch,  and  so  across  the  Penobscot  inlet,  below  the  fort  that 
trs  his  name-  and  is  associated  with  his  audacity  !  * 

this    incident  are  in  a  manuscript  by  Wm.    D.  Williamson,  in  the  Maine 
;    fully  quoted,  however,  by  Dr.  Wheeler  in  his  scholarly  Castine  record. 


THE    STORY    OF   CASTINE,  MAINE  29 

The  war  was  over  at  last.  The  piping  times  of  peace  had  come.  The 
fair,  rolling  country  landscapes  of  Maine  grew  ripe  with  harvests,  and 
populated  by  busy  agriculturists.  Castine's  development  was  slow  but 
sure.  Shipping  interests  advanced  it,  and  as  the  land  grew  wonted  to  its 
new  conditions,  prosperity  settled  upon  the  place,  and  only  the  scars  of 
battles  being  left  as  their  witnesses,  substantial  fortunes  were  made  by  the 
residents.  Its  trade  and  social  life,  its  connection  with  other  communities, 
were  steady  processes,  and  a  handful  of  villages  like  itself  sprang  up  on 
one  or  the  other  side  of  its  harbor.  It  is  difficult  to  name  a  more  exquis- 
ite spot  for  an  American  home  than  its  brilliantly  green  heights,  and  the 
deep  indigo-colored  sea  washing  the  rocky  shore.  But  the  fundamental 
simplicity  and  sober-minded  ways  of  the  village  were  not  materially  affected 
by  any  fungus  growths  from  the  cities,  nor  by  the  license  of  too  many  new- 
fangled ideas.  Castine  grew  old  as  a  conservative,  modest,  retired  com- 
munity. Such  it  is  to-day.  There  are  quaint  anecdotes  of  its  post-revo- 
lutionary development,  of  its  early  events,  and  public  and  private  doings 
and  topics.  We  find  its  village  hotel-keeper's  wife,  in  one  remote  year, 
solemnly  telling  the  minister,  in  her  dying  moments,  that  she  wanted  to  go 
to  heaven,  but  that  "  she  wanted  to  go  there  by  way  of  Boston  " — an  aspi- 
ration likely  to  stir  a  sympathetic  nerve  in  the  heart  of  many  rural  New 
England  folk,  even  if  it  does  not  quite  reach  to  touching  the  highest 
string,  nor  vie  with  Gabriel,  in  the  mind  of  New  Yorkers.  We  find  the 
surprising  record  of  a  calf  born  that  weighed  at  the  time  "  only  twenty- 
seven  pounds,"  but  that  within  less  than  a  month  increased  its  avoirdu- 
pois to  one  hundred  and  twenty-seven — oh  prodigious  growth  !  We  hear 
of  the  village  postman  daily  carrying  the  mails  about  tied  up  in  a  yellow 
pocket-handkerchief,  that  he  directed  to  be  borne  on  a  rod,  like  a  flag,  or 
veritable  signal  of  distress,  at  his  funeral ;  and  we  also  learn  of  a  later 
mail-deliverer,  who  having  lost  one  of  his  team  of  horses,  regularly  supplied 
the  missing  animal's  place  with  a  heifer  yoked  with  the  remaining  horse — 
a  system  of  letter-service  that  in  respect  of  speed  appears  often  to  be 
imitated  in  our  own  metropolitan  post-office. 

There  are  stories  of  pirates  and  privateers,  and  that  other  naval  anec- 
dote, dear  to  local  chroniclers,  the  account  of  how  one  Captain  Whitney, 
in  the  ship  Hiram,  made  a  bold  stand,  and  navigated  his  own  vessel  into 
one  foe's  keeping  to  save  it  from  another  enemy.  We  read  of  the  com- 
munity's early  judicial  executions  ;  of  one  Seth  Elliot  who  refused  with 
strong  oaths  to  pay  a  doctor's  bill  on  the  night  before  the  gallows  was  to 
receive  him,  on  the  very  fair  ground  that  no  man  ought  to  die  and  be 
expected  to  pay  a  physician's  bill,  in  which  view  we  can  concede,  to  some 


rili;    STORY    OF   CASTINE.  MAINE 


rhere  is  also  the  fact  of   a  similar  end — rope's  end — for 
.  whose  hanging  in  1811  elieited  a  long  mortuary  poem 
son  Kisher  oi  Blue  Hill,  which  concludes  solemnly: 

••  Take  warning  then,  oh,  my  dear  friends  ! 
Let  me  advise  you  all  : 
Pray  slum  all  vice,  and  do  not  die 
Like  Ebenezer  Ball  1  " 

tin  ancient  stone  oven  in  the  village,  an  Indian  woman,  a  ser- 

.  was  wont  to  put  her  pappoose  to  sleep  while  occupied  or  out.     One 

nistress,  in  her  absence,  made  a  fine  fire  under  the  oven  without 

g  to  open  the  door.     I  leave  the  catastrophe  to  the  imagination. 

There  is  a  haunted   house   in   the  village,  where    a    little   ghost    speaks   or 

infantile  Penobscot.      In  the  elegy  on  the  excellent   Dr.  Powers, 

n  after  that  venerable  clergyman's  death  from  consumption,  in  1 807, 

the  event  is  set  forth  with  as  much  medical  perspicuity  as  poetry  : 

"Seized  with  a  cold,  while  laboring  in  the  cause 
Of  great  Immanuel  and  his  holy  laws, 
Opprest  with  fever  and  consumption's  force, 
The  worthy  Powers  has  fulfilled  his  course." 

Pastoral  vacations  in  those  days  seem  to  have  been  differently  regarded 
from  those  of  our  time,  inasmuch  as  we  find  this  same  excellent  Mr. 
Powers  allowed  by  explicit  vote  of  his  parish  four  Sabbaths  in  each  year, 
in  which  he  is  understood — not  to  go  to  Europe,  but — "  to  visit  his  friends 
and  preach  to  the  poor.'* 

During  the  civil  struggle,  Castine  sent   a   goodly  group  of  her  fathers 

to  the  front.     The  conflict  was  watched  on   every  step  by  those 

left   at   home,  in  an   intense  and    nobly  loyal   spirit.     On  the  village-green 

lay  a  monument  commemorates  its  regard  for  those  who  did  not  come 

k  to  Maine   from   the  fields  of   The  Wilderness,  of  Gettysburg,  and  of 

Shi  loh. 

From    those  days  of  America's  third  war  to  the  present  ones,  Castine 
ettled  into  only  a  deeper  tranquillity.     Nothing  marred  its  peaceful- 
.  and  those  who  must    needs  be  busy  in  the  world,  or  make  a  noise  in 
it,  have  fallen  into  a  way  of  leaving  the  village,  for  qualifying  such  ambi- 
■  sities.     It  is  a  corner  of  our  country  where  it  is  "  always  after- 

noon": and  to  spend  a  month  there  is  to  eat  daily  the  leaves  of  the  lotus. 
mall   centre  of  rural  happiness   and  beauty,  "  away  down  east," 
in  leading  characteristics  from  many  New  England  towns,  yet 
with   its  own   individuality  of  patriotism,  prosperity,  and  simplicity.      Up 


THE   STORY    OF   CASTINE,  MAINE  3 1 

and  down  its  seven  or  eight  green   streets,  the  fine  old   colonial   dwellings 
face  each  other  in  homely  and  home-like  dignity  and  solidity. 

The  chances  of  commerce  and  its  remoteness  from  the  highways  of 
travel  have  dwarfed  its  trade  energies,  and  stifled  its  manufacturing  inter- 
ests. One  gently,  drowsily,  humming  ropewalk  represents  the  last  named. 
There  is  n.o  railroad  ;  only  the  stage-coach  and  steamboat  serve  it.  If  the 
village  does  not  sleep,  it  dozes,  and  seems  to  brood  over  the  past  rather 
than  to  be  awake  to  the  unromantic,  struggling  present.  It  is  this  attitude, 
it  is  this  air  about  it,  that  charms  the  metropolitan  visitor.  He  looks  at 
it,  and  walks  up  and  down  and  around  it,  and  remembers  the  Indian  war- 
riors of  its  aboriginal  period,  the  sturdy  Baron  de  St.  Castin  and  his  dusky 
bride,  the  British  and  American  fights  and  manoeuvres  ;  and  then,  so 
looking  and  thinking,  he  says  to  himself,  that  after  all,  three  or  four  hun- 
dred years  is  but  a  little  time,  a  lightly-running  matter,  a  tale  that  is  told. 
And  he  also  reflects  that  it  is  not  so  much  to  be  considered  whether  a  place 
that  once  knew  such  or  such  tenants  now  knows  them  no  more,  as  it  is 
a  matter  of  how  far  those  who  are  owners  to-day  have  inherited  and  have 
preserved  their  best  qualities  as  neighbors,  as  men  and  women,  and  as 
American  citizens. 


2-  $.tn6e#J<$z 


'?*>€<X*^ 


A    GLANCE    AT    HIE    AGE    OF    QUEEN    ELIZABETH 

without    saying,  every  one   has   faults.     A  character  would  be 

ete,  or  at  least  not  human,  without  them ;  and  as  we  become  expe- 

in    the  ways  oi  the  world,  this   general   certainty  is   ever  present 

us,  which  makes  us  skeptical  when  we  hear  of  superhuman  excellence. 

le,  or  as  far  as  possible,  we  should  seek  to  understand  historical 

s  as  they  really  were,  or,  at  any  rate,  we  should  study  them  with 

preconceived    conviction    that  they  were    endowed    with    virtues    as 

as  faults,  like  the  rest  of  mankind.     It  is  incident  to  human  nature,  of 

Lirse,  to  regard  with  more  or  less  disfavor  any  charges  that  reflect  darkly 

pon  the  characters  of  those  whom    on   the  whole  we  admire  ;  and  we  as 

naturally  are  inclined  to  magnify  and  extol  their  virtues.     Is  it  not  true, 

-  lakespeare  says  : 

"  The  evil  that  men  do  lives  after  them, 
The  good  is  oft  interred  with  their  bones  "  ? 

Intellectual    differences    are    readily    admitted,    because    they    cannot 
be  denied  ;  but  the  recognition  of  true  human   nobleness  is  perhaps 
quite  as  guardedly  acknowledged  by  some,  as  to  brand  one  as  utterly  base 
is  by  others.     It  is  certainly  a  trait   in   human   nature,  and   among  those, 
too,  not   morally  vicious,  always   to   try   to   paint    in   the   brightest  colors 
th-»se   characters  which  by  common   consent   have  been  stamped  as  infa- 
mous, while  they  are  chary  of  praise  concerning  those  commonly  accepted 
iod.     It  is  a  very  trite  saying,  that   straws   show  which  way  the  wind 
blows  ;  and  so,  oftentimes,  a  single  career  in  a  given  age,  or  notable    inci- 
in  the  life  of  a  single  person,  will  serve  to  a  great  degree  in  marking 
the  character  of  a  period  and  those  prominent  in  it,  as  certainly  as  the 
quality  of   the  water  in  a  stream  reveals  the   nature   of  the  sources  from 
which  it  flows.     There  is,  perhaps,  no  more  famous  name  in  the  annals  of 
English  history  than  that  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  the  daughter  of  Henry  VIII. 
and  Anne  Boleyn,  who  ruled   England  for  nearly  fifty  years,  and   during 
e   long  reign   some   of  the   great   problems  of  human   destiny  were 
solved,  and  the  course  of   human  progress  was  directed  into  the  channels 
in  which   it  has   since   moved  onward.     Early  in  her  reign   charges  most 
derogatory  to  her  character  were  circulated,  not  only  in  England,  but  on 
Ofltinent  of    Europe.     Many  persons  among  the  reading    and  non- 
reading  classes  to-day  have  heard  of   these  charges,  and  without  knowing 
or  inquiring  upon  what  ground   or  foundation  they  rest,  have  formed  an 


A  GLANCE  AT  THE  AGE  OF  QUEEN  ELIZABETH  33 

opinion  and  reached  a  conclusion  concerning  this  most  extraordinary 
woman.  Of  course,  the  subject  is  one,  to  say  the  very  least,  of  large 
dimensions  and  great  magnitude.  But  it  is  merely  my  purpose  to  show, 
by  the  consideration  of  a  few  incidents  happening  in  her  day  and  in  close 
connection  with  her  person — under  her  very  eye,  as  it  were — which  reflect 
a  glorious  light  upon  an  age  of  which  it  is  not  too  much  to  say  none  has 
exerted  a  greater  influence,  and  of  which  she  was,  perhaps,  the  most  dis- 
tinguished and  prominent  leader:  these  straws  will  show  to  some  extent 
which  way  the  wind  blew.  Let  us  remember  that  the  age  in  which  she 
lived  was  one  which  was  just  emerging  from  the  darkness  of  the  mediaeval 
past  into  the  bright  light  of  knowledge  and  peace,  which  now  shines  so 
brightly  and  grandly  throughout  the  world.  But  it  is  quite  incredible 
that  she  could  have  lived  and  moved  within  the  sphere  which  surrounded 
and  encompassed  her  daily  and  on  every  side ;  that  she  could  have  been 
so  conspicuous  and  potent  a  figure  and  factor  in  the  midst  of  affairs  such 
as  then  obtained,  and  occupied  the  minds  of  men — as  she  was  by  all  around 
her  confessed  to  be — guiding,  influencing,  controlling  among  men  not 
only  noble,  high-minded,  and  truly  great,  but  deeply  religious  men  withal 
— as  we  have  abundant  evidence  to  prove  ;  some  of  whom,  none  greater  in 
all  these  respects  have  ever  lived — without  herself  being  a  truly  noble  and 
virtuous  woman. 

I  would  call  attention  to  the  kind  of  letters  men  wrote  in  those  days  to 
their  young  sons.  The  following,  by  Sir  Henry  Sidney,  most  intimately 
associated  with  her  for  a  long  term  of  years  in  the  administration  of  her 
government,  is  an  extract  from  one  addressed  by  him  to  his  son,  the 
courtly  Sir  Philip  Sidney,  when  scarcely  eleven  years  old  :  "  Let  your 
first  action  be  the  lifting  up  of  your  mind  to  Almighty  God,  by  hearty 
prayer  ;  and  feelingly  digest  the  words  you  speak  in  prayer,  with  continual 
meditation  and  thinking  of  Him  to  whom  you  pray,  and  of  the  matter  for 
which  you  pray.  And  use  this  as  an  ordinary  act,  and  at  an  ordinary 
hour  ;  whereby  the  time  itself  shall  put  you  in  remembrance  to  do  that 
you  are  accustomed  to  do  in  that  time." 

His  father  wrote  concerning  Philip  after  he  had  attained  his  twenty- 
fourth  year,  to  his  younger  brother  Robert,  as  follows  :  "  In  truth — I  speak 
it  without  flattery  of  him  or  of  myself — he  hath  the  most  rare  virtues  that 
ever  I  found  in  any  man.  Follow  your  discreet  and  virtuous  brother's 
rule,  who  with  great  discretion,  to  his  commendation,  won  love,  and  could 
variously  ply  ceremony  with  ceremony." 

That  England  was  in  a  very  much  better  moral  state  than  the  rest  of 
Europe  at  this  time,  we  have  the   evidence   of  Robert  Ascham,  Philip's 

Vol.  XXIX. -No.  1.— 3 


J4  A    GLANCE    AT   THE   AGE    OF   QUEEN   ELIZABETH 

tutor,  who.  halting  but  nine  days  in  Venice,  says  that  "  in  that  time  he  saw 
more  Liberty  to  sin  than  lie  ever  heard  tell  of  in  our  noble  London  in  nine 
As  illustrative  of  the  high  moral  tone  and  thoughtful  and  serious 
character  oi  his  mind,  the  following  extract  from  one  of  Philip's  letters  is 
Linly  remarkable,  especially  when  we  consider  that  it  was  written  from 
Italy  before  he  had  attained  the  age  of  twenty,  and  while  he  was  closely 
observing  with  intense  interest  the  working  out  of  some  of  the  most 
momentous  problems  that  have  ever  been  played  on  the  political  chess- 
board oi  Europe.  "  Refreshing  of  the  mind  consists  more  than  anything 
else  in  that  seemly  play  of  humor  which  is  so  natural  and  so  engrafted, 
as  it  were,  in  the  characters  of  some  of  the  wisest  men."  This  sentiment 
concerning  humor  is  very  beautifully  expressed  by  Dr.  Weir  Mitchell  in 
the  January  number  of  The  Century.  It  is  a  very  desirable  habit,  he  says, 
u  to  ease  the  frictions  of  life  with  the  precious  ointment  of  mirth."  One  of 
Philip's  most  intimate  and  life-long  friends  wrote  concerning  him:  "Soldiers 
honored  him,  and  were  so  honored  by  him,  as  no  man  thought  he  marched 
under  the  true  banner  of  Mars  that  had  not  obtained  Sir  Philip  Sidney's 
approbation.  Men  of  affairs  in  most  parts  of  Christendom  entertained 
correspondence  with  him.  .  .  .  His  heart  and  capacity  were  so  large 
that  there  was  not  a  cunning  painter,  a  skillful  engineer,  an  excellent  musi- 
cian, or  any  other  artificer  of  extraordinary  fame,  that  made  not  himself 
known  to  this  famous  spirit,  found  him  his  true  friend  without  hire,  and 
the  common  rendezvous  of  worth  in  his  time.  Neither  was  this  in  Sir 
Philip  a  private  but  a  public  affection  ;  his  chief  ends  being  not  friends, 
wife,  children,  and  himself,  but  above  all  things  the  honor  of  his  Maker, 
and  the  service  of  his  prince  and  country."  It  may  be  well  for  us  to  con- 
sider what  one  held  in  so  high  and  universal  esteem  thought  concerning 
Queen  Elizabeth.  After  speaking  of  the  scandalous  stories  that  were 
sometimes  floated  concerning  her,  he  said  :  "  I  durst  with  my  blood  answer 
it,  that  there  never  was  a  monarch  held  in  more  precious  reckoning  of  her 
people  ;  and  before  God  how  can  it  be  otherwise  ?  A  singular  honor  God 
hath  done  you  to  be,  indeed,  the  only  protector  of  his  church,  the  example 
of  princes,  the  ornament  of  this  age."  Sir  Philip  Sidney  was  mortally 
wounded  in  a  desperate  charge  at  the  battle  of  Zutphen,  and  died  when 
he  lacked  but  six  weeks  of  being  thirty-two.  In  his  last  moments  the 
attending  chaplain  comforted  him  with  texts  of  holy  Scripture,  and  pious 
assurances.  Sidney,  lifting  up  his  eyes  and  hands  exclaimed:  "  I  would 
not  change  my  joy  for  the  empire  of  the  world."     It  is  not  too  much  to  say: 

"  He  was  the  expectancy  and  rose  of  the  fair  state, 
The  observed  of  all  observers." 


A  GLANCE  AT  THE  AGE  OF  QUEEN  ELIZABETH  35 

As  is  universally  conceded,  the  fair  and  illustrious  fame  of  Sir  Philip 
Sidney  has  not  been  dimmed  by  the  lapse  of  ages.  His  father,  his  highly 
gifted  and  most  accomplished  mother,  his  brothers  and  sister,  who  bore  a 
striking  resemblance  to  him,  were  all  singularly  exemplary  in  their  lives 
and  characters,  not  only  when  viewed  in  the  light  of  the  high  circle  and 
sphere  in  which  they  lived,  but  their  virtues  and  the  purity  of  their  walk 
and  conversation  would  have  adorned  the  Christian  character  in  the  low- 
liest and  humblest  stations.  Surely  such  noble  examples  could  not  but 
have  exerted  a  most  wholesome  and  elevating  influence  upon  all  who  came 
within  their  sphere,  especially  when  we  are  assured  by  many  contempora- 
neous witnesses  that  their  virtues  were  estimated  and  esteemed  at  their 
true  value.  It  is  not  pretended  that  all  in  Elizabeth's  court  possessed 
such  exalted  merit,  though  the  incidents  cited  were  by  no  means  isolated 
cases;  but  if  I,  5  ^  ^  ^ 

"Vice  be  a  monster  of  such  hideous  mien, 
That  to  be  hated  needs  but  to  be  seen," 

surely  the  presence  of  such  distinguished  worth  and  pre-eminent  virtues, 
which  were  so  highly  extolled  and  appreciated  by  those  living  at  the  time, 
and  in  their  constant  company,  ought  to  go  very  far  and  weigh  greatly 
toward  convincing  us  that  there  were  many  lofty  and  noble  and  pure 
souls  in  daily  contact  and  intercourse  with  the  great  queen,  of  whom  all 
were  proud,  and  felt  that  they  honored  themselves  in  yielding  her  the 
homage  of  their  profound  regard.  Surely  a  queen  could  not  have  been 
endowed  with  a  low,  base,  much  less  degraded  nature  and  soul,  who 
could  excite  and  draw  forth  from  such  lofty  spirits  as  these  the  tributes 
which  they  ungrudgingly  bestowed,  not  simply  upon  her  intellectual 
endowments,  but  also  upon  her  virtues  and  worth. 

We  have  too,  by  a  contemporary  writer,  a  beautiful  account  of  an 
English  church  service  in  the  time  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  in  St.  George's, 
Windsor;  the  narrator  being  a  foreigner — Frederick,  Duke  of  Wurtem- 
berg.  ''This  castle,"  he  says,  "stands  upon  a  knoll,  or  hill;  in  the  outer 
or  first  court  there  is  a  very  beautiful  and  immensely  large  church,  with  a 
flat,  even  roof  covered  with  lead,  as  is  common  with  all  churches  in  this 
kingdom.  In  this  church  his  highness  listened  for  more  than  an  hour  to 
the  beautiful  music,  the  usual  ceremonies,  and  the  English  sermon.  The 
music,  especially  the  organ,  was  exquisitely  played,  for  at  times  you  could 
hear  the  sound  of  cornets,  flutes,  then  fifes,  and  other  instruments  ;  and 
there  was  likewise  a  little  boy,  who  sang  so  sweetly  amongst  it  all,  and 
threw  such  a  charm  over  the  music  with  his  little  tongue,  that  it  was  really 


A  Gl  ANCF.  AT  THE  AGE  OF  QUEEN  ELIZABETH 

lerful  to  listen  to  him.     After  the  music,  which  lasted  a  longtime,  had 
ended,  a  minister  ascended  the  pulpit  and  preached  in  English." 

This  is  not  such  a  narrative — the  incidents  related  are  not  such  as  we 
should  expect  from  the  pen  of  a  foreigner  who  has  visited  a  dissolute 
court,  whose  sovereign,  although  the  ruling  and  controlling  spirit  thereof, 
was  held  to  be  not  a  good  woman. 

Beesley,  in  his  recent  Life  of  Elizabeth,  admits  that  few  rulers,  male  or 
female,  have  had  to  contend  with  such  formidable  and  complicated  diffi- 
culties as  the  English  queen,  and  that  few  have  surmounted  them  so 
triumphantly.  This  is  the  criterion  which  determines  the  judgment  of 
practical  men  ;  and,  although  research  may  modify,  it  can  never  set  aside 
the  popular  verdict.  There  are  writers  who  have  described  Elizabeth  as 
selfish  and  wayward,  short-sighted,  easily  duped,  faint-hearted,  rash, 
miserly,  wasteful,  and  swayed  by  the  pettiest  impulses  of  vanity,  spite, 
and  personal  inclination.  They  have  not  explained  how  it  could  happen 
that  a  woman  with  all  such  disqualifications  for  government  should  have 
ruled  England  with  such  signal  success  for  nearly  forty-five  years.  Good 
luck  will  not  explain  so  long  and  so  unbroken  a  period  of  efficient  rule. 
No  one  had  a  better  opportunity  or  a  higher  capacity  for  estimating  the 
greatness  of  Elizabeth  than  had  Francis  Bacon.  He  said  of  her:  "It  is 
not  to  closet  penmen  that  we  are  to  look  for  guidance  in  such  a  case;  for 
men  of  that  order,  being  keen  in  style,  poor  in  judgment,  and  partial  in 
feeling,  are  no  faithful  witnesses  as  to  the  real  passages  of  business.  It  is 
for  ministers  and  for  great  officers  to  judge  of  these  things,  and  those  who 
have  handled  the  helm  of  government  and  been  acquainted  with  the  diffi- 
culties and  mysteries  of  state  business." 

George  G.  Hepburn 


HOW    TO    STUDY    UNITED    STATES    HISTORY 

For  some  time  educational  thinkers  have  concerned  themselves  with 
the  question  of  what  our  public  schools  should  teach.  To  instructors, 
however,  this  question  is  subordinate  to  the  one  of  how  a  subject  deter- 
mined upon  should  be  taught.  We  thus  see  the  questions  what  and  how 
presenting  themselves  at  every  stage  of  school  work  ;  the  one  involving 
the  philosophy  of  education,  the  other,  its  science  and  art  ;  the  one  of 
interest  to  the  general  public,  the  other  intimately  associated  with  profes- 
sional success. 

A  complete  system  of  educational  philosophy  may  be  summed  up  in 
three  words:  quality,  as  applied  to  intellect;  expression,  as  related  to 
thought  ;  and  application,  as  associated  with  acquired  knowledge.  Judged 
by  the  canons  of  this  philosophy  we  find  an  ideal  study  to  be  one  whose 
mastery  has  a  culture  value,  whose  application  bears  directly  upon  the 
conduct  and  practical  affairs  of  life,  and  whose  methods  give  full  scope  to 
individual  expression.     Such  a  study  is  the  history  of  one's  country. 

A  special  significance  is  attached  to  the  study  of  United  States  history, 
which  is  better  understood  when  it  is  conceived  that  the  prime  function 
of  the  American  public-school  is  to  train  to  intelligent  and  patriotic  citizen- 
ship. Intelligence  implies  the  possession  of  certain  knowledge,  the  power 
to  acquire  additional  knowledge,  and  the  ability  to  apply  acquired  knowl- 
edge whenever  practicable.  Citizenship  implies  the  possession  of  rights 
and  privileges,  which  are  more  satisfactorily  exercised  when  their  origin 
and  nature  are  known.  The  mental  equipment  of  any  intelligent  citizen 
includes  a  knowledge  of  his  country's  past,  an  understanding  of  his  rela- 
tions to  the  various  governmental  organizations  placed  over  him,  and  a 
proper  apprehension  of  the  duties  pertaining  to  his  sovereignty. 

The  intimate  relation  that  history  bears  to  other  subjects  of  human 
interest  gives  it  additional  importance.  Dealing  with  persons,  it  is  closely 
associated  with  biography  and  literature.  Dealing  with  places,  it  enters 
into  inseparable  companionship  with  geography.  Dealing  with  motives, 
causes  and  effects,  national  and  local  life,  community  relations  and  institu- 
tions, it  trenches  upon  the  domains  of  psychology,  philosophy,  political 
economy,  and  sociology.  Furnishing  standards  by  which  the  student  may 
gauge  and  pattern  his  own  conduct,  it  bears  upon  the  subject  of  ethics. 
Viewed  from  every  standpoint  and  in  every  light,  its  position  in  the  com- 
mon school  curriculum  is  unassailable. 


HOW     rO    STUDY    UNITED    STATES    HISTORY 

the  question  arises  as  to  how  a  given  subject  may  be  successfully 
it  we  are  led  naturally  to  consider  the  principles  underlying  successful 
teaching  in  general.     An   analysis  of  these  principles  enables  us  to  make 
groupings  of  elements  which  go  to  make  up  success.     The  first  consists 
oi  qualities  possessed   or  cultivated   by  the  teacher,  which  may  be  briefly 
summarized  as  follows:    (i)  Thorough  familiarity  with  the  subject  taught; 
Ability    to    secure    and    retain   attention  ;     (3)    Skill    in    devising   and 
ting   the   methods   best   suited   to   existing   circumstances;     (4)   Will 
(5)    Earnestness;    (6)   Enthusiasm.     The   second   grouping   corn- 
rises  the  four  consecutive   steps  embraced  in  all  successful  methods  of 
parting   full   knowledge  of  a   subject.     Teachers  will  recognize  these  in 
the  brief  and  technical  terms  of:   (1)  Instruction;    (2)   Drill;    (3)  Testing; 
14)    Review. 

In  particularizing  the  successful  teaching  of  history,  it  may  be  added 
to  what  has  been  said,  that  the  teacher  should  have  at  all  times  in  mind 
a  clear  idea  of  the  ground  to  be  covered  and  the  relation  sustained  by 
each  lesson  or  topic  to  the  whole  subject.  He  must  apprehend  fully 
the  sequences  of  historical  cause  and  effect,  and  be  able  to  group  events 
that  bear  upon  one  another.  In  no  other  branch  of  instruction  is  the 
teacher's  fund  of  general  information  so  valuable ;  and  it  may  be  well 
said  that  a  teacher  who  is  full  of  his  subject  is  a  never-failing  source  of 
inspiration. 

As  it  is  much  easier  to  generalize  upon  what  not  to  do  than  upon  what 
to  do,  the  following,  crystallized  from  a  professional  experience  of  some 
years,  is  appended  for  the  benefit  of  young  teachers. 

THE    TWELVE    DON'TS. 

(i)  Don't  require  the  text  to  be  memorized.  That  is  cultivating  verbal 
memory,  not  teaching  history. 

(2)  Don't  follow  a  strictly  chronological  order.  The  idea  of  time  is  a 
poor  one  about  which  to  group  events  that  are  otherwise  unrelated. 

(3)  Don't  burden  the  mind  with  unimportant  dates.  Beyond  the 
memorizing  of  twelve  important  dates  no  special  effort  in  this  direction 
should  be  required.  It  is  only  necessary  toknowthe  relative  and  approxi- 
mate time  of  most  events  mentioned  in  history. 

(4)  Don't  assign  lessons  by  pages.  Let  the  lessons  be  upon  subjects  or 
topics. 

(5)  Don't  assign  long  lessons.  Short  lessons  well  understood  are  of 
more  value  than  long  ones  cursorily  dealt  with. 


HOW    TO    STUDY    UNITED    STATES    HISTORY 


39 


(6)  Don't  fail  to  make  preliminary  expositions  of  the  lessons  assigned. 
Pupils  often  need  instruction  as  to  what  and  how  to  study. 

(7)  Don't  explain  too  much.  Leave  something  for  the  pupil  to  do. 
Quality  of  intellect  depends  upon  concentrative  mental  effort.  Too  much 
explanation  frequently  imbues  the  pupil  with  the  idea  that  he  knows 
the  lesson  without  further  study.  This  over-confidence  results  unsatisfac- 
torily. 

(8)  Don't  be  afraid  to  make  the  recitation  interesting.  While  there  is 
no  substitute  for  earnest  study,  and  the  teacher  should  never  relieve  the 
pupil  of  responsibility  in  the  matter,  yet  the  mental  application  once 
secured,  every  facility  should  be  extended  to  the  pupil  to  express  himself 
fully  and  freely  during  recitation. 

(9)  Don't  fail  to  review  frequently.  Thoroughness  is  indicated  not  in 
what  is  learned  but  in  what  is  remembered. 

(10)  Don't  neglect  to  keep  posted  upon  current  events.  History  is 
being  made  every  day.  Read  the  newspapers,  call  frequent  attention  to 
the  connection  between  present  and  past  events. 

(11)  Don't  confine  yourself  to  one  text-book  or  authority.  Encourage 
parallel  readings,  and  interest  the  pupils  in  the  investigation  of  some  few 
selected  subjects  thoroughly. 

(12)  Don't  imagine  that  everything  in  a  complete  school  history  is  to  be 
mastered.  Advanced  histories  are  works  of  reference  as  well  as  class- 
books.  The  thorough  study  of  successive  lessons  may  be  insisted  upon  as 
means  of  culture.  What  is  best  to  be  remembered  is  covered  by  review 
questions  of  a  broad  and  general  nature,  as  given  in  most  works  of  a 
standard  character. 


Tulane  University,  New  Orleans 


BLACKHAWK'S    FAREWELL    SPEECH 

On  August  27,  1832,  after  the  suppression  of  an  Indian  emeute  near  the  Four 
Lakes,  by  the  United  States  army,  the  great  Indian  chief,  Blackhawk,  losing  all 
hope,  surrendered  himself  at  Prairie  du  Chien.  On  this  occasion  he  delivered  a 
remarkable  speech,  a  full  record  of  which  is  given  in  the  second  volume  of  Dr. 
Shaffner's  History  of  America.  The  following  is  a  metrical  version  of  his  eloquent 
remarks  : 

You've  caged  the  Indian  eagle,  you've  rent  his  lordly  wings, 
And  he  shall  soar  no  longer  o'er  the  mountains'  belted  rings  ; 
But  while  I'm  pinioned  by  your  gyves,  my  only  grief  will  be 
That  I  did  not  pay  back  to  you  the  pains  you  dealt  to  me  ! 
I  fought  you  to  the  very  last,  and  boldly  face  to  face, 
For  we  the  children  of  the  winds  are  still  a  valiant  race  ; 
Your  bullets  flew,  like  angry  birds,  fast  fluttering  in  our  ears, 
Or  like  the  breezes,  swift  and  keen,  that  sweep  the  barren  meres ; 
My  warriors  fell — yes,  one  by  one,  beneath  your  raking  shot, 
Yet  while  the  last  of  them  survived,  Blackhawk  surrendered  not  ! 

My  evil  day  had  come  to  hand.     The  sun  that  dawn  rose  dim, 

And  when  the  evening  shadows  fell,  the  skies  looked  red  and  grim  ; 

The  sunset  like  a  ball  of  fire,  gleamed  from  its  dying  bed — 

Oh,  'twas  the  last  of  all  the  suns  to  shine  on  Blackhawk's  head  ! 

For  now  his  heart  is  bleak  and  cold,  all  lorn  and  lone  is  he — 

The  white  men  are  his  masters,  and  he's  no  longer  free  ! 

Oh,  now  their  chains  are  on  my  limbs,  their  fangs  are  at  my  throat, 

But  the  red  Indian,  who  would  fear,  is  scarcely  worth  a  groat ! 

No  coward  I — I  swear  it  here,  by  the  great  spirit-god, 

For  craven  souls  never  took  root  within  our  forest  sod  ! 

The  white  man's  thongs  might  lash  my  frame  till  death's  last  dirge  shall  toll — 

He  has  no  thongs  to  whip  or  maim  my  still  unconquered  soul ! 

Great  spirit  !   we  did  pray  to  thee — to  thee  we  cried  for  years 
To  give  us  life  with  liberty,  and  wipe  away  our  tears  ! 
Thy  council  spoke,  and  urged  us  on,  to  fight  for  land  and  squaw, 
And  crush  with  all  our  might  and  main  the  white  man's  odious  law; 
But  we  failed,  O  god  of  gods,  for  all  our  beavers  fled — 
Throughout  the  land  there  reigned,  alas  !  the  silence  of  the  dead  ; 


blackhawk's  farewell  speech  4* 

Our  crystal  streams  grew  dry  as  dust,  our  squaws  starved  everywhere — 

'Twas  then  the  spirit  of  our  sires  called  us  to  do  and  dare  ! 

Around  the  council  fire  we  stood,  and  leaving  fools  to  talk, 

We  raised  the  fierce  war-whoop  once  more,  and  clutched  the  tomahawk  ! 

Our  knives  shone  proudly  bright  that  day,  and  Blackhawk's  heart  swelled  high, 

And  from  his  lips  the  vow  went  forth  to  conquer  or  to  die  ! 

Oh,  if  he  died,  he  knew  his  soul  would  pass  through  cleansing  fires, 

And  reach  the  spirit-land  above,  and  greet  his  warrior  sires  ! 

Death  would  be  glad  if  he  had  not  a  wife  to  leave  behind — 

He  cared  not  for  himself  alone,  but  only  for  his  kind  ! 

And,  oh,  he  fears  his  countrymen,  whipped  like  ignoble  slaves, 

Will  spend  their  days  in  servitude,  and  fill  unholy  graves, 

For  though  the  whites  scalp  not  the  head,  yet  with  a  devil's  art, 

They  do  far  worse — they  pour  the  death  of  poison  on  the  heart! 

Quite  soon  the  reds  will  be  as  whites — you  cannot  trust  the  race, 

For  guile  will  stain  each  Indian  soul,  and  varnish  every  face  ! 

The  heart  and  mind  will  be  divorced,  and  lips  no  more  will  shrink 

From  utt'ring  words  and  phrases  sleek  they  do  not  really  think. 

Farewell,  my  land,  your  Blackhawk  tried  to  rend  your  galling  chain, 

And  right  your  sad  and  bloody  wrongs,  but,  oh,  he  tried  in  vain  ! 

He  drank  the  blood  of  many  a  white — oh,  would  he  could  once  more ! 

But  fate  has  willed  it  otherwise,  his  chequered  race  is  o'er, 

His  end  is.  near,  his  sun  has  set — oh,  nevermore  to  rise — 

And  Blackhawk  goes  with  heavy  heart  to  scale  the  starry  skies  ! 


c^re-Tui-    i^ 


THE    SUCCESSFUL     NOVEL    OF    FIFTY-SIX   YEARS   AGO 

"  HORSE    SHOE    ROBINSON  " 
[Concluding  chapter,  continued  from  page  468] 

This  village  was  full  of  whig  troops,  and  the  retreat  of  Butler's  captors 
tow  aid  King's  mountain,  whither  he  was  being  followed  by  Williams  and 
his  army,  led  the  Virginia  volunteers  to  march  rapidly  in  the  same  di- 
rection. Horse  Shoe  and  young  Lindsay  joined  the  military  party, 
anxious  to  participate  in  the  great  battle  which  now  appeared  imminent, 
leaving  [Mildred  under  the  care  of  Allen  Musgrove  and  his  daughter,  with 
a  small  guard  of  soldiers.  But  Mildred  was  restless,  and  persuaded  Allen 
Musgrove  to  accompany  her  to  some  point  near  the  probable  battle-field. 
They  reached  the  neighborhood  of  King's  mountain,  an  elongated  ridge 
rising  out  of  the  bosom  of  an  uneven  country  to  the  height  of  five  hundred 
feet,  like  an  insulated  promontory,  just  as  the  two  hostile  armies  were 
about  to  engage  in  deadly  conflict.  The  attack  was  made  by  the  con- 
tinentals, the  chief  leaders  with  their  forces  having  arranged  to  scale  the 
heights  and  make  the  onset  in  several  places  as  nearly  as  possible  at  the 
same  instant. 

Mildred,  with  Mary  Musgrove  by  her  side,  watched  from  a  high  knoll 
the  movements  of  the  armies.  The  advancing  continentals,  in  close  ranks, 
with  a  serried  thicket  of  rifles  above  their  heads,  now  and  then  deploying 
into  files  to  pass  some  narrow  path,  their  bodies  bent,  and  moving  with 
the  speed  of  hunters  for  wild  game,  was  a  strangely  fascinating  sight. 
The  scarlet  enemy  were  to  be  seen  on  the  crest  of  the  mountain,  actively 
preparing  for  the  assault.  Henry  Lindsay  stood  beside  Mildred  for  a 
moment  ere  he  rode  on  with  his  company,  to  say  to  her  that  he  was  to  serve 
as  aid-de-camp,  and  that  Horse  Shoe  was  to  help  him.  Horse  Shoe  had 
given  some  valuable  hints  to  Campbell,  who  had  divided  his  army  into 
three  equal  parts,  telling  him  that  the  British  had  no  cannon  on  the 
mountain,  and  "that  the  advancing  columns  should  not  deploy  until  near 
the  crest." 

The  description  of  this  battle  is  one  of  the  best  portions  of  the  famous 
novel,  but  it  is  no  part  of  our  present  purpose  to  reproduce  it  here.  The 
incidents  were    innumerable   and   of   thrilling  interest.     When  the   conti- 


THE    SUCCESSFUL   NOVEL   OF   FIFTY-SIX    YEARS    AGO  43 

nentals  came  within  musket-shot  of  the  British  regulars,  the  sharp  and 
prolonged  volleys  rattled  along  the  mountain  side,  and  volumes  of  smoke, 
silvered  by  the  light  of  the  afternoon  sun,  rolled  over  and  enveloped  the 
combatants.  Horse  Shoe  was  in  the  thick  of  the  fight  with  no  other 
weapon  but  his  customary  rifle,  galloping  over  an  adversary,  or  round  him, 
as  the  emergency  rendered  most  advisable. 

At  a  moment  when  one  of  the  refluxes  of  battle  brought  him  almost 
to  the  summit  of  the  mountain,  he  descried  a  small  party  of  British 
dragoons  stationed  some  distance  in  the  rear  of  the  British  line,  whose 
detached  position  seemed  to  infer  some  duty  unconnected  with  the 
general  combat,  and  he  thought  he  recognized  the  figure  and  dress  of 
Arthur  Butler,  who  stood  near  them,  bare-headed,  upon  a  projecting  mass 
of  rock,  apparently  watching  the  exciting  scene.  Without  an  instant's 
hesitation  he  rode  swiftly  toward  the  Virginia  rangers,  and  called  upon 
Stephen  Foster  to  select  half-dozen  of  his  best  men,  and  follow  him.  This 
was  done,  and  by  a  circuit  along  the  right  side  of  the  mountain,  Horse 
Shoe  soon  conducted  the  party  to  the  summit  at  a  point  between  the 
British  line  and  the  dragoons,  which  effectually  cut  off  the  latter  from 
their  friends  in  front.  The  dragoons  charged  with  the  custody  of  Butler 
were  taken  by  surprise,  with  no  alternative  but  to  defend  themselves  or 
fly.  "  Huzza  for  Major  Butler,"  cried  Horse  Shoe.  "  What,  ho,  James 
Curry!  stand  your  ground,  if  you  are  a  man!  "he  shouted  in  the  next 
breath,  riding  furiously  after  his  foe,  who  was  scurrying  into  the  woods  for 
safety. 

The  two  soldiers  met  in  fierce  encounter,  and  Curry  was  killed.  The 
dragoons  fled  panic-stricken  at  the  loss  of  their  leader,  and  Butler  was  left 
in  the  midst  of  his  friends.  "  God  bless  you,  major  ;  spring  across  the  pom- 
mel," cried  Horse  Shoe,  and  seizing  Butler  by  the  arm,  assisted  him  to 
mount,  and  the  faithful  horse  dashed  away  at  full  speed  toward  the  base 
of  the  mountain  with  his  double  burden,  followed  by  Stephen  Foster  and 
the  whole  party. 

Mildred,  pale  with  emotion  and  intensely  agitated,  was  clinging  to 
Mary  Musgrove's  arm,  speaking  her  terrors  unconsciously  from  time  to 
time.  "  In  God  is  our  trust  ;  His  arm  is  abroad  over  the  dangerous  paths, 
for  a  shield  and  a  buckler  to  them  that  put  their  trust  in  Him,"  said  the 
miller,  reverently.  "  Ha !  there  is  Ferguson's  white  horse,  rushing  with  a 
dangling  rein  and  an  empty  saddle  down  the  mountain,  through  Camp- 
bell's ranks.  The  rider  has  fallen.  And  there,  look  !  is  the  white  flag  wav- 
ing in  the  hands  of  a  British  officer.  The  fight  is  over.  Hark!  hark! 
our  friends  are  cheering,  the  battle  is  won  !  "     In  the  busy  movement  that 


nil:    SUCCESSFUL   NOVEL   OF   FIFTY-SIX   YEARS   AGO 

followed,  a  party  of  horsemen  was  seen  through  the  occasional  intervals  of 
the  low  wood  that  skirted  the  valley  on  the  right,  sweeping  along  the 
base  oi  the  mountain  toward  the  knoll  where  Mildred  was  standing. 
These  horsemen  were  lost  to  view  among  the  trees  and  angles  of  the  hills 
for  a  brief  time,  but  when  they  emerged  and  once  more  attracted  Mil- 
dred's eyes,  they  were  so  near  that  she  recognized  them  all — Horse  Shoe 
iii  the  lead  with  Butler  seated  on  the  same  horse,  and  Stephen  Foster  and 
his  Virginians  following,  wrho  had  been  joined  by  Henry  Lindsay  on  his 
way  to  announce  the  tidings  of  victory  to  his  sister.  "  There,  take  him  !  " 
shouted  Horse  Shoe,  with  an  effort  to  laugh,  which  was  husky,  as  spring- 
ing to  the  ground,  he  swunsf  Butler  from  the  horse.  "  Take  him,  ma'am  ;  I 
promised  myself  that  I'd  give  him  to  you.  God  bless  us — :but  I'm  happy 
to-day." 

11  My  husband  !  my  dear  husband  !  "  were  the  only  articulate  words 
that  escaped  Mildred's  lips,  as  she  fell  senseless  into  the  arms  of  Arthur 
Butler. 

In  this  celebrated  battle  many  brave  men  fell  on  both  sides.  The 
fight  was  relentless,  vindictive,  and  bloody.  The  men  of  the  mountains 
remembered  the  cruelties  of  the  enemy  during  the  brief  tory  dominion, 
and  pursued  their  foes  with  the  unquenchable  rage  of  revenge.  It  was 
with  a  yell  of  triumph  that  they  saw  the  symbol  of  submission  raised  aloft 
on  the  mountain  crest,  and  for  a  time  the  forest  rang  with  their  loud  and 
reiterated  huzzas.  They  sustained  a  severe  loss  in  the  death  of  Colonel 
James  Williams,  who  was  struck  down  in  the  moment  of  victory.  He  was 
young,  ardent,  and  fearless,  and  a  great  favorite  among  his  military  asso- 
ciates. The  sun  was  yet  an  hour  high  when  the  conflict  ended,  and  the 
conquerors  forming  in  two  lines  on  the  ridge  of  the  mountain,  guarded  the 
prisoners  as  they  were  brought  forward  in  detached  columns  and  laid 
down  their  arms  on  the  intervening  ground.  Many  sullen  and  angry 
glances  were  exchanged  between  the  victors  and  the  vanquished,  the 
former  noticing  among  the  columns  of  prisoners  some  of  their  bitterest 
persecutors. 

Preparations  were  made  for  night  quarters,  and  the  whole  host  (the 
prisoners  more  numerous  than  their  captors)  were  ordered  to  march  to  the 
valley.  The  surgeons  remained  to  care  for  such  of  the  wounded  as  could 
not  be  moved,  and  shelters  were  constructed  from  the  boughs  of  trees,  and 
fires  kindled  to  guard  the  sufferers  from  the  early  frost  of  the  season. 
\\  hile  Campbell  was  attending  to  these  details,  a  messenger  came  running 
to  summon  him  to  a  scene  of  unexpected  interest.  A  gentleman,  not 
attached   to  the  army,  had  been   dangerously  wounded  in   the  fight,  and 


THE   SUCCESSFUL   NOVEL   OF   FIFTY-SIX    YEARS    AGO  45 

now  lay  at  the  farther  extremity  of  the  mountain  ridge,  attended  only  by 
a  private  soldier  of  the  British  army.  He  earnestly  begged  for  an  inter- 
view with  the  commanding  officer,  and  Campbell  hurried  to  the  spot. 
The  gentleman  was  evidently  breathing  out  his  life,  and  to  Campbell's 
gentle  inquiry,  said  he  was  Philip  Lindsay,  of  Virginia,  in  pursuit  of  his 
children.  "  My  daughter  Mildred,  I  have  been  told,  is  near  me — I  would 
see  her,  and  quickly."  Campbell  was  much  shocked,  but  he  lost  no  time  in 
sending  for  a  surgeon,  with  other  necessary  assistance.  Lindsay's  wounds 
were  dressed,  and  a  litter  was  constructed  on  which  he  was  borne  by  four 
men  to  a  place  of  shelter  in  a  cottage  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain.  Mean- 
time Campbell  rode  with  all  possible  speed  to  communicate  the  discovery 
of  their  father  to  Mildred  and  her  brother. 

Mr.  Lindsay's  movements  may  be  briefly  chronicled.  He  had  jour- 
neyed with  Tyrrel  into  the  low  country  of  Virginia  to  meet  officers  of  the 
royal  government,  who  sought  his  financial  aid  in  their  expeditions,  and 
was  absent  three  weeks.  Nothing  decisive  had  occurred,  however,  when 
they  both  returned  to  the  Dove  Cote,  where  Mr.  Lindsay  first  learned  that 
his  son  and  daughter  had  started  for  the  seat  of  war.  Mildred's  letter 
(which  she  left  behind  her)  nearly  struck  him  dumb,  for  in  it  she  related 
the  story  of  Arthur  Butler's  misfortunes,  and  announced  to  her  father  that 
she  had  been  for  about  a  year  past  the  wedded  wife  of  the  captive  officer. 
The  marriage  had  been  solemnized  the  preceding  year  in  a  hasty  moment, 
as  Butler  traveled  south  to  join  the  army,  and  the  witnesses  were  Mrs. 
Dimock,  under  whose  roof  it  occurred,  Henry  Lindsay,  and  the  clergy- 
man. The  reason  for  the  secret  marriage  was  explained,  both  Mildred 
and  Arthur  hoping  by  this  irremediable  step  to  reconcile  Mr.  Lindsay, 
and  turn  his  mind  from  his  unhappy  broodings.  As  Arthur  Butler's  wife, 
Mildred  declared  in  her  letter  that  she  felt  it  her  duty  to  go  to  his  rescue. 

Tyrrel  artfully  proposed  to  Lindsay  to  pursue  his  children,  hoping  to 
lure  him  into  the  camp  of  Cornwallis,  and  connect  him  with  the  fortunes 
of  war.  The  chances  of  life,  Tyrrel  said,  were  against  Butler ;  he  evi- 
dently had  reason  to  believe  that  the  snares  he  had  laid  for  him  had  been 
successful.  Lindsay  was  finally  persuaded,  and  went  on  the  long  journey, 
reaching  the  headquarters  of  Cornwallis  within  a  week  after  Mildred's 
interview  with  that  officer.  While  remaining  there  he  heard  that  Mildred 
had  turned  aside  from  her  homeward  journey  in  quest  of  Butler,  and, 
accompanied  by  Tyrrel,  he  continued  the  pursuit,  arriving  at  King's 
mountain  at  the  moment  of  the  attack. 

The  scene  in  the  cottage  when  Mildred,  Henry,  and  Butler  arrived 
must  be  left  to  the  reader's  imagination.     Mr.  Lindsay  was  composed  and 


46  THE    SUCCESSFUL    NOVEL    OF   FIFTY-SIX    YEARS   AGO 

tranquil.  He  could  talk  very  little,  but  he  took  Mildred's  hand,  and 
placed  it  within  that  of  her  husband,  and  said,  "  God  bless  you,  my  chil- 
dren :  1  forgive  you."  During  the  night  he  was  in  a  high  fever  and 
delirious,  occasionally  sleeping,  and,  with  the  surgeon,  Mildred  and  Mary 
Musgrove  kept  watch  in  the  apartment,  while  Butler,  with  Horse  Shoe  and 
Allen  Musgrove,  remained  anxiously  awake  in  the  adjoining  room.  Henry 
Lindsay  was  stretched  in  a  deep  sleep  on  the  floor. 

The  cottage  was  about  half  a  mile  from  the  encampment  of  the  army, 
and  a  little  before  sunrise  singular  noises  were  heard  in  that  direction. 
Horse  Shoe  stole  quietly  away  to  discover  the  cause.  He  had  not  walked 
far  when  he  saw  a  confused  crowd  of  soldiers  in  the  valley,  at  some  dis- 
tance from  the  camp,  and  hastened  to  the  spot.  The  recent  executions 
which  had  been  permitted  in  Cornwallis'  camp,  after  the  battle  of  Camden, 
and  atrocities  practised  by  some  of  the  tories  among  the  captured,  had 
suggested  signal  retribution.  Therefore,  several  obnoxious  men  were 
being  dragged  forth  from  their  ranks  at  early  dawn  for  summary  punish- 
ment by  the  excited  soldiery,  in  spite  of  all  remonstrance  or  command. 
Eight  or  ten  had  already  been  hung  on  the  limbs  of  a  large  tree,  and 
preparations  were  being  made  to  lift  a  trembling  wretch  of  gaunt  form 
to  the  same  fate.  Horse  Shoe  recognized  in  the  victim  Wat  Adair,  who, 
frantic  with  terror,  sprang  with  a  tiger's  leap  toward  him,  crying,  "  Oh, 
save  me!  save  me!  Horse  Shoe  Robinson  !"  "  I  am  no  friend  of  yours," 
replied  Horse  Shoe  ;  but  he  turned  to  the  crowd,  shouting,  "  Hold  !  One 
word,  friends;  I  have  somewhat  to  say  in  this  matter."  One  of  the  execu- 
tioners exclaimed,  "  He  gave  Butler  into  Hugh  Habershaw's  hands ;  "  and 
another  yelled,  "  He  took  the  price  of  blood,  and  sold  Butler's  life  for 
money — he  shall  die."  A  chorus  of  voices  cried,  "  Up  with  him;  we  want 
no  words." 

11  Friends,"  said  Horse  Shoe  calmly  to  the  multitude,  "  there  is  better 
game  to  hunt  than  this  mountain-cat  ;  let  me  have  my  say."  The  crowd 
fell  back,  and  formed  a  circle  round  Horse  Shoe  and  Adair.  "  I  give  you 
your  choice,  Wat  Adair,"  said  Horse  Shoe,  "  to  tell  us  who  put  you  on  to 
ambush  Major  Butler's  life  at  Grindall's  ford,  and  answer  all  other  ques- 
tions we  may  ax  you,  and  have  your  life,  taking  one  hundred  lashes  to  the 
back  of  it — or  be  strung  up  to  yonder  tree."  "  I  will  confess  all,"  cried 
Adair,  with  eagerness.  "  James  Curry  told  me  of  your  coming,  and  gave 
the  money  to  help  Habershaw."  "  The  name  of  James  Curry's  master?" 
said  Horse  Shoe,  sternly.  Adair  hesitated  for  an  instant,  then  stammered 
out,  "  Captain  St.  Jermyn."  "  Was  he  at  your  house  ?  "  "  He  was  there," 
said  Adair.    "  Curry  acted  by  his  directions,  and  was  well  paid  for  it ;  he  told 


THE   SUCCESSFUL   NOVEL   OF   FIFTY-SIX    YEARS   AGO  47 

me  he  would  have  got  more  if  a  quarrel  among  Habershaw's  people  hadn't 
stopped  them  from  taking  Butler's  life.  When  the  major  wasn't  killed 
at  the  ford,  it  was  thought  best  to  have  a  trial,  wherein  James  Curry  and 
Habershaw  agreed  to  swear  against  the  major's  life."  "  And  were  paid 
for  it  ?  "  "  It  was  upon  a  consideration,  of  course,"  replied  Adair.  "  And 
Captain  St.  Jermyn  contrived  this?"  "  They  said  he  left  it  all  to  Curry, 
and  rather  seemed  to  take  Butler's  side  at  the  trial.  He  did  not  want  to 
be  known  in  the  business."  "Where  is  this  Captain  St.  Jermyn  ?"  de- 
manded many  voices,  and  there  was  an  immediate  rush  toward  the 
quarter  where  the  prisoners  were  assembled  ;  and,  in  a  shorter  space  of 
time  than  it  takes  to  tell  the  story,  that  officer  met  his  death  by  hanging. 

By  this  time  Butler  and  Henry  Lindsay  had  arrived  in  the  valley, 
attracted  by  the  singular  uproar,  and  Butler,  seeing  the  body  of  an  officer 
swinging  from  the  tree,  exclaimed  with  astonishment :  "  Is  not  that  St. 
Jermyn?"  "No;  it  is  Tyrrel,"  replied  Henry,  "What!"  said  Butler; 
"  Tyrrel  and  St.  Jermyn  the  same  person  ?  This  is  indeed  a  mystery. 
St.  Jermyn  was  not  with  Ferguson.  How  came  he  here  to-day  ?  "  Horse 
Shoe  appeared  at  this  moment,  saying  :  "  These  schemers  and  contrivers 
against  other's  lives  are  sure  to  come  to  account  first  or  last.  The  devil 
put  it  into  St.  Jermyn's  head  to  make  Ferguson  a  visit,  and  he  came  only 
yesterday  with  Mr.  Lindsay,  and  got  the  poor  gentleman  his  hurt.  You 
mought  remember  James  Curry,  and  the  man  he  sarved  when  we  saw  him 
at  the  Blue  Ball,  him  they  call  Tyrrel?  This  is  that  same  Tyrrel — master 
and  man  travel  one  road." 

When  Butler  returned  to  the  cottage  he  found  Mr.  Lindsay  in  a  dying 
condition,  and  Mildred  and  Henry  by  his  couch  in  mute  anguish.  In  the 
midst  of  their  sorrow  the  retiring  army  passed  by  with  military  music  and 
the  professional  indifference  of  soldiers  to  the  calamities  of  war,  while  the 
chief  officers  paused  at  the  door  of  the  cottage  for  a  sad  farewell. 

In  a  lonely  thicket  near  the  margin  of  a  little  brook  on  the  eastern  side 
of  King's  mountain,  the  traveler  of  the  present  day  may  be  shown  an 
almost  obliterated  mound,  marked  with  the  fragment  of  a  rude  tombstone 
on  which  are  carved  the  letters  P.  L.  Here  the  remains  of  Philip  Lindsay 
were  buried,  and  after  the  restoration  of  peace  were  transported  to  the 
Dove  Cote. 


When  Mr.  John  Pendleton  Kennedy,  under  the  nom  de  plume  of  Mark 
Littleton,  wrote  the  captivating  story  of  Horse  Shoe  Robmson,  of  which  we 
have  given  a  brief   summary  in  these  pages,  he  was  about  forty  years  of 


THE    SUCCESSFUL   NOVEL   OF   FIFTY-SIX    YEARS   AGO 

age,  and  was  already  known  as  a  clever  writer,  having  issued  The  Red 
.  a  fortnightly  satirical  publication,  and  Swallow  Barn,  a  story  of  rural 
life  in  Virginia.  He  was  a  native  of  Maryland,  a  graduate  in  1812  of  the 
college  that  is  now  the  University  of  Maryland ;  studied  law,  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1816  ;  became  a  lecturer  and  writer  on  many  impor- 
tant topics,  notably  A  Discourse  on  the  Life  and  Character  of  William  Wirt, 
and  a  review,  in  1830,  of  Churchill  C.  Cambreleng's  report  on  commerce  and 
navigation,  combating  its  anti-protective  arguments  ;  and  he  was  further- 
more a  close  student  of  American  history.  He  served  in  the  war  of  18 12, 
fighting  at  Bladensburg  and  North  Point  ;  and  he  was  a  conspicuous  mem- 
ber of  the  house  of. delegates  in  Maryland  from  1820  to  1823.  All  people 
of  intelligence  are  aware  that  he  was,  in  1846,  the  speaker  of  the  Maryland 
house  of  delegates,  and  in  1852  secretary  of  the  navy,  and  that  it  was 
mainly  through  his  efforts  the  expedition  of  Commodore  Perry  to  Japan, 
and  Dr.  Kane's  second  Arctic  voyage,  were  successful  ;  and  that  while  in 
Paris,  on  one  occasion,  his  friend  William  M.  Thackeray,  becoming  weary 
of  his  work  on  The  Virginians,  asked  Kennedy  to  write  a  chapter  for 
him,  which  he  agreed  to  do  if  he  could  catch  "  the  run  of  the  story." 
Kennedy  actually  produced  the  fourth  chapter  of  the  second  volume  of 
The  Virginians,  which  accounts  for  the  accuracy  of  the  descriptions  of 
the  local  scenery  about  Cumberland,  with  which  he  was  familiar  and 
which  Thackeray  had  never  seen.  It  was  his  knowledge  of  the  country 
and  of  the  character  and  temper  of  the  people  from  central  Virginia  to 
South  Carolina,  together  with  his  historical  studies  of  events  in  those 
regions  during  the  dark  days  of  the  Revolution,  which  has  given  such  life, 
vivacity,  and  interest  to  the  novel  before  us.  It  is  no  matter  of  wonder 
that  three  editions  of  the  work  were  quickly  exhausted  on  its  issue  by  a 
Philadelphia  publisher  in  1836.  Noms  de  plume  were  the  fashion  in  those 
days,  and  many  a  delighted  reader  never  lived  to  know  the  real  name 
of  the  author,  although  as  the  years  rolled  on  there  was  no  secret  about  it. 
We  have  chosen  to  present  our  brief  summary  of  the  work  from  a  rare 
copy  of  the  original  first  edition,  of  which  it  is  believed  there  are  not  more 
than  three  in  existence. 

Mr.  Kennedy  closes  the  unique  volume  with  a  few  pages  devoted 
to  his  own  personal  experiences  in  the  winter  of  18 19.  He  tells  us  that 
his  business  called  him  to  Carolina,  whither  he  journeyed  alone,  on  horse- 
back, with  his  baggage  strapped  behind  his  saddle.  He  passed  through 
the  district  known  as  Ninety-six,  and  observed  that  the  few  inhabitants 
of  the  region  were  principally  the  tenants  of  the  bounty  lands  which  the 
state  of   South  Carolina   had   conferred   upon  the   soldiers  of  the  Revolu- 


THE   SUCCESSFUL   NOVEL   OF   FIFTY-SIX    YEARS   AGO  49 

tion,  and  their  settlements  were  separated  from  each  other  by  extensive 
forests.  The  sun  was  setting  one  afternoon  as  he  was  traversing  one  of 
these  oceans  of  wood,  and  having  seen  no  living  being  for  three  or  four 
hours,  he  was  gratified  when  a  lad  not  more  than  ten  years  of  age,  mounted 
bareback  on  a  fine  horse,  suddenly  came  into  the  road  a  few  paces  ahead, 
and  galloped  along  in  the  same  direction  he  was  going.  Quickening  his 
speed  to  overtake  the  boy,  he  soon  discovered  the  horse  was  running 
away  with  him,  and  presently  found  the  little  fellow  lying  senseless  beside 
the  road.  Dismounting  to  render  assistance,  he  met  the  father  of  the  lad, 
who  came  from  a  dwelling  near  by,  and  in  trying  to  carry  the  lad  to  the 
house,  they  found  his  collar-bone  broken.  There  was  no  physician  within 
thirty  miles,  and  the  gentleman  called  an  older  son,  and  dispatched  him 
for  Horse  Shoe  Robinson  ! 

The  author  was  in  comfortable  quarters  for  the  night,  and  was  much 
interested  when,  an  hour  later.  Horse  Shoe  Robinson  arrived.  He  says  : 
"  Never  before  have  I  seen  such  a  figure  of  a  man!  He  was  then  some 
years  beyond  seventy,  and  time  seemed  to  have  broken  its  billows  over  his 
front  only  as  an  ocean  dashes  against  a  rock.  He  administered  to  the 
boy  with  ready  skill,  prepared  a  warm  embrocation,  worked  at  the  dislocated 
joint,  and  soon  set  all  to  rights.  So  much  so  that  when  the  physician,  who 
had  also  been  sent  for,  arrived,  he  had  nothing  to  do.  Horse  Shoe  and 
myself  sat  by  the  fire  until  near  daylight.  He  was  a  man  of  truth — every 
expression  of  his  face  showed  it.  He  was  modest  besides,  and  attached 
no  value  to  his  exploits.  I  wormed  the  story  out  of  him,  and  made  a  night 
of  it,  in  which  not  even  my  previous  fatigue  inclined  me  to  sleep.  The 
reader  will  thus  see  how  I  came  into  possession  of  much  of  this  narrative." 

Mr.  Kennedy  has  taken  us  into  his  confidence  in  the  most  felicitous 
manner.  And  he  tells  how,  some  years  afterwards,  during  his  rambles 
in  Virginia,  he  learned  that  Arthur  Butler  and  Mildred  returned  to  the 
Dove  Cote  subsequently  to  the  victory  at  King's  mountain,  and  lived 
long  enough  after  the  war  to  see  grow  up  around  them  a  prosperous  and 
estimable  family.  Mary  Musgrove  went  home  with  Mildred  to  the  Dove 
Cote,  and  lived  there  to  the  end  of  her  days. 

"  Another  item  of  intelligence,"  says  Mr.  Kennedy,  "  to  be  found  in 
the  history  of  the  war  may  have  some  reference  to  our  tale.  In  the  sum- 
mer of  1781  Colonel  Butler  was  engaged  in  the  pursuit  of  Cornwallis  on  his 
retreat  from  Albemarle  towards  Williamsburg.  My  inquiries  do  not 
enable  me  to  say  with  certainty,  but  it  was  probably  our  friend  Arthur 
Butler  who  had  met  this  promotion." 

Emanuel  Spencer 

Vol.  XXIX.- No.  1.-4 


WHITTIER'S    BIRTHPLACE 

In  the  northeast  corner  of  Massachusetts,  where  the  Merrimac  widens 
in  its  flow  to  the  ocean,  a  group  of  interesting  incidents  are  associated 
with  pioneer  experiences. 

It  was  the  scene  of  a  tragedy  perpetrated  by  the  Indians  in  1697.  The 
home  of  Hannah  Dustin  still  stands,  from  which  she  was  carried  away  by 
a  band  of  native  savages,  who  first  rifled  the  house  before  .burning  it,  and 
afterwards,  on  the  journey,  murdered  the  baby  only  a  week  old.  It  was  a 
cruel  moment  for  Thomas  Dustin,  who  was  left  to  guard  his  family  of 
eight  motherless  children,  and  to  make  choice  of  which  he  should  leave 
behind  or  which  take  to  the  harborage  of  a  fort  a  mile  away.  Fatherly 
tenderness  forbade  that  he  should  forsake  the  sickly  one,  and  fatherly  pride 
claimed  the  stout  and  healthy,  while  the  youngest  appealed  to  his  mercy, 
so  all  were  encouraged  by  the  father's  stout  heart  until  the  garrison  was 
reached.  Afterwards  the  group  was  rejoined  by  the  wife  and  mother,  who, 
with  heroic  frenzy,  had  killed  all  but  one  of  the  family  of  twelve  persons, 
men,  women,  and  children,  to  whom  she  had  been  assigned  as  captive,  and 
thus  escaped  their  cruel  intentions.  The  heroism  of  Hannah  Dustin 
recalls  the  often-quoted  lines  : 

"  On  dead  men's  bones,  as  stepping  stones, 
Men  rise  to  what  they  are." 

Leaving  the  hills,  and  coming  to  the  shores  of  the  Merrimac,  a  drive- 
road  becomes  suddenly  visible.  It  leads  through  a  grove  of  time-honored 
willows,  at  the  end  of  which  is  a  heavy  piece  of  engineering.  Here  is  the 
hardest  working  river  in  the  United  States,  or  in  the  world.  Lowell,  Law- 
rence, and,  indeed,  all  the  manufacturing  towns  along  its  course,  are  sus- 
tained by  it,  and  it  carries  more  spindles  than  any  other  body  of  water. 

Not  far  distant  is  the  town  of  Haverhill,  which  abounds  in  historic 
memories.  One  large  building  was  once  the  headquarters  of  Washington, 
and  it  was  a  pretentious  structure  for  those  times,  the  principal  tavern  of 
the  town.  Up  the  hill  there  stands  a  noble,  capacious  school-building, 
where  once  lived  the  parents  of  Harriet  Newell,  the  young  woman  who 
became  the  first  American  missionary,  because  her  heart  yearned  to  impart 
to  those  less  favored  the  privileges  she  possessed  and  the  education  she 
had  acquired.     In  company  with  her  youthful  husband,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs. 


WHITTIER  S   BIRTHPLACE  51 

Judson,  she  went  to  India  to  devote  her  life  to  the  enthusiasm   of  duty, 
and  in  one  short  year  she  died,  a  victim  of  the  climate. 

Following  along  the  same  highway  as  mentioned  in  ''Snowbound,"  to 
the  outskirts  of  the  town,  the  sweet-scented  air,  the  skirmishing  of  the 
joyous  meadow-larks,  and  the  exceeding  peacefulness  which  broods  every- 
where, make  us  aware  of  the  fact  that  we  are  not  far  distant  from  the 
region  where  the  peace-loving  spirit  of  the  poet  was  cradled  and  nurtured. 
On  a  bright  summer  day,  Kenoza  lake,  which  Whittier  himself  named, 
shines  like  an  opal  in  emerald  setting,  as  it  reflects  back  the  glory  of  a 
summer  sky.     The  poet  thus  speaks  of  it : 

"  Kenoza,  o'er  no  sweeter  lake 

Shall  morning  break,  or  noon  cloud  sail, 
No  fairer  face  than  thine  shall  take 
The  sunset's  golden  veil. 

Thy  peace  rebukes  our  feverish  stir, 

Thy  beauty,  our  deforming  strife  ; 
Thy  woods  and  waters  minister 

The  healing  of  their  life." 

The  hills  surrounding  the  lake  present  a  most  beautiful  outlook,  through 
which  the  "  bare-footed  boy  "  sent  his  longing  vision  for  an  intimacy  with 
the  world  that  lay  behind  the  mountain-encircled  horizon.  The  Merrimac, 
which  has  its  source  in  Lake  Winnipiseogee,  "  the  smile  of  the  great 
spirit,"  flows  dispassionately  to  the  ocean.  The  ocean  itself,  a  blue  haze 
in  the  landscape,  the  high  mountain  peak  of  Monadnock  in  New  Hamp- 
shire, and  the  old  Agamenticus  in  Maine,  point  to  regions  far  and  far 
away. 

From  Kenoza  to  the  humble  homestead  of  Whittier,  the  road  winds 
through  woods  of  maple  and  birch,  and  over  streams  where  the  pond-lily 
serenely  floats,  until  a  fork  in  the  road  brings  to  view  the  quiet  nestling 
place  of  the  old  brown  house.  The  roads  and  the  foaming  brook  are 
unchanged,  but  the  wooden  bridge  and  the  homestead  are  going  to  a  sure 
decay.  But  the  poet's  secret,  that  the  infancy,  youth,  and  old  age  of  a  poet 
are  one  in  quality,  and  immortal  in  kind,  is  strongly  borne  in  upon  one 
when  standing  upon  this  sacred  spot. 


J 


*,.%&<. 


ELEMENTS    OF    SEA    POWER 

The  tendency  to  trade,  involving  of  necessity  the  production  of  some- 
thing to  trade  with,  is  the  national  characteristic  most  important  to  the 
development  of  sea  power.  It  is  not  likely  that  the  dangers  of  the  sea, 
or  any  aversion  to  it,  will  deter  a  people  from  seeking  wealth  by  the  paths 
of  ocean  commerce.  Where  wealth  is  sought  by  other  means,  it  may  be 
found  :  but  it  will  not  necessarily  lead  to  sea  power.  France  has  a  fine 
country,  an  industrious  people,  an  admirable  position.  The  French  navy 
has  known  periods  of  great  glory,  and  in  its  lowest  estate  has  never  dis- 
honored the  military  reputation  so  dear  to  the  nation.  Yet,  as  a  maritime 
state,  securely  resting  upon  a  broad  basis  of  sea  commerce,  France,  as 
compared  with  other  historical  sea-peoples,  has  never  held  more  than  a 
respectable  position.  The  chief  reason  for  this,  so  far  as  national  character 
goes,  is  the  way  in  which  wealth  is  sought.  As  Spain  and  Portugal  sought 
it  by  digging  gold  out  of  the  ground,  the  temper  of  the  French  people  leads 
them  to  seek  it  by  thrift,  economy,  hoarding.  It  is  said  to  be  harder  to 
keep  than  to  make  a  fortune.  But  the  adventurous  temper,  which  risks 
what  it  has,  to  gain  more,  has  much  in  common  with  the  adventurous  spirit 
that  conquers  worlds  for  commerce.  The  tendency  to  save  and  put  aside, 
to  venture  timidly,  and  on  a  small  scale,  may  lead  to  a  general  diffusion 
of  wealth  on  a  like  small  scale,  but  not  to  the  risks  and  development  of 
external  trade  and  shipping  interests.  As  regards  the  stability  of  a  man's 
personal  fortune,  this  kind  of  prudence  is  doubtless  wise;  but  when  exces- 
sive prudence,  or  financial  timidity,  becomes  a  national  trait,  it  must  tend 
to  hamper  the  expansion  of  commerce  and  of  the  nation's  shipping. 

The  noble  classes  of  Europe  inherited  from  the  middle  ages  a  super- 
cilious contempt  for  peaceful  trade,  which  has  exercised  a  modifying 
influence  upon  its  growth,  according  to  the  national  character  of  different 
countries.  The  pride  of  the  Spaniards  fell  easily  in  with  this  spirit  of 
contempt,  and  co-operated  with  that  disastrous  unwillingness  to  work  and 
wait  for  wealth  which  turned  them  away  from  commerce.  In  France,  the 
vanity  which  is  conceded,  even  by  Frenchmen,  to  be  a  national  trait,  led 
in  the  same  direction.  The  numbers  and  brilliancy  of  the  nobility,  and 
the  consideration  enjoyed  by  them,  set  a  seal  of  inferiority  upon  an  occu- 
pation which  they  despised.  Rich  merchants  and  manufacturers  sighed 
for   the   honors  of   nobility,  and   upon    obtaining  them,  abandoned   their 


ELEMENTS   OF   SEA   POWER  53 

lucrative  professions.  Therefore,  while  the  industry  of  the  people  and  the 
fruitfulness  of  the  soil  saved  commerce  from  total  decay,  it  was  pursued 
under  a  sense  of  humiliation,  which  caused  its  best  representatives  to 
escape  from  it  as  soon  as  they  could. 

In  Holland  there  was  a  nobility  ;  but  the  state  was  republican  by 
name,  allowed  large  scope  to  personal  freedom  and  enterprise,  and  the 
centres  of  power  were  in  the  great  cities.  The  foundation  of  the  national 
greatness  was  money — or  rather  wealth.  Wealth,  as  a  source  of  civic  dis- 
tinction, carried  with  it  also  power  in  the  state  ;  and  with  power  there 
went  social  position  and  consideration.  In  England  the  same  result 
obtained.  The  nobility  were  proud;  but  in  a  representative  government 
the  powrer  of  wealth  could  be  neither  put  down  nor  overshadowed.  It  was 
patent  to  the  eyes  of  all,  it  was  honored  by  all,  and  in  England  as  well  as 
Holland,  the  occupations  which  were  the  source  of  wealth  shared  in  the 
honor  given  to  wealth  itself.  Thus,  in  all  the  countries  named,  social 
sentiment,  the  outcome  of  national  characteristics,  had  a  marked  influence 
upon  the  national  attitude  toward  trade. 

In  yet  another  way  does  the  national  genius  affect  the  growth  of  sea 
power  in  its  broadest  sense,  and  that  is  in  so  far  as  it  possesses  the  capacity 
for  planting  healthy  colonies.  Of  colonization,  as  of  all  other  growths,  it 
is  most  healthy  when  it  is  most  natural.  Colonies  that  spring  from  the 
felt  wants  and  natural  impulses  of  the  whole  people,  will  have  the  most 
solid  foundations  ;  and  their  subsequent  growth  will  be  surest  when  they 
are  least  trammelled  from  home,  if  the  people  have  the  genius  for  inde- 
pendent action.  The  fact  of  England  s  unique  and  wonderful  success  as 
a  colonizing  nation  is  too  evident  to  be  dwelt  upon,  and  the  reason  for  it 
appears  to  lie  chiefly  in  two  traits  of  the  national  character.  The  English 
colonist  naturally  and  readily  settles  down  in  his  new  country,  identifies 
his  interest  with  it,  and,  though  keeping  an  affectionate  remembrance  of 
the  home  from  which  he  came,  has  no  restless  eagerness  to  return.  In  the 
second  place,  the  Englishman  at  once  and  instinctively  seeks  to  develop 
the  resources  of  the  new  country  in  the  broadest  sense.  In  the  former 
particular  he  differs  from  the  French,  who  are  ever  longingly  looking  back 
to  the  delights  of  their  pleasant  land  ;  in  the  latter,  from  the  Spaniards, 
whose  range  of  interest  and  ambition  was  too  narrow  for  the  full  evolution 
of  the  possibilities  of  a  new  country. 

The  character  and  the  necessities  of  the  Dutch  led  them  naturally  to 
plant  colonies,  and  by  the  year  1650  they  had  in  the  East  Indies,  in  Africa, 
and  in  America  a  large  number.  They  were  then  far  ahead  of  England  in 
this  matter. — Captain  Mahan's  Influence  of  Sea  Power  upon  History. 


GOUVERNEUR    MORRIS    IN    EUROPE 

HIS   DINNER   WITH    THE   POETS 

Henry  Cabot  Lodge  in  his  essay  on  Gouverneur  Morris,  included  in  his 
recently  published  volume  of  Historical and  Political  Essays,  furnishes  many 
interesting  anecdotes  of  this  American  statesman  of  the  Revolutionary 
period,  who  was  also  a  wit,  a  philosopher,  a  financier,  and  a  man  of  the 
world  and  of  society — a  many-sided  and  picturesque  character.  It  should 
be  remembered  that  Morris  was  a  member  of  the  provincial  congress  of 
New  York,  that  he  took  a  leading  part  in  framing  the  state  constitution 
and  even  then,  in  the  time  of  war,  strove  to  insert  a  clause  abolishing 
slavery,  that  he  served  faithfully  on  the  council  of  safety,  was  active  and 
efficient  in  sustaining  the  continental  army  and  its  officers,  was  elected  in 
1778  to  the  continental  congress  although  only  twenty-six  years  of  age, 
was  made  the  assistant  of  Robert  Morris  in  managing  the  disordered 
finances  of  the  new  republic,  and  was  conspicuous  among  the  framers  of 
the  national  Constitution.  During  his  subsequent  mission  to  France, 
where  he  arrived  in  the  winter  of  1789,  he  recorded  daily  his  observations 
on  public  and  private  affairs,  and  in  the  language  of  Mr.  Lodge,  "there  is 
no  other  journal,  diary,  or  correspondence  of  that  period,  left  by  any  of 
our  public  men,  which  at  all  compares  with  this  in  its  amusing,  light,  and 
humorous  touch."  The  following  extract  was  written  by  Morris  while  in 
Paris,  and  is  among  the  few  selections  of  Mr.  Sparks  quoted  by  Mr. 
Lodge : — 

"  March  3  (1789)  Monsieur  le  Comte  de  Neuni  does  me  the  honor  of 
a  visit,  and  detains  me  until  three  o'clock.  I  then  set  off  in  great  haste 
to  dine  with  the  Comtesse  de  B.  on  an  invitation  of  a  week's  standing. 
Arrive  at  about  a  quarter  past  three  and  find  in  the  drawing-room  some 
dirty  linen  and  no  fire.  While  a  waiting-woman  takes  away  one,  a  valet 
lights  the  other.  Three  small  sticks  in  a  deep  bed  of  ashes  give  no  great 
expectation  of  heat.  By  the  smoke,  however,  all  doubts  are  removed 
respecting  the  existence  of  fire.  To  expel  the  smoke  a  window  is  opened, 
and  the  day  being  cold  I  have  the  benefit  of  as  fresh  air  as  can  reason- 
ably be  expected  in  so  large  a  city. 

Toward  four  o'clock  the  guests  begin  to  assemble,  and  I  begin  to 
expect   that,  as  madame  is  a  poetess,  I  shall  have  the  honor  to  dine  with 


GOUVERNEUR    MORRIS   IN    EUROPE  55 

that  exalted  part  of  the  species  who  devote  themselves  to  the  Muses. 
In  effect,  the  gentlemen  begin  to  compliment  their  respective  works,  and 
as  regular  hours  cannot  be  expected  in  a  house  where  the  mistress  is 
occupied  more  with  the  intellectual  than  the  material  world,  I  have  a 
delightful  prospect  of  a  continuance  of  the  scene.  Toward  five  (o'clock) 
madame  steps  in  to  announce  dinner,  and  the  hungry  poets  advance  to 
the  charge.  As  they  bring  good  appetites  they  have  certainly  reason  to 
praise  the  feast,  and  I  console  myself  in  the  persuasion  that  for  this  day, 
at  least,  I  shall  escape  an  indigestion.  A  very  narrow  escape,  too,  for  some 
rancid  butter  of  which  the  cook  has  been  liberal  puts  me  in  bodily  fear. 
If  the  repast  is  not  abundant,  we  have  at  least  the  consolation  that  there 
is  no  lack  of  conversation.  Not  being  perfectly  master  of  the  language, 
most  of  the  jests  escape  me.  As  for  the  rest  of  the  company,  each  being 
employed  either  in  saying  a  good  thing  or  in  studying  one  to  say,  it  is  no 
wonder  if  he  cannot  find  time  to  applaud  that  of  his  neighbor.  They  all 
agree  that  we  live  in  an  age  alike  deficient  in  justice  and  in  taste.  Each 
finds  in  the  fate  of  his  own  works  numerous  instances  to  justify  this  asser- 
tion. They  tell  me,  to  my  great  surprise,  that  the  public  now  condemn 
theatrical  compositions  before  they  have  heard  the  first  recital.  And  to 
remove  my  doubts  the  countess  is  so  kind  as  to  assure  me  that  this  rash 
decision  has  been  made  on  one  of  her  own  pieces.  In  pitying  modern 
degeneracy  we  rise  from  the  table." 

Mr.  Lodge  remarks:  "  In  the  words  to  my  great  surprise  we  catch  the 
peculiar  vein  of  American  humor  which  delights  in  a  solemn  appearance 
of  ignorant  and  innocent  belief  in  some  preposterous  assertion.  It  is  close 
kin  to  the  broader  form  exemplified  by  Mark  Twain  weeping  at  the  grave 
of  Adam,  which  the  Saturday  Review  declared  was  a  ridiculous  affectation 
of  sentiment." 

Of  Gouverneur  Morris  in  London  Mr.  Lodge  says:  "  He  was  requested 
to  go  to  England  as  a  secret  agent  of  our  government,  and  endeavor  to 
reopen  diplomatic  relations  and  settle  various  outstanding  and  threaten- 
ing differences  with  that  country.  To  London  he  accordingly  went  in 
February,  1790,  and  there  he  spent  seven  or  eight  months  in  fruitless  con- 
versations with  the  Duke  of  Leeds  and  Mr.  Pitt  about  western  ports,  the 
fulfillment  of  treaties,  the  compensation  for  negroes,  British  debts,  and 
imprisonment.  On  the  last  subject  he  said,  with  a  concise  wit  which 
ought  to  have  made  the  saying  more  famous  than  it  is  :  'I  believe,  my  lord, 
that  this  is  the  only  instance  in  which  we  are  treated  as  aliens.' 

Whether  this  keen-edged  remark  penetrated  the  heavy  mind  of  the 
noble  duke  to  whom  it  was  addressed  does  not  appear  ;  at  all  events,  the 


56  GOUVERNEUR   MORRIS   IN   EUROPE 

mission  was  a  failure.  English  ministers,  with  that  sagacity  which  has 
characterized  them  in  dealing  with  the  United  States,  were  determined 
to  in i ure  us  so  far  as  they  could,  and  to  make  us  enemies  instead  of  friends, 
if  it  were  possible  to  do  so;  a  policy  which  has  borne  lasting  fruit,  and 
which  England  does  not  now  delight  in  quite  so  much  as  of  yore. 

It  is  pretty  obvious  that  Mr.  Morris  was  not  to  their  taste,  despite  his 
wit  and  good  manners.  He  was  a  man  of  perfect  courage  and  patriot- 
ism, and  could  be  neither  bullied  nor  cajoled.  His  brother,  Staats  Long 
Morris,  was  a  general  in  the  British  army  and  the  husband  of  the  Duchess 
of  Gordon,  a  fact  which  implied  respectability  to  the  English  mind,  and 
made  it  difficult  for  them  to  snub  a  person  who,  according  to  their  notions, 
was  so  well  connected.  Worst  of  all,  he  was  a  man  of  great  ability  and 
wide  information,  intellectually  superior  to  any  minister  he  met,  except 
Mr.  Pitt,  and  therefore  he  was  an  awkward  person  to  trample  on.  Stories 
were  set  afloat  to  injure  him,  and  were  so  far  successful  that  they  gave 
him  much  trouble  at  home.  He  was  charged  with  consorting  with  Fox 
and  the  opposition,  which  was  not  true,  and  with  revealing  his  purpose 
to  Luzerne,  the  French  minister,  which  was  true,  and  sprang  from  Mr. 
Morris's  sentiment  of  gratitude  to  France,  ill-rewarded,  and  in  great 
measure  cured  by  Luzerne's  betrayal  of  his  confidence. 

Morris  found  time,  however,  in  the  midst  of  his  vain  efforts,  to  observe 
his  English  friends,  and  note  the  ludicrous  side  of  the  characters  of  the 
various  distinguished  personages  he  met.  He  wrote  to  Washington, 
September  18,  1790,  about  Pitt,  as  follows:  '  Observe  that  he  is  rather  the 
queen's  man  than  the  king's,  and  that  since  his  majesty's  illness  she  has 
been  of  great  consequence.  This  depends  in  part  on  a  medical  reason. 
To  prevent  the  relapse  of  persons  who  have  been  mad,  they  must  be  kept 
in  constant  awe  of  somebody,  and  it  is  said  that  the  physician  of  the  king 
gave  the  matter  in  charge  to  his  royal  consort,  who  performs  that,  like 
every  other  part  of  conjugal  duty,  with  singular  zeal  and  perseverance.' ' 

Mr.  Lodge  says  that  fruitless  wranglings  and  disobliging  treatment  in 
England  tired  Morris  sadly,  although  they  could  not  disturb  his  good 
humor,  and  that  he  welcomed  the  hour  when  he  was  at  liberty  to  return 
to  France.  He  made  a  brief  tour  through  Germany,  and  in  November 
reached  Pans  again,  where  he  soon  saw  that  things  were  going  to  pieces 
rapidly.  He  told  Lafayette  that  "  an  American  constitution  would  not  do 
for  that  country  ;  that  every  country  must  have  a  constitution  suited  to 
its  circumstances,  and  the  state  of  France  required  a  higher-toned  govern- 
ment than  that  of  England."  Mr.  Lodge  says:  "  All  this  was  very  true 
but  very  unpalatable,  especially  to  Lafayette,  and  the  result  was  that  he 


GOUVERNEUR    MORRIS    IN    EUROPE  57 

became  rather  cool  to  his  frank  adviser.  Yet  the  old  friendship  really 
remained  as  warm  as  ever,  and  when  Lafayette  became  a  prisoner  no  one 
worked  harder  for  his  liberation  than  Mr.  Morris. 

Although  the  tremendous  events  in  the  midst  of  which  he  was  plunged 
absorbed  his  thoughts,  we  still  get  here  and  there  glimpses  of  the  gay 
society  in  which  he  found  himself,  and  which  was  soon  to  be  extinguished 
in  the  dark  torrent  of  the  revolution. 

January  19,  1791,  Morris  wrote:  'Visit  Madame  de  Chastellux,  and  go 
with  her  to  dine  with  the  Duchess  of  Orleans.  Her  royal  highness  is 
ruined  ;  that  is,  she  is  reduced  from  four  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred 
thousand  livres  per  annum.  She  tells  me  that  she  cannot  give  any  good 
dinners;  but  if  I  will  come  and  fast  with  her  she  will  be  glad  to  see  me.' 

January  25.  Morris  dined  with  Madame  de  Stael,  and  heard  the  Abbe 
Sieyes  '  descant  with  much  self-sufficiency  on  government.'  Four  days 
later  he  went  out  to  Choisy  with  Madame  de  Chastellux,  and  dined  with 
Marmontel,  who  seemed  to  his  guest  'to  think  soundly,'  a  compliment  paid 
by  Mr.  Morris  to  but  few  of  his  French  friends.  There  is  something  very 
striking  and  most  interesting  in  these  little  pictures  of  daily  existence, 
which  went  on  much  as  usual,  although  the  roar  of  revolution  was  sound- 
ing in  men's  ears.  Philosophers  speculated  and  fine  ladies  jested,  even  if 
the  world  was  in  convulsion  ;  and  so  they  continued  to  do  until  it  was 
all  drowned  in  the  Terror,  from  which  arose,  after  brief  interval,  another 
society,  as  light-hearted  and  brilliant,  if  not  as  well  born,  as  its  predecessor. 

We  can  mark,  however,  the  tremendous  changes  in  progress  around 
him  in  the  extracts  from  the  diary.  The  social  pictures  grow  fewer,  the 
tone  is  graver,  there  are  more  interviews  with  statesmen  and  fewer  chats 
with  ladies  of  rank,  while  the  reflections  concern  the  welfare  of  state  and 
nation  rather  than  the  foibles  or  graces  of  men  and  women.  April  4th 
came  the  funeral  of  Mirabeau,  with  some  observations  in  the  diary  which 
are  eloquent  and  striking;  and  there  were  other  and  still  weightier  mat- 
ters then  pressing  upon  his  mind.  August  26  he  noted  in  his  diary:  '  Dine 
with  Madame  de  Stael,  who  requests  me  to  show  her  the  memoire  I  have 
prepared  for  the  king.'  The  next  day  he  wrote  :  'Dine  with  M.  de  Mont- 
morin.  After  dinner  retire  into  his  closet  and  read  to  him  the  plan  I 
have  prepared  of  a  discourse  for  the  king.  He  is  startled  at  it;  says  it  is 
too  forcible;  that  the  temper  of  the  people  will  not  bear  it.'  Mr.  Morris's 
talents  and  the  force  of  his  arguments  on  the  state  of  public  affairs  had 
attracted  general  attention,  and  in  their  agony  of  doubt  court  and  ministry 
turned  to  him  for  aid.  The  result  was  the  draft  for  a  royal  speech,  which 
the  king  liked,  but  was  prevented  by  his  ministers  from  using;   a  memoire 


58  GOUVERXEUR    MORRIS    IX   EUROPE 

on  the  state  of  France,  notes  for  a  constitution,  and  some  other  similar 
papers  which  are  given  by  Mr.  Sparks.  These  documents  are  very  able 
and  bold.  Whether  Air.  Morris's  policy,  if  pursued,  would  have  had  any 
effect  may  well  be  doubted,  but  there  can  be  no  question  that  it  was  the 
sanest,  most  vigorous,  and  best  defined  of  the  multitude  offered  to  poor, 
hesitating  Louis,  and  its  adoption  could  certainly  have  done  no  harm. 
In  the  midst  of  these  disinterested  and  somewhat  perilous  pursuits,  we 
rind  him  writing  to  Robert  Morris  (October  10,  1791),  and  describing  a 
scene  at  the  theatre  when  the  people  cheered  the  king  and  the  queen. 

'  Now,  my  dear  friend,'  he  adds,  '  this  is  the  very  same  people  who, 
when  the  king  was  brought  back  from  his  excursion,  whipped  a  demo- 
cratical  duchess  of  my  acquaintance  because  they  heard  only  the  last  part 
of  what  she  said,  which  was,  //  ne  faut  pas  dire,  vive  le  Roi.  She  had  the 
good  sense  to  desire  the  gentleman  who  was  with  her  to  leave  her.  Whip- 
ping is,  you  know,  an  operation  which  a  lady  would  rather  undergo  among 
strangers  than  before  her  acquaintances.' 

Mr.  Morris's  sympathy  for  the  king  and  queen  led  him  further  than  he 
anticipated.  Indeed,  his  attitude  as  an  adviser  of  the  ministry  caused 
outbreaks  against  him  on  the  part  of  the  opposition.  De  Warville  said  in 
his  newspaper  that  Morris,  on  one  of  his  periodical  visits  to  England  upon 
business,  was  sent  to  thwart  Talleyrand,  an  accusation  which  Mr.  Morris 
met  with  a  public  denial.  His  doings,  however,  were  not  fortunate,  in 
view  of  the  responsibility  about  to  be  placed  upon  him  ;  for  while  he  was 
away  on  this  very  visit  to  England,  in  the  early  months  of  1792,11c  received 
the  news  of  his  appointment  as  minister  to  France. 

Morris  was  not  without  enemies.  At  home,  his  contempt  and  dislike 
for  the  methods  of  the  French  revolution  were  only  too  well  known,  and 
his  confirmation  was  strongly  opposed  in  the  senate.  His  good  friend,  the 
president,  with  much  delicacy  explained  to  him  the  ground  of  the  opposi- 
tion, and  in  this  way  pointed  out  to  Morris  the  failings  which  threatened 
his  success.  '  The  idea  of  your  political  adversaries,'  Washington  said, 
*  is  that  the  promptitude  with  which  your  lively  and  brilliant  imagination 
displays  itself  allows  too  little  time  for  deliberation  and  correction,  and  is 
the  primary  cause  of  those  sallies  which  too  often  offend,  and  of  that  ridi- 
cule of  character  which  begets  enmity  not  easy  to  be  forgotten,  but  which 
might  easily  be  avoided  if  it  were  under  the  control  of  more  caution  and 
prudence.'  If  it  had  been  known  in  America  just  how  deeply  Mr.  Morris 
had  plunged  into  French  politics,  it  may  be  doubted  whether  Washington 
even  would  have  nominated  him  as  a  minister.  As  it  turned  out,  no  better 
choice  could  have  been  made,  yet  at  the  moment  Mr.  Morris  was  involved 


GOUVERNEUR    MORRIS    IN    EUROPE  59 

in  affairs  which  no  foreign  minister  ought  even  to  have  known.  He 
probably  felt  that  his  efforts  to  save  order  and  government  by  means  of 
the  monarchy  were  hopeless,  but  they  had  drawn  him  on  into  the  much 
more  dangerous  path  of  personal  sympathy  for  the  king  and  queen,  and 
thence  into  attempts  to  at  least  preserve  their  lives.  The  king  was 
unable  to.  adopt  Mr.  Morris's  views  in  his  public  utterances,  but  on  his 
advice  confided  in  M.  de  Monciel,  one  of  his  ministers,  and  this  gentle- 
man and  Mr.  Morris  arranged  an  elaborate  yet  practicable  scheme  for  the 
escape  of  the  royal  family.  After  a  short  time,  the  king  sent  Mr.  Morris 
five  hundred  and  forty-seven  thousand  livres  to  carry  out  the  plan,  and 
wished  also  to  make  him  the  depositary  of  his  papers.  Mr.  Morris 
accepted  the  first  trust  and  declined  the  latter.  The  large  sum  of  money 
seems  to  indicate  the  king's  preference  for  the  plan  of  Morris,  in  whom  he 
had  great  confidence,  yet  there  were  half  a  dozen  other  schemes  on  foot 
at  the  same  time.  De  Molleville  had  one  ;  Mr.  Crawford,  sent  over  by  the 
British  government,  had  another;  Marie  Antoinette's  Swedish  friend, 
Count  Fersen,  had  a  third  ;  and  there  were  probably  many  more.  One 
plan  interfered  with  another.  That  of  Morris  and  Monciel  was  ripe  for 
execution,  and  still  the  king  doubted  and  delayed.  While  he  was  hesitat- 
ing, the  ioth  of  August  came,  the  Swiss  Guard  was  massacred,  and  all  was 
over." 


COUNT   JULES   DIODATI 

Editor  Magazine  of  American  History: 

Count  Jules  Diodati,  whose  engraved  portrait  appears  on  the  opposite 
page  of  this  issue  of  the  Magazine  of  American  History,  was  a  distinguished 
member  of  the  Diodati  family  of  Italy,  descendants  of  Cornelio  of  that 
name,  who  removed  from  Coreglia  to  Lucca  in  1300,  where  they  held  high 
position  among  the  nobility  of  the  latter  city.  During  the  middle  ages 
they  occupied  many  important  offices,  both  military  and  civil,  not  only  in 
Italy  but  in  Spain,  Austria,  France,  and  Switzerland.  Count  Jules  Diodati 
figured  conspicuously  in  the  Thirty  Years'  war  in  the  service  of  the 
Emperor  Ferdinand  II.,  under  the  famous  Wallenstein.  His  brother 
Giovanni  also  attained  distinction  as  Grand  Prior  of  the  Templars  in 
Venice. 

The  family  of  Diodati  has  become  extinct  in  several  branches,  and  is 
now  represented  only  in  Geneva  by  Count  Gabriel  Diodati  and  his  brother 
Count  Aloys,  and  in  America  in  the  female  line. 

The  title  of  count  has  been  confirmed  to  all  descendants  by  patents  in 
Italy,  France,  and  the  Holy  Roman  Empire. 

I  have  the  honor  to  remain, 

Very  respectfully  yours, 


aS^^-^C^C^^' 


COMTE    JULES    DIODATI    GENER, 


THE    UNITED   STATES    IN    PARAGRAPHS 

[Continued  from  page  486] 


California 


August.  The  George  Washington,  the 
first  river  steamer  in  California,  begins 
regular  trips  on  the  Sacramento,  followed 
before  the  end  of  the  year  by  several 
other  boats. 

August  1.  Election  in  San  Francisco; 
board  of  twelve  councilmen  created, 
with  John  W.  Geary  as  president,  the 
Spanish  forms  being  retained. 

September.  A  popular  convention 
resolves  to  exclude  negro  slavery  from 
the  territory,  and  adopts  a  constitution. 

December  31.  Estimated  gold  prod- 
uct for  the  year,  $40,000,000. 

William  McKendree  Gwin  and  John 
Charles  Fremont  elected  United  States 
senators. 

1850.  Population  by  seventh  census, 
92,597.  The  great  year  of  land  specula- 
tion at  San  Francisco,  and  of  mining 
claims  in  the  gold  fields. 

May  1.  The  American  form  of  gov- 
ernment established  in  San  Francisco, 
with  Mr.  Geary  as  mayor.  Spanish  al- 
caldes everywhere  superseded  by  jus- 
tices of  the  peace,  after  the  American 
custom. 

September  9.  California  admitted  as 
a  State  by  act  of  congress. 

A  ruinous  commercial  panic  results 
from  an  over  supply  of  goods  from  the 
east. 

Beginning  of  the  Chinese  immigration. 
Gold  product  for  the  year,  $50,000,000. 


1850,  October.  Cholera  epidemic  in 
Sacramento  and  elsewhere. 

185 1- 1 85  2.  John  McDougall,  gov- 
ernor. 

185 1.  Santa  Clara  college  opened 
(Roman  Catholic). 

185 1.  June  9.  First  vigilance  com- 
mittee organized. 

185 2-1856.     John  Bigler,  governor. 

1852.  Mare  island  purchased  for  a 
navy  yard  for  $50,000. 

July  3.  A  United  States  mint  estab- 
lished in  San  Francisco  by  act  of  con- 
gress. 

1853.  March  3.  Public  lands  ad- 
mitted to  settlement  under  United  States 
law,  a  commission  having  adjudicated 
Spanish  grants  in  a  generally  satisfactory 
manner. 

California  Academy  of  Sciences 
founded  by  James  Lick. 

Gold  product  for  the  year,  $65,000,000 
(the  greatest  yield  for  any  single  year). 

1854.  University  of  the  Pacific  (Meth- 
odist Episcopal)  opened  at  College  park. 

1855.  College  of  St.  Ignatius  (Roman 
Catholic)  opened  at  San  Francisco. 

1856-1858.  J.  Neely  Johnson,  gov- 
ernor. 

1856.  Beginning  of  the  Sacramento 
valley  railroad. 

May  19.  Execution  of  Casey  and 
Cora,  two  desperadoes,  in  San  Francisco, 
by  the  vigilance  committee. 


THE    UNITED    STATES   IN    PARAGRAPHS 


August  21.  Vigilance  committee  dis- 
bands after  having  executed  four  notori- 
ous criminals,  and  banished  some  eight 
hundred  malefactors. 

i  S5S-1 860.     John  B. Weller,  governor. 

1858.  The  overland  mail  begins  its 
trips  across  the  continent. 

1 S5 8-1 862.  Beginning  of  the  wine- 
growing industry. 

1S60-1862.  John  G.  Downey,  gov- 
ernor. 

1S60.  Population  by  United  States 
census,  379,994- 

Milton  S.  Latham,  governor. 

The  "  pony  express  "  begins  its  trips. 

Southern  sympathizers,  led  by  Senator 
Gwin,  endeavor,  without  much  success, 
to  create  a  disunion  sentiment. 

Hesperian  college  opened  at  Woodland. 

1 86 1.  California  declares  in  favor  of 
the  Union  in  spite  of  well-laid  plans  to 
enlist  her  on  the  southern  side. 

Pacific  Methodist  college  opened  at 
Santa  Rosa. 

February  22.  Great  Union  meeting 
in  San  Francisco. 

May  17.  The  legislature  formally 
pledges  the  support  of  the  state  to  the 
national  government. 

June  28.  Central  Pacific  Railroad 
Company  organized  ;  Leland  Stanford, 
president. 

October.  Completion  of  the  trans- 
continental telegraph  line,  and  discon- 
tinuance of  the  pony  express. 

1 862-1863.  Leland  Stanford,  gov- 
ernor. Arrest  and  imprisonment  of  Sen- 
ator Gwin  for  disloyalty. 

1 863-1 867.  Frederick  F.  Low,  gov- 
ernor. 

1864,  February.  Northern  California 
railway  opened. 


April  15.  News  received  of  Lin- 
coln's assassination.  Several  secession 
newspaper  offices  sacked  in  San  Fran- 
cisco. 

1861-1865.  Men  furnished  for  mili- 
tary service  of  the  United  States  in  the 
civil  war,  15,725.  They  were  mainly 
employed  as  home  guards  to  repress  In- 
dian outbreaks. 

1867-187 1.  Henry  H.  Haight,  gov- 
ernor. 

1867.  St.  Vincent's  college  (Roman 
Catholic)  founded  at  Los  Angeles,  and 
the  college  of  St.  Augustine  (Protestant 
Episcopal)  at  Benicia. 

1868.  Foundation  of  the  University 
of  California,  endowment  $7,000,000. 

1869.  April  28.  Completion  of  the 
first  transcontinental  railway — the  Cen- 
tral Pacific. 

1870.  Population  by  United  States, 
census,  560,247. 

Napa  college  founded  at  Napa  City. 

January  1.  San  Francisco  and  North 
Pacific  railroad  opened. 

October  12.  Southern  Pacific  Rail- 
road Company  formed  by  consolidation 
of  existing  lines,  aggregating  in  1892 
nearly  five  thousand  miles. 

1871-1875.  Newton  Booth,  gov- 
ernor. 

1874.  California  college  (Baptist) 
opened  at  Oakland. 

1 875-1 880.     William  Irwin,  governor. 

1875.  Romnaldo  Pacheco,  governor. 
Mongolians  excluded  from  naturaliza- 
tion rights. 

1876.  Pacific  Coast  railway  opened. 
September    21.       First    "sand    lot" 

meeting,  organized  by  Dennis  Kearney, 
of  a  communistic  labor  party  ;  threaten- 
ing labor  agitations  followed. 


THE    UNITED   STATES   IN   PARAGRAPHS 


63 


October  1.  Death  of  James  Lick, 
millionaire,  leaving  large  bequests  for 
public  works,  including  the  astronomical 
observatory  at  Mt.  Hamilton. 

1877,  May  15.  Northern  Pacific 
Coast  railway  opened. 

1878,  September  28.  State  constitu- 
tional convention  meets  (session  lasted 
one  hundred  and  fifty-six  working  days). 

1879,  San  Joaquin  valley  college 
opened  at  Woodbridge. 

1 880-1 883.  George  C.  Perkins  gov- 
ernor. 

1880,  Population  by  United  States 
census,  864,694. 

Foundation  of  the  University  of 
Southern  California  (Methodist  Epis- 
copal) at  San  Fernandino. 

May  30.  First  observation  of  Memo- 
rial day. 

August  23.  Sonoma  valley  railway 
opened. 

Opening  of  the  Hotel  del  Monte  at 
Monterey. 

1 88 1,  April  18.  Carson  and  Colorado 
railroad  opened. 

November  15.  Bodie  and  Benton 
railway  opened. 


1882,  January  2.  California  southern 
railway  opened  (finished  1885). 

1883-1887.  George  Stoneman,  gov- 
ernor. 

1885.     Belmont  school  founded. 

1 887-1 891.  R.  W.  Waterman,  gov- 
ernor. 

1887.  Washington  Bartlett,  governor. 
San  Pedro,  Los  Angeles  and  Utah  rail- 
way begun. 

1888.  Cogswell  Polytechnic  college 
opens  at  San  Francisco. 

1890.  Population  by  United  States 
census,  1,208,130. 

1891-1895.    H.H.Markham, governor. 

1 89 1.  Gold    product    for    the    year, 

te,^,000  J  siiver>  $75>4i6,565- 

"  Leland  Stanford,  Junior,"  university 
founded  at  Palo  Alto,  by  Leland  Stan- 
ford, as  a  memorial  to  his  son  ;  endow- 
ment of  several  million  dollars. 

Passage  of  a  secret  ballot  law  by  the 
legislature,  also  an  act  to  prohibit  Chi- 
nese immigration. 

1892.  Restoration  of  "  Sutter's  Fort  " 
at  Sacramento,  under  the  "  Native  Sons  " 
Societies,  almost  exactly  as  it  was  in 
1848. 


(  To  be  continued) 


MINOR   TOPICS 

THE    OLDEST    BELL    IN    CANADA 

The  Montreal  Herald  records  an  interesting  antiquarian  find  on  the  part  of  Mr. 
Henry  J.  Morgan  of  this  city,  in  the  shape  of  an  old  church  bell  belonging  to  the 
Anglican  congregation  at  St.  Andrews  in  the  Ottawa  valley.  The  bell  in  question, 
as  the  figures  on  its  face  denote,  was  cast  in  the  year  1759,  which  was  also,  as  may 
be  remembered,  the  year  of  the  conquest  of  Canada.  It  was  brought  to  this  coun- 
try by  Sir  John  Johnson,  who  formerly  owned  the  seigniory  of  Argenteuil  and 
resided,  during  a  portion  of  each  year,  at  the  old  manor  house  at  St.  Andrews,  the 
ruins  of  which  may  still  be  seen  near  the  confluence  of  the  Ottawa  and  North 
rivers.  Sir  John,  like  his  distinguished  father,  General  Sir  William  Johnson,  who 
gained  the  battle  of  Crown  Point  and  Niagara,  for  which  services  he  was  created  a 
baronet  and  received  a  grant  of  money,  held  the  office  of  superintendent-general 
of  Indian  affairs  for  North  America.  He  died  in  1830.  His  eldest  son,  a  colonel 
in  the  army  and  an  "Ottawa  boy  "  by  birth,  married  a  sister  of  Sir  William  de 
Lancey,  Wellington's  favorite  general,  who  fell  at  Waterloo.  Upon  his  death  the 
widow  married  Sir  Hudson  Lowe,  who  held  Napoleon  in  captivity  at  St.  Helena. 
The  old  bell  found  by  Mr.  Morgan  turns  out  to  be  the  oldest  Protestant  church  bell 
in  existence  within  the  Dominion,  the  next  oldest  being  the  one  formerly  belonging 
to  the  private  chapel  of  another  old  seignior,  Hon.  James  Cuthbert,  at  Berthier, 
which  was  cast  in  1774.  The  congregation  of  Christ  church,  St.  Andrews,  whom 
the  old  bell  with  all  its  historical  associations  clinging  to  it  summons  regularly  to 
their  religious  duties  every  Sabbath,  may  well  be  proud  of  so  interesting  a  relic. — 
Ottawa  Evening  Journal. 


GENERAL  SUMTER  OF  SOUTH  CAROLINA 

Thomas  Sumter  was  born  in  Virginia  in  1734,  but  he  removed  early  to  South 
Carolina,  and  lived  there  until  his  death  in  1832,  when  he  was  ninety-eight  years  of 
age,  and  the  last  surviving  general  of  the  Revolution.  A  volunteer  soldier  in  the 
French  and  Indian  war,  he  was  present  at  the  memorable  defeat  of  Braddock.  In 
March,  1776,  we  find  him  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  second  regiment  of  South  Caro- 
lina riflemen.  After  the  capture  of  Charleston  by  the  British,  in  1780,  he  takes 
refuge  in  the  swamps  of  the  Santee.  Rising  to  the  rank  of  brigadier-general,  he 
becomes  foremost  among  the  active  and  influential  leaders  of  the  South.  Follow 
him  in  his  gallant  career.      This  same  year  he  defeats  a  British  detachment  on  the 


MINOR   TOPICS  65 

Catawba;  and  although  surprised  and  routed  at  Fishing  creek,  August  18,  he 
collects  another  corps,  and  November  12  defeats  the  bold  Colonel  Wemyss,  who 
had  attacked  his  camp  near  Broad  river.  After  a  few  days  General  Tarleton,  a 
British  officer,  attempts  to  surprise  him  while  encamped  on  the  Tiger  river,  but  is 
driven  back  with  a  severe  loss  of  men.  We  find  Sumter,  though  wounded  in  the 
attack,  soon  again  in  the  field.  In  March  of  the  next  year,  1781,  he  raises  three 
new  regiments,  and,  cooperating  with  the  brave  Marion,  Pickens,  and  others,  he 
harasses  the  enemy  along  their  posts  scattered  amid  valleys  and  swamps.  Foi  his 
heroic  services  congress,  in  January,  1781,  passed  a  vote  of  thanks  to  him  and  his 
men.  When  the  American  government  was  established,  General  Sumter,  from 
1789  to  1793,  was  a  representative  in  congress  ;  from  1801  to  1809  a  United  States 
senator  ;  and  in  1809  he  was  appointed  minister  to  Brazil,  where  he  continued  for 
two  years.  In  181 1,  at  the  advanced  age  of  seventy-seven  years,  he  closed  his 
long  term  of  honorable  and  eventful  services. — Dr.  Muzzey's  Prime  Movers  of  the 
Revolution. 


INDIAN    MEDALS 


Many  years  ago  a  silver  medal  was  found  in  the  town  of  Manlius,  New  York, 
of  which  a  slightly  incorrect  account  will  be  found  in  the  second  volume  of  Clark's 
Onondaga.  It  is  about  the  size  of  a  dollar,  and  has  a  loop  at  the  top  for  suspen- 
sion. The  name  of  Montreal,  in  capitals,  appears  above  the  representation  of  a 
fortified  town,  over  which  flies  the  British  flag,  and  the  initials  "  D.  C.  F."  are  in  a 
cartouche  at  the  bottom.  The  other  side  was  made  plain,  but  Clark  said  that  on 
it  "  are  engraved  the  words  canecya,  Onondagoes."  His  error  is  in  this.  The 
word  Caneiya  appears  in  script,  and  the  word  Onondagos  is  in  capitals  below  this. 
The  medal  now  belongs  to  L.  W.  Ledyard,  of  Cazenovia,  New  York,  who  kindly 
allowed  me  to  draw  it. 

In  the  Medaillier  du  Canada,  published  in  Montreal  in  1888,  is  a  figure  and 
description  of  another  of  these  medals.  In  the  description  it  reads,  "  Rev.:  Plain, 
in  order  to  write  the  name  of  the  Indian  chief  to  whom  the  medal  was  awarded." 
Mr.  McLachlan,  of  Montreal,  has  described  several  of  these.  One  belonging  to 
him  has  the  word  Onondagos  across  the  centre,  with  the  word  Tekahonwaghse,  in 
script,  at  the  top.  The  nearest  approach  to  this  name  which  I  find  among  the 
Onondagas  is  Takanaghkwaghsen,  one  of  the  signers  of  the  treaty  of  1788,  and  he 
may  have  been  Tagonaghquaghse,  appointed  chief  warrior  in  1770.  This  would 
make  it  a  medal  of  the  Revolution,  but  Mr.  McLachlan  thinks  it  commemorated 
the  taking  of  Montreal  by  the  English.  I  prefer  the  later  date  ;  and,  in  doing  so, 
would  identify  Caneiya  with  Kaneyaagh,  another  prominent  Onondaga  of  1788. 

Of  another  medal  of  the  same  design,  Mr.  McLachlan  says  :  "  The  inscription 
on  the   reverse   is    ■  Mohicrans  '   in  the  field,  and  '  Tankalker  '  at  the  top  ;  metal, 

Vol.  XXIX.-No.  1.-5 


66  MINOR   TOPICS 

pewter."  He  sent  me  accounts  of  some  others.  One  had  Mohawks  in  the  field, 
surmounted  by  Aruntes,  in  script.  He  knew  of  another  in  New  York,  and  thought 
it  was  of  silver,  bearing  the  name  of  Onondagos. 

The  Albany  Argus,  September  27,  1875,  described  another  of  these  silver 
medals,  found  at  Ballston.  It  had  the  same  design  on  the  obverse,  with  Mohicans, 
in  capitals,  on  the  reverse,  and  "  Son  Gose,"  in  script. 

I  have  seen  one  larger  silver  medal  of  the  reign  of  George  II.,  but  without 
inscription.  The  style  is  bold,  and  it  has  on  one  side  the  British  coat  of  arms  ;  on 
the  other,  the  king's  head.     This  seems  the  one  of  1753. 

The  smaller  bronze  medals  of  the  first  two  Georges  are  of  less  interest,  from 
having  no  personal  character.  The  king's  head  is  on  one  side,  and  an  Indian 
aiming  at  a  deer  on  the  other. 

Mr.  McLachlan's  idea  is  that  these  medals  were  issued  at  the  taking  of  Mon- 
treal in  1759,  or  rather  in  commemoration  of  it.  I  need  not  go  over  his  argument, 
though  not  convinced  by  it.  His  own  medal  has,  scratched  across  the  lower  part, 
these  three  lines  :  "  Taken  from  an  Indian  |  chief  in  the  American  |  war,  1761." 
There  was  no  American  war  in  that  year,  and  I  feel  sure  that  the  date  should  be 
1 781,  which  includes  the  period  of  the  Revolutionary,  then  known  as  the  American 
War.  The  fact  that  two  of  these  medals  bear  the  names  of  two  prominent  Onon- 
dagas  of  that  time  strengthens  this  belief,  originally  founded  on  the  fact  that  Colonel 
Daniel  Claus  was  then  Indian  agent  at  Montreal.  W.  M.  Beauchamp 


THE    FIRST    IRON    INDUSTRY    IN    AMERICA 

The  city  of  Lynn  has  recently  been  the  recipient  of  a  specimen  of  the  first  cast- 
ing made  in  America,  in  1642,  an  iron  kettle  of  good  form  and  weight,  of  the  type 
used  in  colonial  days.  Mr.  C.  J.  H.  Woodbury,  of  Lynn,  who  secured  the  relic  so 
closely  associated  with  the  early  history  of  the  town,  gave  in  his  presentation 
address  an  interesting  account  of  the  development  of  iron  smelting  in  this  country. 
Mr.  John  E.  Hudson,  a  descendant  of  the  original  owner  of  the  pioneer  iron  works 
at  Lynn,  where  the  kettle  was  made,  formally  presented  it  to  the  mayor  of  that  city, 
who  accepted  it  in  a  very  graceful  and  appropriate  speech.  The  addresses  have 
been  printed  in  a  little  monograph,  which  is  well  worth  permanent  preservation. 


WASHINGTON'S  DESCRIPTION  OF  HIS  OWN  PERSON  AND  HEIGHT 

IN     1763,    WHEN    THIRTY-ONE    YEARS    OF    AGE 

Editor  Magazine  of  American  History  : 

I  met  with  the  enclosed  article  while  traveling  last  summer,  credited  to  the 
Washington  Post.     It  will  interest  all  your  readers. 

"  The  gentleman  who  brought  forward  the  following  communication  had  not 
only  the  original  letter  in  his  possession,  but  was  also  the  owner  of  the  '  measure/ 


MINOR   TOPICS  67 

composed  of  stiff  paper  carefully  sewed  together  and  with  the  marks  written  upon 
it  in  the  general's  handwriting.  It  was  sent  to  the  tailor  through  Washington's 
agents,  presumably  '  Cary  &  Co.,  merchants.'  It  is  noticeable  for  the  same  ex- 
actitude and  precision  as  the  more  important  matters  which  the  general  had  con- 
nection with,  and  gives  the  absolute  condition  of  his  physique  in  that  year. 

'  Virginia,  26th  April,  1763. — Mr.  Lawrence  :  Be  pleased  to  send  me  a  genteele 
sute  of  cloaths,  made  of  superfine  broad  cloth,  handsomely  chosen  ; — I  should 
have  enclosed  you  my  measure,  but,  in  a  general  way,  they  are  so  badly  taken  here, 
that  I  am  convinced  it  would  be  of  little  service  ;  I  would  have  you,  therefore,  take 
measure  of  a  gentleman  who  wears  well-made  cloaths  of  the  following  size,  to  wit  : 
Six  feet  high  and  proportionably  made  ;  if  anything,  rather  slender  than  thick  for 
a  person  of  that  heighth,  with  pretty  long  arms  and  thighs.  You  will  take  care  to 
make  the  breeches  longer  than  those  you  sent  me  last,  and  I  would  have  you  keep 
the  measure  of  the  cloaths  you  now  make  by  you,  and  if  any  alteration  is  required 
in  my  next,  it  shall  be  pointed  out.  Mr.  Cary  will  pay  your  bill.  I  am,  sir,  ^our 
very  obedient  humble  servant.  George  Washington. 

Note — For  your  further  government  and  knowledge  of  my  size,  I  have  sent 
the  inclosed,  and  you  must  observe,  yt  from  ye  coat  end  to  No.  1,  and  No.  3,  is  ye 
size  over  ye  breast  and  hips,  No.  2  over  ye  belly  and  No.  4  round  ye  arm,  and  from 
ye  breeches  :  To  No.  a  is  for  waistband  ;  b,  thick  of  the  thigh  ;  c,  upper  button- 
hole ;  d,  kneeband  ;  e,  for  length  of  breeches. 

Therefore,  if  you  take  measure  of  a  person  about  6  feet  high  of  this  bigness,  I 
think  you  can't  go  amiss  ;  you  must  take  notice  that  the  inclosed  is  the  exact  size, 
without  allowing  for  seams,  etc.  ,  George  Washington. 

To  Mr.  Chas.  Lawrence,  London.' 

As  Washington  was  thirty-one  in  1763,  his  height,  as  he  states  it — viz.,  six  feet 
— is  apparently  at  variance  with  the  popular  belief  that  he  was  six  feet  two  inches, 
but  it  may  be  that  some  peculiarity,  either  of  his  length  of  limb  or  of  his  body, 
caused  him  to  tell  his  tailor  to  measure  a  gentleman  of  only  six  feet,  assured  that 
by  some  slight  difference  on  his  part  from  other  men,  he  may  have  exactly  the  cor- 
rected difference.  He  was  so  correct  in  all  his  directions  that  this  seems  the  only 
elucidation  of  the  discrepancy." 

This  shows  conclusively  by  Washington's  own  testimony  that  he  was  only  six 
feet  high,  not  six  feet  two  inches,  as  the  historians  would  have  us  believe.  The 
editorial  comment  in  the  last  clause  of  the  article  is  a  good  illustration  of  how  an 
editor,  or  writer,  will  try  to  make  facts  bend  to  theory  or  prejudice,  when  they  dis- 
prove the  view  he  entertains.  The  idea  that  a  sensible  man  like  Washington  would 
deliberately  order  from  his  tailor  a  suit  of  clothes  two  inches  shorter  than  his  own 
height  is  too  ridiculous  to  believe. 

The  original  of  this  letter  should  be  framed  and  presented  to  the  ladies  of  the 
Mount  Vernon  Association  for  preservation  in  Washington's  own  house. 

December  14,  1892  WESTCHESTER 


68 


NOTES 


NOTES 


New    year's   pay   in  the  mohawk 
vali  ey — In  the  Starin  Genealogy^  just 

issued.  Mr.  VV.  L.  Stone  says  "the 
Dutch  of  :he  Mohawk  Valley  were  dis- 
tinguished for  their  good  nature,  love 
of  home,  and  cordial  hospitality.  Fast 
young  men,  late  hours,  and  fashionable 
dissipation  were,  in  the  olden  time,  un- 
known. There  was,  nevertheless,  plenty 
of  opportunity  for  healthful  recreation. 
Holidays  were  abundant,  each  family 
having  some  of  its  own,  such  as  birth- 
days, christenings,  and  marriage  anniver- 
saries. New  Year's  day  was  devoted  to 
the  universal  interchange  of  visits.  Ev- 
ery door  in  the  Mohawk  Valley  was 
thrown  wide  open,  and  a  warm  welcome 
extended  to  the  stranger  as  well  as  the 
friend.  It  was  considered  a  breach  of 
established  etiquette  to  omit  any  ac- 
quaintance in  these  annual  calls,  by 
which  old  friendships  were  renewed, 
family  differences  settled,  and  broken 
or  neglected  intimacies  restored.  This 
is  one  of  the  excellent  customs  of  '  ye 
olden  tyme '  that  has  its  origin,  like 
many  others,  traced  exclusively  to  the 
earliest  Holland  settlers  of  New  York." 


King  hendrick  —  If  I  rightly  re- 
member, in  speaking  of  the  name  of 
Hendrick,  the  Mohawk  chief,  some  time 
since,  I  did  not  mention  the  condolence 
of  '' Tiyanoga,  alias  Hendrick,"  and 
others  who  fell  at  the  battle  of  Lake 
George,  the  condolence  being  held  Feb- 
ruary i8.  1756.  Each  one  was  replaced 
by  a  French  prisoner. 

W.  M.  Beauchamp. 


Broadway  in  1892 — Broadway,  for 
so  great  a  thoroughfare,  gets  its  people  to 
bed  at  night  at  a  very  proper  season.  It 
allows  them  a  scant  hour  in  which  to  eat 
their  late  suppers  after  the  theatre,  and 
then  it  grows  rapidly  and  decorously 
quiet.  The  night  watchmen  turn  out 
the  lights  in  the  big  shops,  and  leave 
only  as  many  burning  as  will  serve  to 
show  the  cases  covered  with  linen,  and 
the  safe,  defiantly  conspicuous,  in  the 
rear  ;  the  cars  begin  to  jog  along  more 
easily  and  at  less  frequent  intervals  ; 
prowling  night-hawks  take  the  place  of 
the  smarter  hansoms  of  the  day,  and  the 
street-cleaners  make  drowsy  attacks  on 
the  dirt  and  mud.  There  are  no  all- 
night  restaurants  to  disturb  the  unbroken 
row  of  business  fronts,  and  the  footsteps 
of  the  patrolman,  and  the  rattle  of  the 
locks  as  he  tries  the  outer  fastenings  of 
the  shops,  echo  sharply,  and  the  voices 
of  belated  citizens  bidding  each  other 
good-night  as  they  separate  at  the  street 
corners,  have  a  strangely  loud  and  hol- 
low sound.  By  midnight  the  street  is  as 
quiet  and  desolate-looking  as  a  summer 
resort  in  mid-winter,  when  the  hotel  and 
cottage  windows  are  barred  up,  and  the 
band-stand  is  covered  an  inch  deep  with 
snow.  It  is  almost  as  deserted  as  Broad- 
way is  on  any  Sunday  morning,  when 
the  boys  who  sell  the  morning  papers 
are,  apparently,  the  only  New  Yorkers 
awake. — Richard  Harding  Davis  in  Great 
Streets  of  the  World. 


Memorial  to  mrs.  harrison — The 
American  Monthly  for  November  con- 
tains an    interesting   memorial  of    Mrs. 


QUERIES — REPLIES 


69 


Harrison,  the  first  president  of  the 
Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution. 
It  announces  the  names  of  the  national 
committee,  who  are  to  collect  a  fund  for 
a  portrait  of  Mrs.  Harrison,  to  be  hung 
in  the  White  House.  Otherwise  the 
November    might    be    called    a    "  Dolly 


Madison  number."  There  are  several 
papers  relating  to  her  and  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  public  buildings  in  Washing- 
ton in  181 2,  and  two  original  engravings 
of  Mrs.  Madison.  The  first  passage  at 
arms  in  the  Revolution,  and  other  his- 
torical matters,  receive  attention. 


QUERIES 


Tom  thumb  and  haydon — Will  some 
reader  of  the  Magazine  of  American 
History  please  explain  to  a  dweller  in 
the  far  west  how  Tom  Thumb  killed 
Haydon,  the  historical  painter  ? 

Abner  Linwood. 

Wabuska,  Nevada. 


DlD      WASHINGTON       AND       FRANKLIN 

smoke  ?  —  Editor   of    Magazine  :    Can 


you  or  some  of  your  readers  inform  me 
what  were  the  views  and  practice  of 
Washington  and  Franklin  in  regard  to 
the  smoking  habit  ?  I  cannot  find  any- 
thing on  the  subject  in  any  of  the  stand- 
ard biographies,  and  I  have  a  particular 
interest  in  being  informed  on  that  point. 

Hiram  M.  Chittenden. 
St.  Paul,  Minnesota. 


REPLIES 


The  curtain  is  the  picture  [xxviii. 
394] — Editor  Magazine  of  American 
History :  The  expression  "  The  curtain 
is  the  picture,"  about  which  "  Teacher  " 
queries  in  the  current  number,  doubt- 
less refers  to  the  alleged  contest  in  skill 
between  two  celebrated  Greek  painters 
in  the  fifth  century  before  Christ,  thus 
described  in  Lempriere's  dictionary  : 
"  When  they  had  produced  their  re- 
spective pieces,  the  birds  came  to  pick 
with  the  greatest  avidity  the  grapes 
which  Zeuxis  had  painted.  Immedi- 
ately Parrhasius  exhibited  his  piece,  and 
Zeuxis  said  :  '  Remove  your  curtain,  that 
we  may  see  the  painting.'  The  curtain 
was  the  painting,  and  Zeuxis  acknowl- 
edged himself  conquered,  by  exclaiming, 


'  Zeuxis  has  deceived  the  birds  ;  but 
Parrhasius  has  deceived  Zeuxis  him- 
self ! '  " 

William  Gilbert  Davies. 

New  York  City. 


Bishop  William  R.  Whittingham 
[xxviii.  473] — Let  your  English  corre- 
spondent, E.  P.  C,  of  Liverpool,  ad- 
dress Miss  M.  H.  Whittingham,  No. 
1 108  Madison  avenue,  Baltimore,  Mary- 
land. Miss  Whittingham  is  the  librarian 
of  the  valuable  Maryland  Episcopal  Li- 
brary, which  her  father,  the  dear  bishop, 
left  to  the  Diocese  of  Maryland. 

Edmund  M.  Barton. 
Worcester,  Massachusetts. 


70 


REPLIES 


The  mound  builders  of  ohio 
[xviii.  394,  473]— ln  the  November 
issue  oi  your  magazine  Mr.  Amasa  Oak- 
lev  asks  for  some  definite  information 
from  some  antiquarian  concerning  the 
people  who  built  the  mounds  of  Ohio. 
While  I  am  not  an  "  antiquarian,"  and 
onlv  claim  to  be  interested  in  the  study 
of  the  history  and  traditions  of  our 
American  Indians,  still  I  may  be  able 
to  give  Mr.  Oakley  the  present  judg- 
ment of  leading  students  of  ethnology. 
Mound  building  has  been  carried  on 
by  different  tribes  within  the  historic 
period,  and  the  opinion  is  gaining  ground 
with  the  best  authorities  of  the  day,  that 
all  the  mounds  in  the  United  States 
were  the  work  of  tribes  known  to  us, 
or  their  ancestors. 

The  Cherokees  claim  that  the  Grave 
Creek  mounds  of  Ohio  were  built  by 
their  ancestors  during  their  occupancy 
of  that  region.  How  long  that  may 
have  been  is  not  known,  but,  evidently, 
they  had  enjoyed  peaceful  possession  of 
the  country  for  a  long  period  before  the 
advent  of  the  Lenni  Lenape  (Dela- 
wares).  Mr.  Hale  thinks  that  the  con- 
test for  the  possession  of  that  region 
between  the  Lenape  and  the  Tsalake 
(Cherokees)  must  have  lasted  for  a  hun- 
dred years  before  the  Cherokees  were 
driven  southward,  which  event  he  places 
in  the  ninth  century.  Professor  Cyrus 
Thomas,  judging  from  traditions  and 
other  data,  places  it  in  the  eleventh  or 
twelfth  century.  The  evidence  of  the 
mounds  and  their  contents  would  indi- 
cate that  they  were  erected  at  different 
periods  and  by  different  people. 

Mr.  Walter  K.  Moorehead  in  his  in- 
teresting account  of  his  survey  of  Fort 


Ancient,  judging  from  the  "  Wigwam 
circles,"  and  identity  of  pottery  found 
in  that  locality  with  the  pottery  of  the 
Mandans,  together  with  their  tradition 
of  having  at  a  remote  period  occupied 
the  Ohio  valley,  suggests  the  possibility 
that  the  Mandans  were  the  builders  of 
that  great  fortification.  While  Professor 
Putnam  of  Peabody  Institute  in  his  care- 
ful study  of  the  Great  Serpent  mound 
of  Adams  county  finds  evidence  that  it 
was  a  religious  structure,  and  believes 
that  the  region  has  been  occupied  by 
various  types  of  men  from  the  glacial 
period  down,  he  offers  no  opinion  as  to 
who  or  what  particular  tribe  built  the 
mound.  As  the  plumed  and  crested 
rattlesnake  entered  largely  into  the 
mythology  of  nearly  all  the  North 
American  tribes,  the  serpent  form  can 
hardly  be  a  reason  for  ascribing  it  to 
any  special  tribe. 

In  the  skulls  found  in  the  mounds  of 
the  lower  Mississippi  valley  are  many 
resemblances  to  the  Mexican,  and  it  is 
claimed  that  there  can  be  no  doubt  of 
the  unity  of  the  truncated  pyramid  of 
the  same  locality,  with  the  Mexican  teo- 
calli.  Professor  Jones  thinks  the  Natch- 
ez were  the  connecting  link  with  the 
Nahuas.  The  late  Mr.  L.  H.  Morgan 
stated  that  the  balance  of  evidence  was 
in  favor  of  a  common  origin  of  the  dif- 
ferent tribes  of  North  America,  which 
would  account  for  similarity  of  ideas  in 
many  respects.  I  know  of  no  evidence 
that  would  warrant  the  theory  advanced 
by  C.  H.  Gardiner  in  the  December 
issue,  that  the  Aztecs  were  the  builders 
of  the  Ohio  mounds.  Mr.  Holmes  of 
the  bureau  of  ethnography  classifies  the 
pottery  of  the  mounds  into  three  great 


REPLIES 


71 


groups  :  the  Upper,  Middle,  and  Lower 
Mississippi.  The  pottery  of  the  Upper 
Mississippi  region  belongs  to  a  distinct 
family,  and  evidently  the  tribes  who 
manufactured  it  have  at  different  times 
occupied  Manitoba,  Iowa,  Wisconsin, 
Michigan,  Illinois,  Indiana,  and  Ohio. 
This  ware  is  closely  allied  to  that  of  the 
eastern  and  New  England  states.  Mr. 
L.  H.  Morgan  was  of  the  opinion  that 
the  Mound-builders  lived  in  communal 
houses,  in  some  cases  built  upon  mounds 
enclosing  a  court  for  games  and  other 
purposes,  and  that  in  most  respects  their 
life  was  very  similar  to  that  of  the 
Indian  tribes  whom  the  white  people 
first  met  here.  The  opinion  of  to-day 
among  the  leading  ethnologists,  is  that 
they  were  in  no  way  superior  in  art  or 
modes  of  life  to  the  historic  tribes. 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  efficient 
and  able  director  of  the  bureau  of 
ethnography,  Major  Powell,  will  with  his 
capable  staff  of  assistants  prosecute  their 
studies  of  the  aborigines  of  America,  and 
that  they  may  find  other  clues  which,  in 
their  skilled  hands,  will  lead  to  a  more 
thorough  and  accurate  knowledge  of 
these  ancient  people. 

Harriet  Philltps  Eaton 
Jersey  City,  New  Jersey. 


The  mound-builders  [xxviii.  394, 
473] — Numerous  articles  have  been  pub- 
lished in  this  magazine  from  time  to 
time  on  The  Mound-builder j-,  which  will  be 
of  special  interest  to  students  and  writers 
on  the  subject.  Dr.  Cyrus  Thomas  con- 
tributed an  article  of  eleven  pages  to  the 
May  number,  1884,  entitled  The  Chero- 
kees  probably  Mound-builders.     He   also 


described  Houses  of  the  Mound-builders 
in  the  preceding  February  number. 
General  Thurston  discussed  The  Mound- 
builders  in  Tennessee  in  the  May  num- 
ber, 1888,  and  Dr.  Thomas  responded 
in  July,  1888,  under  the  title  of,  The 
Mound-builders  were  Indians,  in  which 
he  brought  many  interesting  facts  to  bear 
upon  the  mounds  in  Ohio.  Still  another 
valuable  article  from  the  same  pen  on 
the  same  theme,  under  the  title  of  In- 
dian Tribes  in  Prehistoric  Times,  ap- 
peared in  the  September  number,  1888. 
We  might  point  to  many  more  learned 
treatises  on  the  subject  in  this  magazine, 
if  space  permitted.  But  if  the  student 
will  run  his  eye  over  the  index  to  each 
volume,  he  will  find  material  worthy  of 
his  attention  concerning  the  Mound- 
builders. 

Editor 


Error  corrected  [xxviii.  389] — Un- 
der the  California  seal,  second  line,  "  di- 
mensions, 770  miles  northeast  and  south- 
west," should  read  northwest  and  south- 
east. 

C.  H.  R. 

Tarrytown,  New  York. 


Error  corrected  [xxviii.  87] — In 
speaking  of  one  of  the  ladies  of  the  rev- 
olutionary tea  party,  in  Edenton,  North 
Carolina,  as  Mrs.  Mary  Hoskins,  the 
author  should  have  said  Mrs.  Winifred 
Hoskins.  The  lady  was  the  wife  of 
Richard  Hoskins,  and  was  my  great- 
grandmother.  My  grandmother  was  only 
seven  years  old  at  that  time. 

W.  M.  E.  Bond 

Edenton,  North  Carolina. 


SOCIETIES 

SOCIETIES 


New  YORK  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY — The 
stated  meeting  for  December  was  held 
on  the  evening  of  the  6th  instant,  the 
Hon.  John  A.  King  presiding.  The 
final  paper  of  the  Columbus  series  was 
read  by  Mr.  Eugene  Lawrence  ;  his  sub- 
ject was  "  Columbus  in  Poetry."  It  was 
an  exceptionally  interesting  study  in  a 
field  hitherto  unexplored  in  connection 
with  the  Columbian  celebration,  and  a 
large  and  cultured  audience  listened 
with  close  attention  to  the  orator  in  his 
admirable  presentation  of  his  theme. 


The  historical  society  of  trinity 

COLLEGE,     NORTH     CAROLINA,     has      had 

three  regular  meetings  during  the  present 
term.  The  meeting  for  October  was  a 
Columbus  symposium.  Dr.  Stephen  B. 
Weeks  read  a  paper  on  "  Columbus  and 
the  spirit  of  his  age  "  ;  Prof.  J.  L.  Arm- 
strong read  selections  from  Sidney 
Lanier's  "  Psalm  to  the  West  ";  Mr.  J.  A. 
Baldwin  presented  a  paper  on  the 
"  Naming  of  America,"  and  Mr.  J.  F. 
Shinn  one  on  "  The  Fortunes  and  Fate 
of  Columbus." 

At  the  December  meeting  Mr.  Shinn 
read  an  interesting  paper  on  the  u  First 
discovery  of  gold  in  North  Carolina  in 
1799."  Dr.  Weeks  called  attention  to, 
and  asked  subscriptions  for,  the  new 
confederate  monument  which  is  now  to 
be  erected  in  Raleigh  to  the  memory  of 
the  North  Carolina  soldiers  in  the  con- 
federate army.  He  also  made  some 
remarks  on  the  extent  and  character  of 
the  work  of  the  confederate  press,  for 
a  history  of  which  he  is  collecting 
materials. 


Virginia  historical  society — A 
meeting  of  the  executive  committee  of 
this  society  was  held  November  1,  at 
the  Westmoreland  club-house,  Rich- 
mond, President  William  Wirt  Henry  in 
the  chair.  Gifts  of  a  large  number  of 
books,  manuscripts,  etc.,  were  reported. 
The  following  may  be  specially  men- 
tioned :  A  large  mass  of  papers,  bills, 
and  documents  relating  to  the  Carter 
family  of  Virginia,  covering  the  period 
from  1700  to  1800,  of  the  highest 
interest  in  the  information  they  afford 
of  life  in  Virginia ;  a  most  valuable 
bequest  from  the  late  Cassius  F.  Lee 
of  Alexandria,  Virginia,  consisting  of 
books  relating  to  the  history  of  Virginia, 
the  family  Bible  of  Richard  Henry  Lee, 
letter  books  of  William  Lee  and  of 
Arthur  Lee,  many  papers  of  the  Ludwell 
and  Lee  families,  and  highly  interesting 
autograph  letters  of  the  distinguished 
brothers,  Richard  Henry,  Francis  Light- 
foot,  William  and  Arthur  Lee. 

Mr.  Levin  Joynes,  Richmond,  Vir- 
ginia, was  elected  a  regular  member  of 
the  society. 

Messrs.  Tyler  and  Brock  were  ap- 
pointed a  committee  to  make  arrange- 
ments for  an  annual  meeting,  and  to 
secure  historical  papers  to  be  read  be- 
fore the  society. 

The  Rochester  (new  york)  histor- 
ical society  held  its  December  meeting 
in  the  chamber  of  commerce,  and  was 
largely  attended. 

Mrs.  J.  M.  Parker  read  an  interesting 
and  carefully  prepared  paper  on  "  The 
Jesuit  Relations  ;  "  and  Mrs.  Theodore 


SOCIETIES 


73 


E.  Hopkins  read  some  "  Reminiscences 
of  the  Rochester  Female  Seminary." 


THE  MINNESOTA    HISTORICAL   SOCIETY 

held  a  meeting  on  November  14.  Val- 
uable gifts.were  reported.  The  commit- 
tee on  Columbian  celebration  reported 
that  the  same  had  taken  place,  and  was 
highly  successful  and  gratifying.  Mr. 
Upham,  from  the  committee  to  obtain 
the  papers  of  the  late  General  Sibley, 
reported  that  his  heirs  promised  them  to 
the  society,  and  that  they  stated  "  that 
there  were  seven  barrels"  of  them.  Mr. 
Wm.  H.  Grant  addressed  the  society  with 
much  earnestness,  declaring  that  the  so- 
ciety must  begin  steps  to  secure  a  fire- 
proof building  for  its  use.  Other  mem- 
bers seconded  the  proposition,  and  it  was 
voted  that  the  president  appoint  a  com- 
mittee to  report  a  plan  whereby  such  a 
building  could  be  secured. 


Rhode  island  historical  society — 
At  the  meeting  of  this  society  on  the 
evening  of  November  29,  at  the  cabinet, 
in  Providence,  the  Rev.  William  C. 
Langdon,  D.D.,  lectured  on  the  "  Old 
Catholics  of  the  Italian  Revolution." 
He  said,  before  directly  treating  of  the 
"  Old  Catholics  "  :  "I  wish  to  make 
clear  the  exact  position  which  the  Church 
held  to  the  Italian  government.  The 
papacy  was  the  complex  of  four  factors 
— the  bishopric  of  Rome,  the  temporal 
power  of  the  pope,  the  spiritual  suprem- 
acy, and  fourthly,  the  Curia  Romana, 
the  complex  machinery  by  which  the 
papacy  carried  on  its  administration. 
We  who  are  outside  of  Italy  think  more 
of  the  third  of  these  factors,  the  spiritual 
supremacy,    and    starting    our    thinking 


here,  we  are  apt  to  think  of  Rome  a^  t  he- 
location  where  that  power  is  exercised. 
Yet  we  speak  of  moving  the  papacy  ; 
an  error,  for  the  papacy,  strictly  speak- 
ing, cannot  be  moved.  The  primary 
thing  is  the  bishopric  of  Rome.  There 
is  attributed  to  it  a  feeling  of  primacy 
over  the  nation  in  which  the  bishopric 
is  located.  We  are  next  led  to  the  step 
that  when  the  Roman  empire  was  broken 
up  the  bishopric  of  Rome  should  not 
become  so  attached  to  one  of  the  frag- 
ments as  to  lose  authority  in  the  other 
parts.  The  Italians,  as  a  rule,  were  not 
alienated  from  the  bishopric  of  Rome. 
They  were  indifferent  to  the  claim  of 
spiritual  supremacy  outside  of  Italy,  ex- 
cept as  it  was  to  them  a  matter  of  pride 
and  national  sentiment.  While  the  Ital- 
ians adhere  to  the  bishopric  of  Rome, 
they  are  hostile  to  the  temporal  power. 
Italy  cannot  be  a  nation  while  the  tem- 
poral powder  remains.  All  attempts  to 
unify  Italy  came  through  aiming  blows 
at  the  temporal  power  of  the  Church. 
The  average  Italian  patriot  is  deter- 
mined to  blot  out  forever  the  temporal 
power,  but  is  practically  indifferent  to 
the  spiritual  supremacy.  The  patriot 
party,  including  almost  the  entire  mass 
of  the  people,  take  this  position  of  loy- 
alty to  the  bishopric,  but  are  hostile  to 
the  temporal  power.  Practically  the 
papacy  is  arrayed  against  the'  national 
movement.  The  patriot  class  is  three- 
fold. One  class  rejects  the  Church 
bodily;  another  element,  who  do  not 
give  up  their  .religion,  are  evolving  a 
philosophical  basis  for  religion  outside  of 
the  Church.  There  is  a  third  element, 
who  adhere  strictly  to  the  Church  but 
who  are  at  the  same  time  Nationalists." 


74 


SOCIETIES 


The  huguenot  society  of  America 
held  its  first  regular  meeting  of  the  win- 
ter season  on  the  evening  of  December 
15,  at  the  residence  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
James  M.  Lawton,  37  Fifth  avenue. 
This  meeting  was  to  have  taken  the 
form  of  a  reception  to  the  president  of 
the  society,  Hon.  John  Jay,  but,  owing 
to  a  severe  illness,  he  was  unable  to  be 
present.  He  sent  a  very  interesting 
letter,  however,  which  was  read  by  the 
secretary,  Mr.  William  Bayard  Black- 
well,  to  the  assembled  guests.  The 
reception  was  from  eight  until  nine 
o'clock,  in  the  handsome  drawing-rooms 
of  Mrs.  Lawton,  when  the  party,  num- 
bering some  seventy-five,  adjourned  to 
a  spacious  hall,  where  seats  were  pro- 
vided for  all,  and  the  meeting  was  called 
to  order  by  Vice-President  Edward  F. 
DeLancey,  who  introduced  the  speaker 
of  the  evening,  Professor  J.  K.  Rees, 
the  celebrated  astronomer,  who  is  of 
Huguenot  descent  and  a  member  of  the 
society.  His  subject  was  "  The  Moon 
and  Planets,"  illustrated  with  stereopti- 
con  views  embracing  the  latest  observa- 
tions, and  the  appreciative  audience 
applauded  with  genuine  enthusiasm. 

A  pleasant  feature  of  the  reception 
was  the  exhibition  by  Mrs.  Lawton  of 
the  portrait  of  her  father,  General  Rob- 
ert H.  Anderson,  of  Fort  vSumter  fame, 
which  she  has  presented  to  the  alumni 
that  General  Anderson  founded  at  West 
Point  academy.  Mrs.  Anderson,  who 
was  unable  to  be  present  at  the  meeting 
of  the  society,  of  which  she  is  a  member, 
presented  a  dainty  little  badge,  consist- 
ing of  a  marigold  with  the  Huguenot 
knot,  to  every  lady  and  gentleman  who 


graced  the  occasion.  The  membership 
of  the  Huguenot  society  represents  the 
intellect  as  well  as  the  best  families  of 
the  metropolis  and  of  the  land,  and  its 
chief  object  at  present  is  to  collect  data 
for  an  extensive  biographical  volume, 
that  will  show  how  largely  the  Huguenot 
element  has  contributed  to  the  progress 
of  this  country  in  every  line  that  is  up- 
lifting, good,  and  noble.  The  society 
has  twelve  vice-presidents,  among  whom 
are  Hon.  Chauncey  M.  Depew,  Hon. 
Robert  C.  Winthrop,  Hon.  Thomas  F. 
Bayard,  and  Richard  L.  Maury  of  Vir- 
ginia ;  and  the  executive  committee  for 
1892  includes  R.  Fulton  Cutting,  Fred- 
eric J.  DePeyster,  Rev.  W.  W.  Atterbury, 
D.D.,  and  William  Cary  Sanger.  The 
meetings  are  held  on  the  third  Thurs- 
day of  every  month  during  the  winter 
season. 


The  historical  society  of  south- 
ern California  (Los  Angeles)  held  its 
annual  meeting  for  the  election  of  offi- 
cers on  the  first  Monday  of  December. 
The  following-named  members  were 
elected  a  board  of  directors  for  the  en- 
suing year:  E.  W.  Jones,  Rt.  Rev.  Jose 
Adam,  J.  M.  Guinn,  C.  P.  Dorland, 
Edwin  Baxter,  Miss  Tessa  L,  Kelso,  H. 
D.  Barrows.  At  a  meeting  of  the  board 
of  directors,  held  after  the  adjournment 
of  the  society,  the  following  were  elected 
officers  of  the  society  :  Major  E.  W. 
Jones,  president  ;  Edwin  Baxter,  first 
vice-president ;  H.  D.  Barrows,  second 
vice-president ;  J.  M.  Guinn,  secretary 
and  curator ;  C.  P.  Dorland,  treasurer. 
The  society  holds  regular  meetings  the 
first  Monday  evening  of  each  month. 


BOOK   NOTICES 


75 


BOOK    NOTICES 


THE  INFLUENCE  OF  SEA  POWER 
UPON  HISTORY.  1660-1783.  By  Cap- 
tain A.  T.  Mahan,  U.S.N.  Second  edition. 
8vo,  pp.  557.  Boston  :  Little,  Brown  &  Co. 
1S92. 

The  purpose  of  this  well- written  work  is  made 
very  clear  to  the  reader.  It  illustrates  the  effect 
of  sea  power  upon  the  general  history  of  Europe 
and  America  during  a  period  of  great  import- 
ance. The  determining  influence  of  maritime 
strength  upon  great  issues  has  apparently  been 
overlooked  heretofore,  historical  writers  not 
generally  being  familiar  with  the  sea,  and  pos- 
sessing as  little  special  interest  as  knowledge  ; 
while  naval  historians  have  confined  them- 
selves to  their  own  field,  as  simple  chroniclers, 
without  investigating  the  mutual  relation  of 
events.  Captain  Mahan  has  therefore  covered 
unoccupied  ground  in  giving  us  a  unique  and 
informing  volume  ;  and  writing  as  a  naval  officer 
in  full  sympathy  with  his  profession,  he  has  dis- 
cussed questions  of  naval  policy,  strategy,  and 
tactics,  with  great  force.  He  has  wisely  avoided 
technical  language  as  far  as  possible,  thus  un- 
professional readers  cannot  fail  to  be  intei'ested. 
The  work  opens  with  a  chapter  on  the  elements 
of  sea  power,  in  which  the  development  of  col- 
onies and  colonial  posts,  the  influence  of  colonies 
on  sea  power,  the  character  and  polity  of  the 
governments  of  England,  France,  and  Holland, 
the  weakness  of  the  United  States  in  sea  power, 
and  the  dependence  of  commerce  upon  secure 
seaports,  are  among  the  themes  most  graphic- 
ally discussed.  The  second  chapter  is  chiefly 
historical,  showing  the  state  of  Europe  in  1660, 
describing  the  second  Anglo-Dutch  war,  1665- 
1667,  and  the  sea-baltles  of  Lowestoft  and  of 
the  Four  Days.  This  war  was  wholly  maritime, 
and  had  the  general  characteristic  of  all  such 
wars.  The  description  of  the  justly  celebrated 
Four  Days'  battle,  in  June,  1666,  is  one  of  the 
best  we  have  ever  seen.  Accompanying  maps 
add  greatly  to  a  proper  understanding  of  the 
conflict. 

The  wai-s  between  1 672  and  1678  are  also 
treated  with  discriminating  fulness.  The  Eng- 
lish Revolution  and  the  war  of  the  League  of 
Augsburg  form  the  fourth  chapter,  and  the  fifth 
is  devoted  to  the  war  of  the  Spanish  succession, 
1702-1713.  The  author  says  in  this  connection, 
"  Great  as  were  the  effects  of  the  maritime  su- 
premacy of  the  two  sea  powers  upon  the  general 
result  of  the  war,  and  especially  upon  that  undis- 
puted empire  of  the  seas  which  England  held 
for  a  century  after,  the  contest  is  marked  by  no 
one  naval  action  of  military  interest.  Once  only 
did  the  great  fleets  meet,  and  then  with  results 
that  were  undecisive  ;  after  which  the  French 


gave  up  the  struggle  at  sea,  confining  themselves 
wholly  to  a  commerce-destroying  warfare.  This 
feature  of  the  war  of  the  Spanish  succession 
characterized  nearly  the  whole  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  with  the  exception  of  the  American 
revolutionary  struggle.  The  overwhelming  sea 
power  of  England  was  the  determining  factor  in 
European  history  during  the  period  mentioned, 
maintaining  war  abroad  while  keeping  its  own 
people  in  prosperity  at  home,  and  building  up 
the  great  empire  which  is  now  seen  ;  but  from 
its  very  greatness  its  action,  by  escaping  opposi- 
tion, escapes  attention."  We  turn  with  interest 
to  the  agitation  in  North  America  at  the  time  of 
the  French  war,  1 756-1 763,  when  Dr.  Franklin 
wrote  :  "  There  is  no  repose  for  our  thirteen 
colonies  so  long  as  the  French  are  masters  of 
Canada."  The  long  reach  of  England's  sea 
power  was  also  felt  in  the  West  Indies,  in  Por- 
tugal, and  in  the  far  east.  Then  came  the  Ameri- 
can Revolution  and  the  maritime  wars  conse- 
quent upon  it,  this  volume  closing  with  the 
signing  of  the  definitive  treaties  of  peace  at 
Versailles,  September  3,  1783.  It  is  an  instruc- 
tive work  of  the  highest  value  and  interest  to 
students  and  to  the  reading  public,  and  should 
find  its  way  into  all  the  libraries  and  homes  of 
the  land. 


ADMIRAL   FARRAGUT.     By  Captain   A. 

T.  Mahan,   U.S.N.      i2mo,   pp.   435.     New 

York  :  D.  Appleton  &  Co.      1892. 

No  better  name  could  have  been  selected  to 
head  the  list  of  great  commanders  than  that  of 
David  Glasgow  Farragut,  and  probably  no  one 
could  have  been  found  better  qualified  to  write 
his  life  than  the  accomplished  naval  officer  now 
president  of  the  United  States  Naval  War  col- 
lege, already  known  to  letters  through  the  pub- 
lication of  several  valuable  works,  which  have 
secured  him  a  permanent  place  among  the 
authors  of  our  time,  notably  "  The  Influence  of 
Sea  Power  upon  History,"  which  it  has  been 
our  pleasure  to  commend  with  enthusiasm  in  the 
preceding  notice. 

Farragut  must  ever  occupy  a  unique  position 
among  great  naval  commanders.  His  sea  ser- 
vice began  early  in  the  century,  when  babies 
were  sent  to  sea  as  midshipmen.  (What  a  pity  it 
is,  by  the  way,  that  some  uneasy  innovator  has 
managed  to  have  the  historic  grade  of  ' '  middy  " 
stricken  from  the  rolls!)  He  learned  his  knots 
and  splices  behind  the  guns  of  the  old  sailing  frig- 
ates, and  before  the  end  of  his  active  life  had 
commanded  and  encountered  iron-clads  in  ac- 
tion. His  professional  career,  therefore,  bridged 
over  the  transition  period  from  canvas  to  steam. 
And   it    is  not    easy    to  conceive    how  equally 


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romantic  conditions  can  ever  arise  in  the  naval 
history  oi  the  future.  That  he  was  a  military  gen- 
ius was  abundantly  proven  by  the  readiness  with 
which  he  met  and  solved  the  problems  that  were 
presented  during  the  adventurous  years  of  the 
civil  war.  How  he  successfully  fought  river  and 
harbor  forts  with  sea-going  ships,  and  captured 
formidable  ironclads  largely  with  wooden  ships, 
are  tales  that  will  long  be  told  to  successive  gen- 
erations of  American  patriots. 

This  volume  introduces  a  series  of  biographi- 
cal -ketches  under  the  editorship  of  General 
James  Grant  Wilson,  which  promises  to  be  a  valu- 
able addition  to  the  trustworthy  romance  of  mili- 
tary  history.  The  forthcoming  volumes  are  not 
yet  announced,  but  judging  from  this  foretaste, 
they  will  worthily  sustain  the  reputation  alike  of 
authors  and  publishers. 


THE  STORY  OF  MARY  WASHINGTON. 

By    Marion    Harland.      i6mo,     pp.     171. 

Boston   and    New  York  :    Houghton,  Mifflin 

&     Company.      1 892. 

Mrs.  Terhune  has  made  a  book  which  is  not 
only  a  reverent  tribute  to  the  memory  of  a  re- 
markable woman  of  strong  and  beautiful  char- 
acter, one  who  as  the  mother  of  our  first 
president  is  entitled  to  our  intimate  acquaint- 
ance and  lasting  esteem  and  affection,  but  she 
has  given  within  its  dainty  covers  an  interesting 
picture  of  life  in  Virginia  in  the  early  part  of 
the  eighteenth  century.  Epping  Forest,  where 
Mary  Washington  was  born  in  1706,  was  the 
homestead  of  the  family  of  Ball,  which  was  one 
of  dignified  respectability  in  that  region  of 
country.  Mrs.  Terhune's  descriptions  of  coun- 
try-house life  and  pursuits  in  old  Virginia  are 
exceedingly  realistic,  and  read  like  chronicles  of 
English  country  life.  We  learn  in  these  pages 
how  Colonel  Joseph  Ball,  Mary's  father,  con- 
structed a  gallery  in  the  church  known  as  White 
Chapel,  when  it  was  in  process  of  erection  in 
1740,  for  his  family  pew.  Stipulation  was  made 
that  the  pew  should  "  be  completed  at  the  same 
time  with  the  church,  and  finished  in  the  same 
style  with  the  west  gallery.'*  We  read  that  "  the 
Ball  house  was  a  square  frame  structure,  plain 
in  architecture,  with  a  porch  in  front,  and  upper 
and  lower  porticos  recessed  by  the  half  wings, 
in  the  rear.  A  grove  of  native  trees  surrounded 
it  on  all  sides.  We  get  our  first  mention  of  the 
baby-girl  in  a  will  executed  by  her  father  when 
she  was  between  five  and  six  years  old." 

Mrs.  Terhune  gives  many  welcome  particu- 
lars in  relation  to  Mary  Washington's  origin 
and  breeding,  with  the  purpose  of  correcting 
false  impressions  among  superficial  readers  of 
American  history.  She  has  gathered  extracts 
from  some  of  Mary's  early  letters,  but  few  of 
which,  however,  are  known  to  exist,  and  has 
dilligently  sought  for  information  about  her  in 


innumerable  directions.  In  her  reference  to  the 
Washingtons,  Mrs.  Terhune  does  not  allude  to 
the  recent  researches  of  Henry  F.  Waters,  A.M., 
which  practically  settle  all  doubts  in  relation  to 
the  exact  line  of  ancestry  of  George  Washing- 
ton. The  John  and  Lawrence  Washington  who 
came  to  America  were  sons  of  the  royalist  clergy- 
man Lawrence  Washington,  who  died  before 
1655.  The  wife  of  this  clergyman  died  about 
the  same  time  as  her  husband,  and  their  children 
were  thus  left  orphans.  The  eldest  son,  John, 
was  about  twenty-four  in  1657,  and  Lawrence 
was  twenty-two.  Mr.  Waters  says  :  "  Supposing 
them  to  have  been  young  men  of  only  ordinary 
enterprise  and  ambition,  with  the  desire  to  get 
on  in  the  world,  what  chance  had  they  in  Eng- 
land at  that  time,  known  as  belonging  to  a  royalist 
family,  with  all  or  most  of  their  friends  royal- 
ists like  themselves,  and  Cromwell  firmly  seated 
in  his  protectorate?"  Mrs.  Terhune  adds  to 
her  valuable  narrative  an  account  of  the  various 
attempts  and  failures  to  erect  a  suitable  me- 
morial to  Mary  Washington,  and  gives  the  his- 
tory of  a  portrait  which  by  some  is  believed  to 
be  that  of  the  subject  of  the  volume,  although 
proofs  are  wanting.  The  book  is  one  that  will 
be  cherished,  and  it  may  be  added  that  no  one 
who  reads  it  can  fail  to  have  a  much  more  vivid 
idea  of  the  environment  which  gave  to  Wash- 
ington some  of  his  most  characteristic  traits  ; 
and  it  shows  with  clearness  the  highly  organized 
state  of  society  from  which  came  the  men  who 
founded  our  republican  government. 


ALONG  THE  FLORIDA  REEF.  By 
Charles  F.  Holder.  i2mo,  pp.  350. 
New  York  :  D.  Appleton  and  Co.  1892. 
A  great  many  voyagers  have  gazed  from  pass- 
ing steamers  upon  that  low-lying  line  of  islands 
that  borders  the  swiftest  part  of  the  Gulf 
Stream  from  Cape  Florida  to  the  Tortugas,  but 
very  few  comparatively  have  ever  experienced 
the  delight  of  exploring  those  wonderful 
channels  in  small  boats,  camping  on  the  snow- 
white  coral  beaches,  and  studying  the  myriad 
forms  of  life  that  throng  the  air  and  water. 
Professor  Holder  was  for  several  years  engaged 
in  scientific  exploration  of  the  Keys,  and  he  has 
brought  together  his  notes  and  reminiscences  in 
a  volume  that  should  prove  most  attractive  and 
instructive  to  young  naturalists.  Numerous 
illustrations,  evidently  drawn  from  the  life,  add 
interest  to  the  pages  and  afford  a  taste  of  the 
pleasures  and  dangers  that  await  explorers  along 
this  remarkable  coast.  Here  alone  within  the 
territory  of  the  United  States  "live"  coral  is 
found  growing  under  the  tentacles  of  that  in 
dustrious  little  creature  that  the  world  persists 
in  misnaming  an  "insect."  Here  may  be  seen 
angel  fish,  groupers,  pelicans,  sharks,  curlew, 
frigate  birds,  and  ten  thousand  other  creatures 


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77 


whose  names  alone  would  fill  a  volume.  Per- 
haps the  next  best  thing  to  a  visit  in  person  is 
a  reading  of  Professor  Holder's  book. 


LON  DON.  By  Walter  Besant.  With  illus- 
trations. Crown  8vo,  pp.  509.  New  York  : 
Harper  &  Brothers.  1892. 
This  volume  possesses  so  many  and  varied  at- 
tractions that  it  is  difficult  to  give  our  readers  an 
adequate  idea  of  its  well-rounded  character  in 
the  brief  space  in  these  columns  at  our  com- 
mand. London  is  a  vast  city,  and  views  of  its 
streets,  buildings,  and  citizens  at  work  and  at 
play  do  not  come  to  our  library  tables  in  such 
charming  form  every  day.  "  The  history  of 
London,"  says  Mr.  Besant,  "has  been  under- 
taken by  many  writers  ;  the  presentment  of  the 
city  and  the  people  from  age  to  age  has  never 
yet,  I  believe,  been  attempted."  The  first  chap- 
ter is  on  Roman  London,  and  brings  to  light 
many  interesting  relics  of  that  far-away  period. 
Roman  London,  says  the  author,  was  not  mod- 
ern Liverpool.  Its  bulk  of  trade  was  perfectly 
insignificant  compared  with  that  of  the  present. 
Still  it  was,  up  to  the  coming  of  the  Saxons,  a 
vigorous  and  flourishing  place,  and  the  chief  port 
of  the  country.  Before  the  city  was  built,  the 
River  Thames  between  Mortlake  on  the  west 
and  Blackwall  on  the  east  pursued  a  serpentine 
way.  in  the  midst  of  marshes  stretching  north 
and  south.  There  were  marshes  all  the  way. 
At  spring  tides,  and  all  tides  a  little  above  the 
common,  these  marshes  were  under  water  ;  they 
were  always  swampy  and  covered  with  ponds  ; 
half  a  dozen  tributary  brooks  flowed  into  them 
and  were  lost  in  them.  The  Romans  built  their 
forum  and  basilica  with  the  offices  and  official 
houses  and  quarters  on  a  little  hill  or  cliff  on  the 
eastern  side  of  the  Thames.  Later,  the  mer- 
chants were  obliged  to  spread  themselves  along 
the  bank,  and  built  little  quays  and  river-walls 
to  keep  out  the  water.  An  old  map  enabled  Mr. 
Besant  to  recover  the  years  which  followed  the 
retreat  of  the  Romans.  The  chapter  entitled 
"Saxon  and  Norman  "  will  delight  every  intelli- 
gent reader.  Mr.  Besant  says:  "London  was 
converted  in  A.D.  604.  This  was  a  hasty  and 
incomplete  conversion,  executed  to  order,  for 
the  citizens  speedily  relapsed.  Then  they  were 
again  converted,  and  in  sober  earnest  put  away 
their  old  gods,  keeping  only  a  few  of  the 
more  favorite  superstitions.  They  were  so 
thoroughly  converted  that  the  city  of  London 
became  a  veritable  mother  of  saints."  It  is  in 
this  chapter  that  we  acquire  enlightenment  about 
the  building  of  the  ancient  churches,  when  the 
people  knelt  on  the  stones  in  prayer  ;  and  of  the 
famous  bridge,  with  a  fortified  gate,  which  in 
1091  was  swept  away  in  a  terrible  storm.  The 
bridge  was  rebuilt,  and  in  1 135  was  destroyed  by 
The  next  bridge  was  more    substantially 


fire. 


built,  and  there  was  no  bridge  in  Europe  that 
could  compare  with  it  in  strength  or  size.  In 
manner  of  living  the  Saxons  were  fond  of  vege- 
tables, especially  of  leek,  onion,  and  gnrlic. 
They  cultivated  gardens  in  which  were  fruits 
and  flowers.  Their  houses  are  illustrated,  and 
their  manners  and  customs.  Three  chapters  are 
devoted  to  the  Plantagenet  period,  and  are  full 
of  life  and  reality.  In  the  Tudor  period,  occu- 
pying the  seventh  and  eighth  chapters,  the 
wealth  of  illustration  is  astonishing.  One 
might  as  well  be  writing  of  the  city  life  of  this 
day,  so  copious  seem  the  materials.  The  reign 
of  Charles  II.  brings  with  it  the  pictures  of 
the  palace  of  Whitehall,  Hungerford  market, 
Cheapside,  Fleet  street,  Belon  bridge,  Sion 
college,  John  Bunyan's  meeting-house,  build- 
ing of  the  Bank  of  England,  and  old  St. 
Paul.  The  closing  chapter  is  entitled  "  George 
the  Second."  In  it  the  picture  of  London  is 
confined  chiefly  to  the  life  of  the  bourgeois.  In 
1750  London  was  spreading,  but  not  yet  rapidly. 
The  gates  still  stood  and  were  closed  at  sunset 
until  the  year  1760.  Then  they  were  all  pulled 
down,  and  the  materials  sold,  as  they  were  doubt- 
less an  obstruction  to  traffic.  The  roads  were 
paved  with  squares  of  Scotch  granite  laid  on 
gravel.  In  the  streets  of  private  houses  there 
passed  a  never-ending  procession  of  those  who 
bawled  things  for  sale.  The  common  practice 
of  bakers  and  milkmen  was  to  keep  tally  on  the 
doorpost  with  chalk.  "  One  advantage  of  this 
method  was  that  a  mark  might  be  added  when 
the  maid  was  not  looking. "  The  taxes  of  a  house 
amounted  to  about  half  the  rent.  Servants 
found  their  own  tea  and  coffee  if  they  wanted 
any.  Mail  coaches  started  every  night  at  eight 
o'clock  with  a  guard.  There  were  nine  morn- 
ing and  eight  evening  newspapers.  And  there 
were  gibbets  stuck  up  everywhere,  and  remained 
until  after  the  beginning  of  this  century.  The 
reader  will  enjoy  this  volume,  as  there  is  not  a 
dull  or  uninforming  page  between  its  two  covers, 
and  the  subject  is  one  that  interests  the  entire 
world. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  IN  EAST- 
ERN  CANADA  AND  NEWFOUND- 
LAND. By  Rev.  J.  Langtry.  M.A..D.C.L. 
[Colonial  Church  Histories.]  With  map. 
i6mo,  pp.  256.  London  and  New  York  : 
Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge. 
1892. 

The  author  has  made  admirable  use  of  his 
wealth  of  material  in  producing  a  history  of  the 
ten  eastern  dioceses  of  Canada  in  a  volume  of 
the  limited  size  of  the  one  before  us.  All  free- 
dom of  treatment  and  fluency  of  style  have  neces- 
sarily been  excluded — even  the  attractive  feature 
of  biographical    illustration.     Yet  even  in  this 


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brief  form  the  work  was  worth  the  doing,  for 
much  valuable  information  has  been  rescued 
from  apparent  oblivion  and  here  permanently 
preserved.  At  the  treaty  of  Paris  in  1763  the 
whole  of  North  America  north  of  the  Alleghany 
mountains  was  ceded  by  France  to  England. 
The  territory,  however,  was  regarded  as  an  im- 
penetrable wilderness,  of  no  use  except  as  a 
covert  for  fur-bearing  animals.  What  is  it 
now  ?  No  English  settlements  of  any  impor- 
tance were  effected  in  Canada  until  after  the 
Revolution  ;  and  no  class  fared  so  badly  in  the 
war  for  independence  as  the  clergy  of  the  Eng- 
lish Church.  In  Nova  Scotia,  which  was  ceded 
to  the  British  crown  by  France  in  1713,  there 
was  a  mission  of  the  Church  of  England  about 
1749.  The  first  colonial  diocese  of  the  English 
Church  was  founded  in  Nova  Scotia  in  1789. 
The  diocese  of  Montreal  was  formed  out  of  that 
of  Quebec  in  the  year  1S50.  The  diocese  of 
Niagara  was  formed  in  1S74.  The  little  volume 
is  crowded  with  facts  of  the  first  moment  ;  it  is 
concisely  written,  giving  evidence  of  the  highest 
scholarship  and  consummate  skill  in  the  man- 
agement of  data,  and  cannot  fail  to  prove  a 
valuable  addition  to  church  history  in  America. 


ALONG  NEW  ENGLAND  ROADS.  By  W. 

C.    Prime,    LL.D.      i6mo,   pp.    200.      New 

York  :   Harper  &  Brothers,  1892. 

Some  very  clever  letters,  written  for  "the 
purpose  of  a  day,"  for  the  New  York  Journal 
of  Commerce,  during  a  period  of  more  than  forty 
years,  form  this  charming  little  volume.  Dr. 
W.  C.  Prime's  writings  are  well  known,  and 
although  he  states  distinctly  in  his  preface  that 
he  did  not  want  to  make  this  book,  and  only 
revised  and  edited  it  because  he  feared  another 
person  might,  and  thus  perpetuate  errors  of  type 
that  creep  into  rapid  newspaper  work,  he  may  be 
congratulated  on  its  production.  The  sketches 
are  all  true  to  life,  and  bring  much  of  real  inter- 
est into  the  foreground.  It  is,  in  its  best  sense, 
a  book  of  New  England  travels.  In  driving  hi 
his  own  carriage  through  the  valleys  of  New 
Hampshire  and  Vermont,  he  on  one  occasion 
notices  a  crowd  about  a  farm-house,  and  pauses 
to  attend  an  auction.  The  house  had  been  for 
a  long  time  the  home  of  an  honest,  respected 
farmer  who  had  recently  died  :  an  old  man  whose 
work  was  ended.  This  auction  sale  was  the  ex- 
tinguishment of  a  fire  that  had  been  burning  on 
a  hearth  a  great  many  years,  and  Dr.  Prime's 
description  of  it,  and  of  the  old  kitchen,  is  a 
masterpiece  of  English  composition.  He  was 
there  only  a  few  moments,  and  then  drove  on. 
At  another  time  he  has  paused  at  a  village  store 
and  become  interested  in  a  discussion  among 
half  a  dozen  men  sitting  about  a  stove,  on  the 
subject  of  miracles,  and  of  the  laws  of  gravita- 
tion, which  was  concluded  by  the  query  of  one 


of  the  philosophers  :  "  Which  is  best  wuth  be- 
lievin',  my  old  mother  when  she  told  me  the 
miracles  was  true  because  there's  a  God  over 
the  airth,  or  these  consarned  edicated  fools  that 
go  around  saying  there  never  could  a-been  no 
miracles  because  they  don't  know  how  to  work 
'em"?  The  title  of  one  bright  chapter  is  "Up- 
hill in  a  Fog":  others  are  :  "An  Angler's  Au- 
gust Day,"  "Views  from  a  Hill  Top,"  "The 
Triumphant  Chariot,"  "Epitaphs  and  Names," 
and  "Finding  a  New  Country."  Every  page 
of  the  little  volume  is  captivating,  even  to  the 
"  Boys  with  Stand-up  Collars,"  a  chapter  which 
every  father  and  mother  should  not  fail  to  read. 

THE    STARIN    FAMILY    IN    AMERICA. 

Descendants  of  Nicholas  Ster  (Starin),  one  of 
the  early  settlers  of  Fort  Orange,  Albany,  New 
York.  By  William  L.  Stone.  Square 
octavo,  pp.  233.  Albany,  New  York  :  Joel 
Munsell's  Sons.      1892. 

This  handsomely  printed  genealogical  work  is 
something  more  than  a  mere  record  of  the  several 
generations  of  the  Starin  family.  It  is  of  special 
historical  value,  through  its  sketches  of  the  varied 
fortunes  of  the  first  settlers  in  the  Mohawk  valley, 
and  the  stirring  events  of  the  French  and  Revo- 
lutionary wars  in  that  quarter  of  our  state.  The 
founder  of  the  family,  Nicholas  Ster,  came  to 
New  York  in  1696  from  Holland,  and  settled  in 
Albany.  He  brought  property  with  him,  and  was 
soon  engaged  in  an  extensive  and  lucrative  trade 
with  the  Indians.  In  1705  he  removed  to  the  Ger- 
man flats,  the  soil  of  that  region  having  become 
well  known  for  its  remarkable  fertility.  He 
changed  his  Dutch  surname  soon  after  his  arrival 
in  this  country  to  Stern,  a  word  meaning  the  same 
as  Ster  in  the  Dutch  language,  and  a  few  years 
later  to  Starring  or  Starin,  and  these  two  names 
have  continued  to  be  used  interchangeably  by 
the  family  down  to  the  present  generation. 

The  son  of  Nicholas,  Adam  Starin,  from  early 
youth  participated  in  all  the  perils  of  frontier 
life,  and  lived  to  be  over  ninety  years  of  age. 
His  brother  Nicholas  was  an  Indian  trader,  and  a 
personal  friend  of  Sir  William  Johnson,  with 
whom  he  made  many  journeys  through  the  wil- 
derness. On  one  occasion,  as  they  were  return- 
ing from  Schenectady  on  horseback,  at  the 
edge  of  a  swamp  the  baronet  pulled  up  his  horse 
to  ask  of  Starin,  What  animals  are  those  making- 
such  a  strange  noise  ?  Starin  replied,  with  a  grin, 
that  they  were  bull-frogs.  Whereupon  the  bar- 
onet spurred  up  his  horse,  not  a  little  mortified 
to  think  he  had  but  just  learned,  as  his  country- 
men would  say,  "  what  a  toad  or  a  frog  was  !  " 
Judge  Heinrich  Staring,  of  another  generation, 
was  the  author  of  the  celebrated  Yankee  Post, 
the  amusing  story  of  which  is  given  in  the  vol- 
ume.    There  were  numerous   Starins  who  did 


BOOK   NOTICES 


79 


good  service  in  the  Revolution,  and  were  identi- 
fied with  the  patriots  of  the  time.  Two  of  the 
name  were  present  at  the  battle  of  Oriskany, 
taking  prominent  part  in  the  action.  The  author 
describes  the  social  customs  of  the  Dutch  of  the 
Mohawk  valley,  and  their  favorite  holidays.  A 
picture  of  the  old  Caughnawaga  church,  erected 
in  1763,  is  pertinently  introduced,  as  John  Starin, 
an  Indian  interpreter  and  confidential  friend 
of  Washington,  led  the  choir  in  it.  Many 
allied  families  are  introduced  in  these  pages, 
with  an  immense  amount  of  important  and  wel- 
come information.  Among  the  numerous  bio- 
graphical sketches,  that  of  John  Henry  Starin  is 
of  special  interest.  He  was  born  in  1825,  and 
his  life  has  been  identified  with  the  progress  of 
affairs  since  then  in  manifold  ways.  This  genea- 
logical work  is  one  of  exceptional  excellence, 
and  will  be  prized  by  all  genealogical  students, 
irrespective  of  any  connection  with  the  Starins 
or  the  many  allied  families  mentioned.  A  good 
index  will  be  found  at  the  close  of  the  volume. 


THE  STATESMANSHIP  OF  WILLIAM 
H.  SEWARD.  As  seen  in  his  public  career 
prior  to  1861.  By  Andrew  Estrem.  8vo, 
pp.  83,  pamphlet.  Privately  printed,  1892. 
In  this  clever  monograph  the  author  has  made 
a  study  which  he  calls  neither  a  biography  nor  a 
history,  but  which  is,  in  a  measure,  a  combina- 
tion of  both.  He  has  made  himself  familiar 
with  the  politics  of  New  York  near  the  close  of 
the  first  quarter  of  this  century,  at  the  time 
when  they  presented  the  spectacle  of  nominally 
one  party  with  three  or  four  more  or  less  an- 
tagonistic subdivisions.  He  does  not  attempt 
to  explain  this,  but  says  :  "New  York  politics 
have  always  had  in  them  something  that  baffles 
ordinary  explanation."  He  then  traces  the 
career  of  Mr.  Seward,  through  his  early  and 
notable  experiences  in  politics,  to  the  councils 
of  the  nation  at  Washington,  until  the  Union 
had  become  the  leading  idea  in  the  statesman's 
mind — a  career  that,  from  first  to  last,  is  interest- 
ing to  Americans  in  the  superlative  degree.  Mr. 
Seward,  as  we  all  remember,  was  styled  the 
"great  arch-agitator"  in  the  Southern  journals, 
while  he  was  energetically  fighting  the  secession 
movement  at  every  step,  disputing  every  inch  of 
ground.  Mr.  Seward  was  a  statesman  of  sharply 
defined  opinions,  and  was  perfectly  fearless  in 
the  expression  of  them. 


THE  QUEEN  OF  EGYPTOLOGY.  Amelia 
B.  Edwards,  Ph.D.,  L.H.D.,  LL.D.  By 
William  C.  Winslow,  Ph.D.,  D.D.,  LL.D. 
With  portrait.  8vo,  pp.  15,  pamphlet.  Pri- 
vately printed,  1892. 
The  vice-president  of  the  Egyptian  Explora- 


tion Fund,  Dr.  Winslow.  has  written  a  very  just 
and  appreciative  sketch  of  Miss  Edwards,  whom 
we  all  know  to  have  been  wonderfully  versatile 
in  various  lines  of  intellectual  labor.  He  found 
her  many-sided  as  an  Egyptologist,  and  "  the 
best  delineator  old  Egypt  has  ever  had.  Hers 
was  preeminently  the  role  of  interpreter."  Even 
the  Saturday  Review  claims  that  no  other  writer 
did  so  much  to  render  Egypt  popular.  Dr. 
Winslow  says:  "Intellectual  culture,  educa- 
tion, may  everywhere  regard  Miss  Edwards  as 
a  generous  creditor  in  the  great  exchange  of 
knowledge — for  out  of  Egypt  has  chiefly  come 
our  knowledge  of  the  evolution  of  man  during  a 
period  of  five  thousand  years,  B.C.,  and  among 
the  delightful  surprises  of  our  day  is  the  enthu- 
siasm, intelligence,  skill,  magnetism,  and  poetry 
with  which  Miss  Edwards's  pen  and  voice  have 
invested  the  old,  old  subject,  now  regenerated 
to  notice — public  notice — by  discovery,  and  by 
portrayal  like  hers." 


EARLY  MEDICINE  AND  EARLY  MEDI- 
CAL MEN  IN  CONNECTICUT.  By 
Gurdon  W.  Russell,  M.D.,  of  Hartford. 
8vo,  pp.  158,  pamphlet.  1892. 
An  interesting  subject  is  admirably  treated  in 
this  monograph,  a  part  of  which  formed  an 
address  delivered  before  the  centennial  meeting 
of  the  Connecticut  Medical  Society,  at  New 
Haven,  on  the  25th  of  May,  1892.  Very  few 
physicians  emigrated  to  this  country  in  the 
earliest  times  ;  thus  the  colonists  were  dependent 
on  the  clergy  who  knew  a  little  about  medicine, 
and  upon  themselves.  Thomas  Lord  was  the 
first  practitioner  who  was  licensed  by  the  general 
court  of  Connecticut.  He  was  the  son  of 
Thomas  Lord,  who  came  over  in  1635,  with  his 
wife  and  seven  children,  and  was  among  the 
landholders  of  Hartford  in  1639.  Thomas  Pell 
was  a  surgeon  at  the  Saybrook  fort,  and  in  the 
list  which  follows  may  be  observed  scores  of 
well-known  family  names.  The  early  physicians, 
we  are  sorry  to  say,  were  not  always  successful 
in  collecting  their  dues,  but  the  general  court 
tried  to  comfort  them,  and  voted  that  "it  was 
a  wrong  to  the  public  that  a  physician  should 
be  thus  discouraged."  It  seems  that  in  1654 
John  Winthrop  was  especially  desired  to  re- 
move to  and  live  at  New  Haven  as  a  physician. 
Dr.  Lemuel  Hopkins,  having  studied  medicine 
with  Dr.  Jared  Potter  and  Dr.  Seth  Bird,  com- 
menced practice  in  Litchfield  about  1776,  after- 
wards removing  to  Hartford  ;  he  was  one  of  the 
famous  wits  and  poets  of  the  day. 

THE  LETTER  OF  COLUMBUS  ON  THE 
DISCOVERY  OF  AMERICA.  A  facsimile 
of  the  pictorial  edition,  with  a  new  and  literal 
translation,    and    a   complete   reprint  of    the 


^ 


BOOK    NOTICES 


oldest    four     editions    in    Latin.       l6mo,    pp. 

01.      New    York  :      Printed    by   order   of    the 

trustees  of  the  Lenox  library. 

This  facsimile  reproduction  of  the  unique 
pictorial  edition  in  Latin  printed  in  1493.  illus- 
trated with  eight  curious  woodcuts,  will  be  greatly 
:  it  is  followed  by  a  new  and  literal  Eng- 
lish translation,  and  an  appendix  containing  a 
parallel  reprint,  in  ordinary  type,  of  the  oldest 
four  editions  in  Latin,  with  an  historical  and 
bibliographical  introduction,  describing  all  the 
editions  of  this  letter  known  to  have  been 
printed  in  Spanish.  Latin,  Italian,  and  German, 
before  the  year  1500.  It  is  printed  on  fine 
paper  and  issued  in  handsome  cloth  binding. 


A  TOUR  AROUND  NEW  YORK  AND  MY 
SUMMER  ACRE  :  Being  the  recreations  of 
Mr.  Felix  Oldboy.     By  John  Flavel  Mines, 
LL.D.       Illustrated.       8vo,    pp.    518.      New 
York  :    Harper  &  Brothers.      1893. 
The  sketches   gathered  in   this   volume  have 
appeared    from  time   to  time   in   the  New  York 
Evening  Post  and    the   Commercial  Advertiser, 
under   the    quaint   pseudonym    of   "  Felix  Old- 
boy."     The    author    was    familiar    with   all  the 
scenes  and  places  of  which  he  wrote,  and  had  a 
microscopic   eye  for   details  of  topography  and 
life.      He  was  blessed  also  with  a  capacious  and 
unfailing    memory,  and   possessed  a  rare  judg- 
ment and  taste  for  distinguishing  between  what 
was   purely    gossip    and   what,    though  minute, 
was  vital  to   his  theme.      He  had  the  indescrib- 
able gift  of  the  raconteur,  who  is  personal  with- 
out   being    egotistical,    gossipy    without    being 
garrulous,  and  circumstantial  without  ever  being 
tiresome. 

His  reminiscences,  or  about  two-thirds  of 
them,  relate  to  the  New  York  of  half  a  century 
ago,  and  the  other  third  to  rural  life  as  enjoyed 
at  the  same  period  in  an  old  mansion  fronting 
Hell  Gate   on    the  East   river.      So   far  as  the 


title  would  lead  the  reader  to  expect  to  find  in 
its  pages  an  account  of  the  living  New  York  of 
to-day — the  great,  busy,  noisy,  overgrown  New 
York  which  we  know — it  is  a  misleading  title  ; 
it  is  a  past  New  York  which  is  charmingly 
sketched  in  these  pages. 

Mr.  Mines  writes  of  the  days  when  Trinity 
church  was  new,  and  Varick  and  Laight  streets 
in  their  glory  :  when  Columbia  college  was 
down  town,  and  the  voyage  to  Albany  was  still 
made  by  sloop  ;  when  May  meetings  filled  the 
Broadway  Tabernacle,  and  Christy's  minstrels 
and  the  Ravels  attracted  and  delighted  nightly 
throngs  ;  when  Bowery  life  was  at  the  full,  and 
Harlem  was  a  village  and  St.  John's  park  in  the 
glory  of  its  loveliness.  Then  were  the  times  of 
Hamiltons,  Schuylers  and  Mortons,  of  Drakes, 
Lydigs  and  Delafields.  Actual  New  York  a 
hundred  years  ago  was  only  a  nail  on  the  end 
of  the  long  finger  of  Manhattan  Island,  and 
Mr.  Mines  knew  it  when  it  was  barely  more 
than  that.  He  remembers  the  state  prison  that 
stood  on  what  is  now  West  Tenth  street  ;  the 
great  boarding-houses  that  flanked  the  City  Hall 
park  when  he  was  a  boy;  the  "  Astor  boys" 
walking  daily  to  and  from  their  Prince  street 
office  ;  the  long  since  vanished  precincts  of 
Greenwich  and  Chelsea  ;  the  old  churches  and 
halls  and  theaters  and  mansions  that  have  dis- 
appeared before  the  march  of  business  ;  and  the 
notabilities  who,  like  them,  are  only  memories 
and  names  to-day. 

Mr.  Mines  writes  in  a  style  admirably  adapted 
to  the  subject,  and  the  subject  is  fascinating. 
Interesting  pictures,  not  less  than  one  hundred 
and  fifty,  add  greatly  to  the  interest  of  the  text ; 
the  precision  of  the  historiographer  is  softened 
by  the  grace  of  the  lover  and  the  sentiment  of 
the  poet  ;  and  the  charm  of  all  these  lively 
recollections  of  interesting  scenes,  personages, 
and  events  can  be  felt  throughout  the  entire 
volume.  The  work  sparkles  with  anecdotes  and 
pen-portraits,  and  will  be  treasured  by  all  New 
Yorkers. 


1  ■     9*$3m?W£ 


^^^^^^^^>^^^^£ 


MAGAZINE   OF   AMERICAN   HISTORY 


Vol.  XXIX  FEBRUARY,  1893  No.  2 

SOCIETY    IN    THE    EARLY    DAYS    OF    THE    REPUBLIC 
By  James  Grant  Wilson 

THE  choice  of  New  York  for  the  sittings  of  congress  gave  to  that  old 
home  of  the  Dutch  and  Huguenots,  hardly  recovered  from  the 
war,  a  new  dignity,  and  enlarged  opportunities  for  social  intercourse  with 
senators,  members,  and  high  officials  coming  from  the  various  states  of  the 
American  Union,  whose  differing  cplonial  antecedents  were  associated 
with  the  best  blood  and  the  eventful  history  of  Europe. 

There  is  available  an  opportunity  of  gaining  an  exact  and  minute 
acquaintance  with  social  events,  and  the  personages  who  made  them  what 
they  were,  in  the  early  days  of  our  republic.  By  a  happy  chance  there  has 
been  preserved  Mrs.  John  Jay's  Dinner  and  Supper  List  for  1787  and  '8 — 
a  period  when  her  husband  was  secretary  for  foreign  affairs  for  the  conti- 
nental congress.  The  names  which  the  list  furnishes,  together  with  the 
memoranda  afforded  by  occasional  private  correspondence,  and  the  pub- 
lished notes  of  European  travelers  touching  that  interesting  period,  con- 
tribute to  give  a  picture,  that  already  possesses  an  historic  interest,  of  the 
social  circles  of  New  York  during  its  brief  existence  as  the  national  capital 
under  the  articles  of  confederation,  and  for  two  sessions  of  the  first  con- 
gress under  the  Constitution.  Armed  with  this  list,  and  some  concomitant 
documentary  or  printed  aids,  we  can  look  in  upon  the  banquet-halls  of  the 
substantial,  spacious  mansions  of  that  day, — owned  or  occupied  by  mag- 
nates of  the  republic,  of  the  state,  of  the  city,  of  the  diplomatic  circles,  and 
of  society  itself, — and  people  them  again  with  those  who  were  accustomed 
to  gather  there.  We  can  glance  along  the  festive  boards,  and  observe 
who  of  note  at  home  or  abroad  met  in  those  days  around  them. 

The  society  of  New  York  at  that  time,  despite  the  comparative  insig- 
nificance of  the  city  in  extent  and  population,  and  all  that  it  had  suffered 
during  the  war,  presented  more  strikingly  than  in  after  years,  when  domes- 
tic and  foreign  immigration  had  made  it  a  common  centre,  those  distin- 
guished characteristics,  derived  from  its  blended  ancestry  and  colonial 
history,  that  are  still  discernible  in  the  circles  of  the  Knickerbockers,  and 
which  recall  alike  to  Americans  and  to  Europeans  the  earlier  traditions  of 

Vol.  XXIX.— No.  2.-6 


S2  SOCIETY    IN    THE    EARLY    DAYS    OF   THE    REPUBLIC 

the  national  metropolis.  While  here  and  there  might  be  found  members  of 
a  family  which,  misled  by  mistaken  convictions,  had  during  the  war  sided 
with  the  mother-country,  or  had  timidly  endeavored  to  preserve  an  inglori- 
ous neutrality,  the  tone  of  society  was  eminently  patriotic,  and  worthy  of 


x779 

Washington's  note  to  mks.  jay  on  her  departure  for  spain. 

the  antecedents  of  an  ancestry  representing,  in  the  words  of  an  English 
historian,  "  the  best  stock  of  Europe  who  had  sought  homes  in  the  west- 
ern world,  and  in  whose  forms  of  government,  charter,  provincial,  and 
even  proprietary,  may  be  discerned  the  germs  of  a  national  liberty."  With 
the  culture  and  refinement  of  a  class  thus  happily  descended  and   fortu- 


SOCIETY    IN    THE    EARLY    DAYS   OE   THE    KEI'UIiUC 


83 


nately  situated  was  blended  that  love  of  country  which   lends  dignity  to 
wealth,  and  respectability  to  fashion. 

As  host  and  hostess  at  the  dinners  and  suppers  for  which  the  list  before 
mentioned  was  composed,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Jay  would  deserve  to  be  sin- 
gled out  for  notice  before  we  devote  attention  to 
the  other  social  luminaries.  But  there  was  another 
reason  why  they  figured  so  centrally  in  the  social 
events  of  that  day.  John  Jay  was  now  secretary 
for  foreign  affairs.  To  relate  his  previous  services 
as  patriot,  chief  justice  of  the  state,  minister  to 
Spain,  and  commissioner  for  peace,  would  be 
superfluous  in  this  paper.  But  it  is  worth  while 
to  emphasize  the  significance  of  his  position  as 
foreign  secretary.  In  the  inchoate  condition  of 
continental  government,  when  congress  was  at  the 
head,  but  was  itself  without  very  clearly  defined 
powers ;  when  there  was  not  any  one  person 
endowed  with  the  chief  executive  functions — the 
secretary  for  foreign  affairs  was  really  the  only 
concrete  expression  of  the  government  by,  of,  and 
for  the  people,  which  had  just  been  wrested  from 
Great  Britain,  to  which  other  nations  could  at  all 
clearly  address  themselves.  He,  too,  was  the  per- 
son to  whom  the  several  states  must  look  as  the 
link  for  communication  between  themselves  and 
that  delusive  thing — the  general  government.  Hence,  John  Jay's  position 
made  him  in  effect  the  chief  of  state.  His  was  not  very  unlike  that  of 
John  of  Barneveld  or  John  De  Witt  in  the  days  of  the  Dutch  republic, 
whose  various  members  would  not  resign  their  sovereignty  to  a  chief  or 
president,  whose  stadt-holder  mainly  led  the  national  armies,  but  whose 
land's  advocate  or  grand  pensionary — i.  c,  the  principal  civil  functionary — 
was  the  man  who  received  the  ambassadors  of  foreign  princes  and  in- 
structed the  republic's  ministers  at  foreign  courts,  and  thus  to  all  the  world 
abroad  was  conspicuously  first  among  all  her  citizens.  Being  thus  similarly 
placed,  it  became  John  Jay's  duty  to  do  the  honors  for  his  country,  and 
his  wife  was  eminently  fitted  to  assist  him  in  the  performance  of  that  duty. 
It  will  be  proper  to  give  an  account  of  her  here. 

Her  maiden  name  was  Sarah  Van  Brugh  Livingston,  her  father  being 
William  Livingston,  governor  of  New  Jersey,  and  he  the  grandson  of 
Robert   Livingston,  the  founder  of  the   family  in  America.       Her   mother 


SOCIETY    IN    THE    EARLY    DAYS    OF   THE    REPUBLIC 


was  Susanna  French,  the  granddaughter  of  Philip  French,  mayor  of  New 
York  in  1702,  and  who  joined  Colonel  Nicholas  Bayard  in  that  address 
which  caused  the  latter's  conviction  of  high  treason.  Sarah  was  the  fourth 
daughter,  born  in  August,  1757.  She  inherited  some  of  her  father's  finest 
traits,  intellectual  and  moral,  which  were  developed  by  a  very  careful  edu- 
cation.    But  with  the  father's  stern  patriotism  and  resolution  she  blended 

features  of  gentleness, 
grace,  and  beauty  pecu- 
liarly her  own.  The  deli- 
cate sensibility  occasion- 
ally exhibited  in  her 
letters  seems  to  have 
come  from  her  mother. 
Her  marriage  to  John  Jay 
took  place  on  April  28, 
1774,  in  the  midst  of  the 
agitations  that  foreboded 
the  shock  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, and  almost  exactly 
one  year  before  the  bat- 
tle of  Lexington.  She 
was  then  not  quite 
eighteen  years  old,  while 
Mr.  Jay  was  twenty-eight. 
Up  to  this  time  he  had 
held  no  public  office,  ex- 
cepting that  of  secretary 
to  the  royal  commission 
for  settling  the  boundary 
between  New  York  and 
New  Jersey.  But  now, 
before  the  honeymoon 
was    complete,    in    May, 


<M 


(^uy^fyL^C 


1774,  Jay  was  called  to  take  part  in  the  first  movements  of  the  Revolution. 
His  public  duties  as  member  of  the  New  York  provincial  congress,  of  the 
New  York  committee  of  safety,  and  of  the  continental  congress,  kept  him. 

]  Mrs.  Bayard,  the  wife  of  Colonel  John  Bayard,  was  with  her  husband  a  frequent  guest  at 
the  dinners  and  other  entertainments  given  by  General  and  Mrs.  Washington  in  New  York  and 
Philadelphia.  The  Bible  seen  in  her  portrait  painted  by  Peale,  is  now  in  the  possession  of  her 
great-grand-daughter  Mrs.  Jas.  Grant  Wilson  of  New  York. 


SOCIETY    IN    THE    EARLY    DAYS   OF   THE    REPUBLIC  85 

constantly  separated  from  his  young  wife.  But  finally  a  post  of  honor,  y<  t 
of  difficulty  and  danger,  was  given  him,  which  enabled  the  youthful  pair  to 
be  more  constantly  together,  although  far  distant  from  friends  and  country, 
and  which  at  the  same  time  was  to  furnish  Mrs.  Jay  with  excellent  oppor- 
tunities for  training  to  successfully  occupy  the  position  of  first  lady  in  the 
land  during  the  decade  following  the  declaration  of  peace. 

On  October  10,  1779,  Mr.  Jay,  having  been  appointed  minister  to  Spain, 
sailed  in  the  congressional  frigate,  the  Confederacy,  accompanied  by  Mrs. 
Jay  ;  by  her  brother,  Colonel  Brockholst  Livingston,  afterward  a  judge  of 
the  supreme  court  of  the  United  States,  as  his  private  secretary  ;  and  by 
Mr.  William  Carmichael,  a  member  of  congress,  as  his  public  secretary. 
After  a  rather  quiet  life  in  Spain  came  a  residence  of  several  years  at  or  in 
the  vicinity  of  Paris,  while  her  husband  was  engaged  with  Franklin  and 
Adams  in  negotiating  the  peace  which  confirmed  American  independence. 
Did  space  or  scope  here  permit,  we  should  be  tempted  to  blend  with  this 
sketch  something  more  than  a  mere  glance  at  the  historic  memories  of  the 
period  connected  with  the  peace  negotiations,  in  which  Mrs.  Jay  was  almost 
a  participant,  from  her  intimate  association  with  the  negotiators,  who  fre- 
quently met  at  her  apartments.  There  is  no  page  certainly  in  our  foreign 
diplomacy  to  wdiich  the  intelligent  American  reader  will  ever  recur  with 
more  national  pride  and  interest  than  that  which  records  the  progress  and 
result  of  these  negotiations.  Meanwhile,  the  scenes  and  the  society  amid 
which  Mrs.  Jay  lived  for  nearly  two  years  presented  a  brilliant  contrast  to 
the  trials  and  hardships  to  which  she  had  been  subjected  by  the  war  at 
home,  as  well  as  to  her  more  retired  life  during  their  residence  at  Madrid. 
As  Mr.  Jay  declined  to  accept  the  courtesies  of  the  Spanish  court  except 
as  the  minister  of  an  independent  nation,  and  as  Spain  would  not  recog- 
nize him  as  such,  it  is  probable  that  Mrs.  Jay  never  appeared  at  the  royal 
assemblies.  At  Paris  everything  was  different.  History  has  made  us 
familiar  with  the  Paris  of  that  period,  so  interesting  as  presenting  the  last 
pictures  of  the  pride  and  splendor  that  were  still  unconscious  of  the  im- 
pending and  fierce  French  revolution. 

Marie  Antoinette,  now  in  her  twenty-ninth  year,  but  four  years  the 
senior  of  Mrs.  Jay,  still  justified  by  her  grace  and  beauty  the  enthusiastic 
encomiums  of  her  contemporaries.  Mrs.  Jay  wrote  of  her:  "She  is  so 
handsome,  and  her  manners  are  so  engaging,  that  almost  forgetful  of 
republican  principles,  I  was  ready,  while  in  her  presence,  to  declare  her 
born  to  be  a  queen."  The  fantasies  of  fashion,  says  a  court  historian, 
revealed  the  spirit  of  France  as  capricious  and  changeable.  The  queen 
and  her  intimate  friends,  especially  the  Comtesse  Diane  de  Polignac  and 


86 


SOCIETY    IX    THE    EARLY    DAYS    OF   THE    REPUBLIC 


the  Marquise  do  Vaudrienne,  changed  the  mode  day  by  day.  The  women 
wore  the  hair  most  fantastically  raised  in  a  pyramid,  and  this  high  edifice 
was  crowned  with  flowers,  as  if  it  were  a  garden.  It  is  both  apt  and 
important,  in  this  connection,  to  get  a  view  of  the  Parisian  mode  from 
Mrs.  Jay's  own  hand  :  "  At  present  the  prevailing  fashions  are  very  decent: 

and  very  plain  ;  the  gowns  most 
worn  are  the  robes  a  l'Anglaise, 
which  are  exactly  like  the  Italian 
habits  that  were  in  fashion  in 
America  when  I  left  it  ;  the  sul- 
tana is  also  a  la  mode,  but  it  is  not 
expected  that  it  will  long  remain 
so.  Every  lady  makes  them  of 
slight  silk.  There  is  so  great  a 
variety  of  hats,  caps,  cuffs,  that  it 
is  impossible  to  describe  them.  I 
forgot  the  robe  a  l'Anglaise  if 
trimmed  either  with  the  same  or 
gauze  is  dress  ;  but  if  untrimmed 
must  be  worn  with  an  apron  and 
is  undress." 

The  two  circles  of  society  where 
Mrs.  Jay  was  entirely  at  home  in 
Paris  were  those  which  were  to  be 
found  in  the  hotels  of  La  Fayette 
and  Franklin.  Among  the  first  to 
congratulate  her  on  her  arrival 
there  were  the  marquis  and  the 
marquise.  If  the  circle  she  met 
at  the  Hotel  de  Noailles  was 
marked  by  its  aristocracy  of  rank,  that  which  surrounded  the  venerable 
philosopher  at  Passy  was  no  less  celebrated  for  happily  blending  the 
choicest  and  the  most  opposite  elements  of  the  world  of  learning,  wit, 
and  fashion.  Among  the  more  intimate  friends  of  Franklin  were  Turgot, 
the  Abbe"  Raynal,  Rochefoucauld,  Cabanis,  Le  Roy,  Mably,  Mirabeau, 
D'Holbach,  Marmontel,  Neckar,  Malesherbes,  Watelet,  and  Mesdames 
de  Genlis,  Denis,  Helvetius,  Brillon,  and   La  Reillard.      Thus  among  men 

1  Mrs.  King  was  the  only  daughter  of  John  Alsop,  a  prominent  New  York  merchant.  She 
was  remarkable  for  her  beauty,  gentleness,  and  the  grace  of  her  manners  ;  her  mind,  too,  was 
highly  cultivated,  and  she  was  among  those  who  adorned  American  society. 


J^es?r^G~<si 


cr&'v} 


SOCIETY    IN   THE    EARLY    DAYS   OF   THE    REPUBLIC 


87 


and  women  of  wit,  wisdom,  and  beauty,  amid  the  smiles  of  royalty  and 
the  ceremonious  conventionalities  of  the  court  and  courtly  circles,  Mrs. 
Jay  was  being  prepared  at  the  capital  of  the  world  of  fashion  for  her 
prominent  part  in  the  capital  of  the  nascent  republic.  On  July  24,  1784, 
after  an  absence  of  more  than  four  years  and  a  half,  she  arrived  in  New 
York  with  .her  husband  and  children.  Before  the  arrival  Jay  had  already 
been  appointed  secretary  for  foreign  affairs.  There  being  then  no  presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  and  the  secretary  having  charge  of  the  whole 
foreign  correspondence,  as  well  as  of  that  between  the  general  and  the 
state  governments,  his  position  has  been  well  described  by  some  one  as 
"  unquestionably  the  most  prominent  and  responsible  civil  office  under 
the  confederation."  The  entertaining  of  the  foreign  ministers,  officers  of 
government,  members  of  con- 
gress, and  persons  of  distinction, 
was  an  important  incident,  and 
Mrs.  Jay's  domestic  duties 
assumed  something  of  an  official 
character.  But  her  long  residence 
near  European  courts,  and  her 
recent  association  with  the  bril- 
liant circles  of  the  French  capital, 
assisted  her  to  fill  with  ease  the 
place  she  was  now  to  occupy,  and 
to  perform  its  graceful  duties  in 
a  manner  becoming  the  dignity 
of  the  republic,  to  whose  fortunes  she  had  been  so  devoted. 

The  house  which  was  thus  made  the  centre  of  the  social  world  in  New 
York  deserves  a  moment's  attention.  The  home  of  the  Jays  for  one  or 
two  generations  had  been  in  Westchester  county.  At  the  age  of  forty 
the  father  of  John  Jay,  having  already  acquired  a  competency  in  mercan- 
tile pursuits,  retired  from  business  and  from  New  York  to  settle  in  com- 
fort at  a  country  house  and  farm  at  Rye.  Jay's  mother  was  a  Van  Cort- 
landt,  through  whom  the  estate  at  Bedford  fell  into  his  possession.  At 
Rye  he  was  born  and  brought  up.  On  his  marriage  the  occupations  and 
duties  to  which  the  troubled  times  called  him,  as  has  been  noted,  pre- 
vented the  youthful  pair  from  establishing  a  home  of  their  own.  Mrs. 
Jay,  during  the  almost  continuous  separation  from  her  husband,  passed 
the  greater  part  of  the  time  at  the  residence  of  her  father,  the  governor, 
at  Liberty  Hall,  Elizabethtown,  New  Jersey.  But  occasional  visits  were 
made  also  to  her  husband's  parents  at   Rye,  in  Westchester  county,  New 


LIBERTY    HALL,    BIRTHPLACE    OF    MRS.    JAY. 


88 


SOCIETY    IN    THE    EARLY    DAYS    OF   THE    REPUBLIC 


York.  There  was  no  opportunity  for  setting-  up  a  permanent  establish- 
ment until  the  return  from  Europe  in  1784.  when  Jay's  official  duties 
required  his  presence  in  New  York  city.  He  then  built  or  rented  a  house 
in  Broadway,  which  in  the  directory  for  1789  is  marked  No.  133  ;  but  it  is 
somewhat  difficult  to  identify  the  exact  location,  since  there  was  then  no 
regularity  about  the  numbers  of  houses.     "  Thus  No.  ^t,  was  at  one  of  the 

corners  of  Cortlandt  street ;  No.  29  was 
near  Maiden  lane;  and  No.  58  was  nearly 
opposite  to  it ;  No.  62  was  at  the  corner 
of  Liberty  street  ;  No.  76  was  nearly 
opposite  the  City  Tavern,  which  was 
between  the  present  numbers  113  and 
1 19  ;  and  No.  85  was  nearly  opposite  to 
Trinity  church.  Odd  and  even  numbers 
were  given  to  houses  without  regard  to 
the  side  of  the  street  upon  which  they 
stood,  and  in  some  cases  two  houses 
bore  the  same  number."  !  The  present 
location  of  No.  133  Broadway,  if  there 
were  such  a  number,2  should  be  be- 
tween Cedar  and  Liberty  streets,  then 
respectively  known  as  Little  Queen  and 
Crown  streets.  The  only  Jay  house  in 
Broadway  which  I  know  of  was  of  gran- 
ite— I  think  a  double  house  with  plain 
exterior,  on  the  east  side  of  Broadway, 
below  Wall  street,  which  by  Jay's  will  (he  died  in  1829)  was  left  to  his  son 
Peter  Augustus  Jay,  who  sold  it.  The  purchaser  erected  upon  the  premises 
several  stores,  which  were  used  for  the  storage  of  government  supplies. 

The  names  that  are  preserved  in  so  interesting  a  manner  upon  Mrs. 
Jay's  lists  fall  naturally  into  groups,  and  are  to  be  studied  to  the  best 
advantage  as  thus  arranged.  The  bar  of  New  York  shall  be  noticed  first. 
It  gave  to  the  salons  of  the  day  an  array  of  names  never  since  surpassed 


1  Thomas  E.  V.  Smith,  New  York  City  in  1789,  p.  24. 

%  The  number  next  to  I  to,  in  Broadway  is  135. 

3  John  Livingston,  a  Scottish  Presbyterian  divine,  was  a  member  of  the  General  Assemblies, 
and  in  1650,  one  of  the  commissioners  from  the  Church  of  Scotland  to  Charles  II.,  then  at  Breda. 
Banished  in  1663  for  non-conformity,  he  died  at  Rotterdam.  He  was  the  father  of  Robert  Liv- 
ingston, founder  of  the  American  family,  and  the  ancestor  of  Mrs.  Jay.  The  vignette  is  from  a 
painting  in  the  possession  of  Mrs.  Robert  Ralston  Crosby  of  New  York,  a  daughter  of  Colonel 
Henry  Livingston  of  Poughkeepsie. 


SOCIETY   IN   THE    EARLY    DAYS   OF   THE    REPUBLIC  89 

in  our  juridical  history:  James  Duane,  Richard  Harrison,  Aaron  Burr, 
Alexander  Hamilton,  Morgan  Lewis,  Robert  Troup,  Robert  R.  Living- 
ston, Egbert  Benson,  John  Watts,  Gouverneur  Morris,  Richard  Varick, 
John  Lansing,  Josiah  Ogden  Hoffman,  and  James  Kent.  At  various  times 
they  appeared  under  the  hospitable  roof  of  the  Jays,  and  in  turn  met 
at  the  tables  of  other  dignitaries  of  their  own  or  other  professions  ;  and  it 
will  be  proper  to  take  a  more  particular  glance  at  each  of  those  named  in 
the  group  above.  James  Duane  was  at  this  time  fifty-six  years  old,  and 
in  the  full  vigor  of  his  powers.  He  had  been  mayor  of  the  city  since  1784, 
a  position  which  he  yielded  in  the  year  1789  to  his  colleague  in  the  pro- 
fession, Richard  Varick,  now  city  recorder.  His  wife  was  a  daughter  of 
Colonel  Robert  Livingston.  He  had  been  diligent  in  the  cause  of  the 
republic,  but  withal  conservative  in  his  temperament,  of  exactly  the 
position  in  all  the  Revolutionary  movements  that  John  Jay,  his  frequent 
host,  occupied  throughout.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  continental  con- 
gress when  it  first  met,  and  remained  a  member  of  it  all  through  its  exist- 
ence. He  was  elected  a  member  of  the  senate  of  the  State  for  the  terms 
1782  to  1785,  and  again  in  1789  to  1790.  He  was  appointed  United  States 
judge  for  the  district  of  New  York  in  1789,  serving  till  1794,  and  in  1797 
he  died.  His  residence  was  at  No.  17  Nassau  street,  and  therefore  within 
a  short  distance  of  Mr.  Jay's.  His  presence  lent  dignity  to  every  gather- 
ing of  celebrity  of  that  day,  either  as  mayor,  United  States  judge,  or  state 
senator,  which  honors  were  all  upon  him  in  the  year  1789,  and  some  of 
them  in  1788,  the  period  to  which  the  list  has  reference.  Richard  Harri- 
son was  not  quite  forty  years  of  age  when  he  was  wont  to  meet  his  friends 
at  Secretary  Jay's  table,  and  he  remained  a  prominent  figure  in  the 
government,  which  was  then  yet  to  be  initiated,  until  far  into  the  present 
century.  He  was  made  auditor  of  the  treasury  by  Washington  in  1791, 
held  that  position  until  1836,  and  died  in  Washington  in  July,  1841,  at  the 
age  of  ninety-one.  He  owned  an  estate  in  New  York  which  was  then  far 
from  the  heart  of  the  city,  but  which  can  be  roughly  described  as  corre- 
sponding to-day  to  the  block  between  Eighth  and  Ninth  avenues  and 
Thirtieth  and  Thirty-first  streets.  His  residence  in  1789  was  at  11  Queen 
(or  Pearl)  street,  above  Hanover  square.  In  the  profession  of  the  law  he 
greatly  distinguished  himself,  and  on  the  strength  of  that  distinction  he 
was  invited  to  prominent  houses  in  1788  and  1789,  as  his  official  life  had 
not  then  begun. 

The  two  names  that  next  claim  attention  naturally  produce  a  min- 
gled sensation  of  pleased  and  painful  surprise — pleased  to  observe  that 
these  two  brilliant  minds  could  meet  together  in  friendship  and  brighten 


C.J 


SOCIETY    IN    THE    EARLY    DAYS    OF   THE    REPUBLIC 


a  gay  company  with  their  undoubted  talents;  painful  because  of  that 
future  fatal  day,  which  was  mercifully  veiled  from  their  view,  but  which 
posterity  can  never  forget  when  their  names  are  mentioned.  They  were 
the  leading  lawyers  of  their  day,  often  opposed,  sometimes  united,  on 
cases  :  but  with  a  generous  rivalry  between  them,  we  may  be  sure.  It 
was  not  on  professional  grounds  that  antagonism  arose.  It  was  the  bane- 
ful influence  of  politics,  and  the  lines  that  finally  divided  them  had  not 
yet  begun  to  be  drawn,  or  not   very  distinctly  at  least,  when    they  met  in 

Jay's  drawing-rooms,  for  the  federal  government 
had  then  not  yet  started  upon  its  career.  We  are 
concerned,  therefore,  with  their  social  qualities  just 
here.  Burr's  were  eminent :  his  engaging  manners 
made  him  a  power  when  his  legitimate  political 
life  had  suffered  a  hopeless  shipwreck.  And  M. 
Brissot  de  Warville,  who  met  him  frequently  in 
the  salons  of  the  day,  records  with  enthusiasm  his 
favorable  impressions.  The  wife  of  Burr,  ten  years 
his  senior,  whom  he  called  il  the  best  woman  and 
^SPW^s  ^J^^lL     tne  ^nes^  lady  I  have  ever  known,"  does  not  ap- 

pear upon  the  dinner-list.  It  is  not  likely  either 
that  she  received  at  her  own  house,  as  the  dread 
disease  (cancer)  that  caused  her  death  some  six 
years  later  may  have  been  already  at  work.  The 
more  celebrated  daughter,  Theodosia,  whose  bril- 
liant gifts  made  her  a  "queen  of  American  society"  later,  was  then  but  a  child. 
Of  Hamilton  little  need  here  be  said.  The  vivacity  of  his  French 
blood  would  make  him  a  welcome  guest  at  every  social  gathering,  and  the 
wit  and  wisdom  of  his  conversation  would  flow  with  equal  readiness  there, 
as  on  the  more  serious  occasions  of  the  public  debate  before  popular 
assemblies  or  in  senatorial  halls.  As  a  bit  of  gossip,  no  doubt  picked  up 
in  just  such  drawing-room  circles,  M.  de  Rochefoucauld  Liancourt  (after- 
ward the  Due  de  Rochefoucauld)  mentions  the  following  concerning  Ham- 
ilton :  "  Disinterestedness  in  regard  to  money,  rare  everywhere,  very  rare 
in  America,  is  one  of  the  most  generally  recognized  traits  of  Mr.  Hamil- 
ton ;  and  although  his  actual  practice  might  be  very  lucrative,  I  learn  from 
his  clients  that  their  sole  complaint  against  him  is  the  smallness  of  the 
fees  which  he  asks  of  them."  '  It  is  also  well  known  that  Mrs.  Hamilton 
was  a  daughter  of  General  Philip  Schuyler,  of  Albany,  and  thus  in  her 
veins  flowed  the  blood  of  one  of  the  noblest  colonial  families,  distinguished 

1  Voyage  dans  les  Etats  Unis  if  Amerique,  /ygs,  J796,  I797  (8  vols.,  Paris),  vii.    150. 


SOCIETY    IN    THE    EARLY    DAYS   OF   THE    REPUBLIC 


9] 


in  the  history  of  the  province  for  more  than  a  century,  From  a  letter  of 
one  lady  to  another — from  Miss  Kitty  Livingston  to  her  sister,  Mrs.  Jay, 
while  the  latter  was  in  Madrid — we  obtain  a  pleasant  glance  into  the  in- 
cipiency  of  this  happy  union.  It  is  dated  at  Trenton,  May  23,  1780,  and 
contains  this  passage :  "  General  and  Mrs.  Schuyler  are  at  Morristown. 
The  general  is  one  of  three  that  compose  a  committee  from  congress. 
They  expect  to  be  with  the  army  all  summer.  Mrs.  Schuyler  returns  to 
Albany  when  the  campaign  opens.  Apropos,  Betsey  Schuyler  is  engaged 
to  our  friend  Colonel  Hamilton.  She  has  been  at  Morristown,  at  Dr. 
Cochrane's,  since  last  February."  A  con- 
temporary account  of  Mrs.  Hamilton,  at 
the  very  time  when  her  name  was  put 
down  on  the  dinner-list,  occurs  in  the 
pages  of  M.  Brissot  de  Warville :  "  A 
charming  woman,  who  joins  to  the  graces 
all  the  candor  and  simplicity  of  an  Ameri- 
can wife."  Her  own  hospitalities  were  dis- 
pensed at  her  house,  situated  on  the  cor- 
ner of  Broad  and  Wall  streets.  Burr's  res- 
idence at  this  time  was  scarce  a  stone's 
throw  distant,  at  10  Nassau  street.  Rich- 
mond Hill  had  either  not  as  yet  come  into 
his  possession,  or  was  used  only  in  summer 
as  a  country-seat.  In  1789  it  was  occupied 
by  Vice-President  John  Adams. 

Continuing  to  cast  the  eye  along  the 
list  of  legal  celebrities  given  above,  we  are 
reminded  that  then  the  city  of  New  York, 
besides  being  the  federal  capital,  was  also 
the  capital  of  the  state.  Here,  therefore, 
resided  the  chancellor,  Robert  R.  Liv- 
ingston, of  the  Clermont  branch  of  that 

numerous  family.  His  residence  was  No.  3  Broadway.  It  fell  to  his 
share  to  administer  the  oath  of  office  to  President  Washington  ;  and  after 
he  had  represented  our  nation  at  the  court  of  the  great  Napoleon,  win- 
ning the  latter's  admiration,  and  doing  signal  service  to  his  native  land  in 
negotiating  the  purchase  of  Louisiana,  he  immortalized  his  name  above 
all  these  other  causes  by  actively  pushing  to  success  Fulton's  invention 
for  navigating  vessels  by  steam,  the  Clermont  bearing  the  name  of  his 
estate  on  the  Hudson.     Egbert  Benson,  another  member  of  the  group  of 


^.%c*snLU< 


cr\s 


92  SOCIETY    IN    THE    EARLY    DAYS   OF   THE    REPUBLIC 

lawyers,  was  the  first  attorney-general  of  the  state,  holding  the  office  from 
\~~~  to  1789.  After  that  he  was  a  judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  New 
York,  and,  living  to  a  good  old  age,  became  the  first  President  of  the 
New  York  Historical  Society.  Another  name  high  in  the  annals  of  the 
state  government  is  that  of  Morgan  Lewis.  After  an  honorable  career  as 
soldier,  no  sooner  were  actual  hostilities  over  than  he  resigned  from  the 
arnn-  and  began  his  civil  career.  "  He  was  so  impatient,"  observes  his 
granddaughter,  Mrs.  Delafield,  "  to  resume  the  study  of  the  law,  that  he 
returned  to  New  York  before  the  British  troops  had  vacated  the  town." 
There  was  some  risk  in  this  proceeding,  for  on  the  eve  of  the  departure  of 
the  British  there  appeared  good  reason  to  expect  a  conflagration.  But 
the  danger  passed,  and  Lewis,  as  well  as  Hamilton  and  other  young 
lawyers,  soon  had  his  hands  full  of  business.  Morgan  Lewis  was  married 
to  a  sister  of  Chancellor  Livingston.  He  became  attorney-general  of  the 
state  in  1 791 ,  then  chief-justice,  and  in  1804  defeated  Burr  as  candidate 
for  governor.  Though  Lewis  was  no  longer  of  Hamilton's  party,  it  was 
through  Hamilton's  efforts  that  no  part  of  the  broken  federalist  ranks  went 
over  to  Burr  ;  and  out  of  this  gubernatorial  contest  grew  the  quarrel  that 
terminated  so  disastrously  to  both  those  gifted  men. 

An  honored  place  in  the  circles  of  New  York  society  was  due  also  to 
John  Lansing,  who  had  been  mayor  of  Albany,  and  was  still  a  resident  of 
that  town,  but  who  was  in  New  York  as  speaker  of  the  State  assembly. 
He  succeeded  Livingston  as  chancellor,  and  was  in  turn  succeeded  by 
James  Kent.  Gouverneur  Morris,  too,  a  lawyer,  but  preeminently  a  finan- 
cier, the  co-laborer  in  the  difficult  and  desperate  days  of  republican  finances 
with  his  namesake  (but  not  kinsman)  Robert  Morris,  would  ride  into  town 
from  Morrisania,  which  he  had  just  purchased,  and  be  welcomed  for  his 
patriotic  services,  as  well  as  for  his  descent  from  some  of  the  oldest 
colonial  families — from  Gouverneur,  the  son-in-law  of  Jacob  Leisler,  and 
from  the  chief  justice  of  the  province  when  it  was  still  a  royal  possession. 
In  December,  1788,  however,  he  went  to  England;  and  while  there  was 
appointed  minister  to  France,  serving  in  that  post  at  the  beginning  of  the 
Reign  of  Terror.  It  was  also  something  deeper  than  the  amenities  of 
social  life  which  brought  Gouverneur  Morris  under  the  roof  of  Secretary 
Jay.  Once,  while  the  latter  was  in  Europe,  Morris  hastily  dispatched 
this  note,  speaking  volumes  for  the  affection  which  prompted  it:  "Dear 
Sir, —  It  is  now  within  a  few  minutes  of  the  time  when  the  mail  is  made  up 
and  sent  off.  I  can  not,  therefore,  do  more  than  just  to  assure  you  of  the 
continuance  of  my  love.  Adieu."  Of  the  remaining  names  we  need  only 
note  that  Robert  Troup  was  a  lifelong  friend,  from  college  days,  of  Ham- 


SOCIETY  IN  THE  EARLY  DAYS  OF  THE  REPUBLIC 


93 


ilton,  and  born  in  the  same  year;  that  John  Watts  had  received  back  the 
estate  which  his  father's  "  loyalty  "  had  forfeited  ;  and  that  Richard  Varick, 
at  first  recorder,  succeeded  James  Duane  as  mayor  of  the  city.  Josiah 
Ogden  Hoffman  and  James  Kent  were  both  in  their  youthful  vigor;  the 
latter  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1785,  and  thus  just  commencing  the  career 
that  gave  him,  while  yet  living,  a  world-wide  reputation  as  advocate 
and  jurist,  author  of  his  celebrated  law  commentaries. 

Pursuing  our  review  of  the  contributions  from  professional  life  to 
dinner-tables  and  social  circles,  a 
glance  may  be  taken  at  the  minis- 
ters and  physicians  eminent  in 
those  days.  Of  the  Reformed 
(Dutch)  Church  the  pastors  were 
Dr.  John  Henry  Livingston  and 
Dr.  William  Linn  ;  these  preached 
exclusively  in  English,  and  were 
themselves  not  even  of  Dutch  ex- 
traction. But  in  the  old  Garden 
Street  church  there  worshiped  a 
remnant  who  still  loved  to  hear  the 
mother-tongue,  and  Dr.  Gerardus 
Kuypers  ministered  to  them  ;  but 
he  made  no  practice  of  mingling 
with  high  society.  Dr.  Livingston, 
however,  was  intimately  connected, 
as  his  name  indicates,  with  the 
most  prominent  official  and  social 
circles,  Mrs.  Jay  herself  being  a 
Livingston.  He  had  also  married 
a  Livingston,  the  daughter  of 
Philip,  the  "  signer"  of  the  Dec- 
laration, who  had  a  house  on 
Brooklyn  Heights  at  the  beginning 
of  the  war.  The  doctor's  tall  and  dignified  figure  and  high  breeding  would 
make  him  a  notable  addition  to  any  company  ;  his  colleague,  Dr.  Linn,  too, 
was  a  man  of  note,  having  the  reputation  of  being  by  far  the  most  eloquent 
preacher  in  New  York  and  even  in  the  United  States.  In  1789  he  was  elected 
chaplain  to  the  House  of  Representatives,  the  first  to  occupy  that  office. 

Both  the  Presbyterian  ministers,  Drs.  John   Rodgers  and  John  Mason, 
appear  on  the  dinner-list.      Dr.  Rodgers  was  pastor  of  the  Wall  street  and 


THE    OLD    BRICK    CHURCH. 


94 


SOCIETY    IX    THE    EARLY    DAYS   OF   THE    REPUBLIC 


"Brick  Meeting"  churches,  which  were  united  under  one  government. 
The  latter  church  stood  on  the  site  of  the  New  York  Times  and  the  Potter 
buildings,  or  the  triangular  block  bounded  by  Beekman  and  Nassau  streets 
and  Park  Row.  Dr.  Rodgers  was  a  native  of  Boston,  an  ardent  patriot 
dining  the  war,  and  having  served  as  brigade  chaplain,  he  must  have  been 

on  terms  of  familiar  acquaintance  with 
most  of  the  officers  of  the  Revolutionary 
army  who  were  now  prominent  in  civil 
life.  He  would  be  welcomed  in  society, 
therefore,  and  also  for  the  reason  that  he 
felt  entirely  at  home  in  such  surround- 
ings. Mrs.  Rodgers  was  a  Bayard  of  the 
Delaware  branch  of  the  family.  "  He 
was  elegant  in  manners  but  formal  to 
such  a  degree  that  there  is  a  tradition 
that  the  last  thing  which  he  and  his  wife 
always  did  before  retiring  for  .the  night 
was  to  salute  each  other  with  a  bow  and 
a  courtesy."  As  to  his  personal  appear- 
ance, "  he  is  described  as  a  stout  man 
of  medium  height  who  wore  a  white  wig, 
was  extremely  careful  in  his  dress,  and 
walked  with  the  most  majestic  dignity." 
Dr.  Mason  was  pastor  of  the  Scotch  or  Covenanter  Presbyterian  church, 
located  on  the  south  side  of  Cedar  street,  between  Nassau  street  and  Broad- 
way, now  represented  by  the  church  on  Fourteenth  street,  near  Sixth 
avenue.  He,  too,  had  been  a  zealous  patriot,  and  served  for  some  years  as 
chaplain  at  West  Point.  He  was  a  near  neighbor  of  Dr.  Linn's,  living  at 
63  Cortlandt  street,  while  the  latter's  number  was  66.  He  was  of  medium 
stature,  earnest  and  solid  in  his  pulpit  efforts  rather  than  eloquent,  born 
and  educated  in  Scotland,  and  a  stout  opponent  there  of  state  interfer- 
ence with  the  choice  of  ministers  by  congregations.  His  manners  were 
polished,  as  of  a  man  who  had  mingled  much  with  people  of  birth  and 
distinction  on  both  sides  of  the  ocean. 

Of  the  Episcopal  clergy  we  find  on  the  list  the  name  of  Dr.  Benjamin 
Moore,  who  was  now  rector  of  Trinity,  but  had  at  one  time  been  removed 
from  the  position  because  Tory  votes  had  put  him  into  it.  He  lived  not 
far  from  the  church,  at  46  Broadway.  But  chief  among  them  as  a  social 
figure,  by  reason  of  his  office  as  well  as  because  of  his  social  qualities  and 
undoubted   patriotic  sympathies,  was  the  "  easy,  good-tempered,  gentle- 


y^rc    Affyj^ 


SOCIETY    IN    THE   EARLY    DAYS   OF   THE    REPUBLIC 


95 


manly,  and  scholarly  Dr.  Provoost,  Bishop  of  New  York — a  chaplain  of 
Congress,  and  a  welcome  guest  at  the  dinner  table  of  his  friends."  The 
doctor  had  been  devoted  to  the  American  cause,  was  a  native  of  the  city, 
and  of  Dutch  or  combined  Dutch  and  Huguenot  descent.  For  even  then 
the  city  presented  the  curious  "  contradiction  in  circumstances,"  so  often 
repeated  since  and  seen  to-day,  that  in  the  Dutch  pulpits  stood  men  with- 
out a  particle  of  Dutch  blood  in  their  veins,  while  in  the  Episcopal 
churches  the  purest  Knickerbockers  led  the  devotions  of  the  people.  The 
bishop  was  in  every  respect  a  most  estimable  and  agreeable  person  ;  and, 
in  addition  to  his  Hebrew,  classic,  and  ecclesiastical  lore,  he  is  said  to  have 
been  familiar  with  French,  German,  and  Italian. 
as  a  literary  recreation — and  the  cir- 
cumstance seems  more  significant  in 


It  is  even  affirmed  that 


view  alike  of  his  Episcopal  duties 
and  the  times — he  had  made  a  new 
poetical  translation  of  Tasso.  He 
was  in  a  position,  therefore,  to  flavor 
his  conversation  at  social  gatherings 
with  the  elegancies  of  modern  litera- 
ture, as  well  as  to  edify  men  with  "the 
weightier  matters  of  the  law."  He 
was  a  neighbor  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Rod- 
gers,  who  lived  at  7  Nassau  street, 
while  the  bishop  resided  at  No.  2.  In 
person  it  is  recorded  of  him  that  he 
had  a  round,  full  face,  was  rather 
above  the  medium  in  stature,  of 
portly  figure,  and  very  dignified  in 
demeanor.1  He  was  a  public-spirited 
man,  hospitable,  and  so  liberal  to  the  poor  as  to  infringe  rather  too  deeply 
upon  his  moderate  salary  of  seven  hundred  pounds  per  annum,  with  house 
rent-free  ;  the  pound  in  America  then  being  of  but  half  its  value. 

The  medical  profession  was  represented  at  that  day  by  Dr.  John  Charl- 
ton, Drs.  John  and  Samuel  Bard  (father  and  son,  who  operated  at  the 
lancing  of  a  carbuncle  from  which  Washington  suffered  during  his  resi- 
dence in  the  Franklin  house),  Dr.  Wright  Post,  Dr.  Richard  Bailey,  Dr. 
Benjamin  Kissam,  Dr.  Johnson,  Dr.  Jones,  Dr.  Nicholas  Romaine,  Dr. 
Charles  McKnight,  Dr.  James  Tillery,  and  several  others.  The  whole 
membership  of  the   Medical  Society  in    1789  amounted  to  twenty-eight. 

1  Wilson's   Centennial  History  of  the  Diocese  of  New  York,  p.  127. 


CL/&/7Z        Jnrv~uzrzrf£ 


96 


SOCIETY    IN   THE    EARLY    DAYS   OF   THE    REPUBLIC 


On  the  dinner-list  appear  only  the  names  of  Drs.  Charlton,  Kissam,  and 
Johnson.  Dr.  Charlton  lived  at  ioo  Broadway,  and  thus  within  easy  call 
oi  Jay's  house,  and  he  may  have  been  the  family  physician.1  Under  one 
date  on  the  list,  the  only  guests  for  dinner  are  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Charlton,  and 
this  little  repast,  almost  e?i  famille,  would  lend  support  to  the  theory.     But 

the  name  most  frequently 
occurring  is  that  of  Dr. 
Johnson.  Dr.  Benjamin 
Kissam  may  have  been  the 
father  of  the  more  cele- 
brated Dr.  Richard  Sharpe 
Kissam,  who  graduated  at 
Edinburgh  in  1789  and  be- 
gan practice  in  New  York 
in  1 791 .  The  former  resided 
at  156  Queen  (now  Pearl) 
street ;  to  judge  from  the 
number  —  counting  above 
Hanover  Square — the  doc- 
tor's house  must  have  been 
a  few  blocks  above  Frank- 
lin square.  It  is  surprising 
^-,  ,  s-,  that    some    of    the   greater 

^^5^-z^z^SL     ^a^^-        ^e-^g^Sz^  lights  of  the  profession  — so 

eminent  a  surgeon  as  Dr. 
Wright  Post,  for  one — were  not  found  more  frequently  at  the  social  gath- 
erings of  the  day.  It  would  be  singular  if  they  appeared  elsewhere,  and 
were  not  among  the  honored  guests  at  Secretary  Jay's. 

Prominent  upon  Mrs.  Jay's  list  are,  of  course,  the  names  of  the  old 
New  York  families — the  Bayards,  the  Beekmans,  the  Crugers,  the  De 
Peysters,  the  Livingstons,  the  Morrises,  the  Schuylers,  the  Van  Homes, 
the  Van  Cortlandts,  the  Van  Rensselaers,  the  Verplancks,  the  Wattses. 
While  some  of  these  furnished  men  for  high  positions  in  the  service  of  the 
nation,  the  state,  or  the  city,  their  position  in  society  was  assured,  inde- 
pendently of  that,  by  the  descent  from  those  who  bore  these  names  with 
honor  from  the  earliest  colonial  times,  as  well  as  by  the  possession  of 
ample  wealth  and  the  refinement  which  several  generations  of  affluence 
will  naturally  bestow.      Hence  the  majority  of  the  names  just  mentioned 

1  His  portrait  in  crayon,  of  life-size,  representing  a  handsome,  portly  gentleman,  hangs  in  the 
spacious  Jay  mansion  at  Bedford. 


SOCIETV    IN    THE    EARLY    DAYS   OF   THE    REPUBLIC 


97 


owed  their  prominence  solely  to  social  distinction.  But  now  that  New- 
York  was  the  capital  of  the  confederacy,  the  social  sphere  comprised 
names  of  honor  and  fame  from  other  parts  of  the  country.  By  the  pres- 
ence of  the  congress  in  the  city,  some  of  the  most  eminent  of  the  states- 
men and  generals  of  "  the  old  thirteen  "  who  had  helped  to  vindicate  the 
independence  and  lay  deep  the  foundation  of  the  republic,  mingled  with 
her  sons  and  daughters.  Among  the  names  of  Mrs.  Jay's  list,  therefore, 
may  be  found  those  of  John  Langdon  and  Paine  Wingate,  from  New 
Hampshire;  the  former  to  be  the  first  president  of  the  United  States  Sen- 
ate in  1789,  biding  the  arrival  of  John  Adams  ;  the  latter  destined  to  reach 
the  extraordinary  age  of  ninety-nine  years,  having  been  born  in  1739  and 
dying  in  1838;  Roger  Sherman  and 
Benjamin  Huntington  of  Connecticut; 
Elias  Boudinot  and  John  Cadwallader 
of  New  Jersey ;  Robert  Morris  and 
George  Read  of  Pennsylvania;  Charles 
Carroll  of  Maryland  ;  William  Gray- 
son, Theodoric  Bland,  and  James  Mad- 
ison of  Virginia  ;  Pierce  Butler,  Ralph 
Izard,  Daniel  Huger,  and  Thomas 
Tudor  Tucker  of  South  Carolina;  and 
William  Few  of  Georgia.  Truly  a 
brilliant  galaxy  of  names,  well  known, 
just  fresh  from  the  political  and  mili- 
tary fields  of  contest,  and  adding  now, 
or  soon  to  add,  new  laurels  to  their 
fame  in  the  more  subtle  conflicts 
which  were  to  construct  and  perpet- 
uate a  strong  federal  republic  out  of 
the  feeble  and  incoherent  materials  of 
the  confederation  of  thirteen  states.1 

These    gentlemen    were,    in    many 
cases,  accompanied  by  their  families, 

representing  in  part  the  higher  circles  of  New  England,  Philadelphia,  Bal- 
timore, and  the  South.     The  letters  of  the  day  which  have  been  preserved, 

1  Among  the  prominent  members  of  the  Continental  Congress  of  this  period  who  were  well 
known  in  New  York  society  were  John  Hancock,  Theodore  Sedgwick,  and  Rufus  King,  of  Massa- 
chusetts ;  John  L.  Lawrence,  Melancthon  Smith,  and  Peter  W.  Yates,  of  New  York  ;  Lambert 
Cadwallader,  John  Cleve  Symmes,  and  Josiah  Hornblower,  of  New  Jersey  ;  Colonel  John  Bayard, 
William  Henry,  General  Arthur  St.  Clair,  and  James  Wilson,  of  Pennsylvania  ;  James  Monroe  and 
Richard  Henry  Lee,  of  Virginia  ;  and  Charles  Pinckney,  of  South  Carolina. 
Vol.  XXIX.-No.  2.-7 


^/ucf-^Jf 


SOCIETY    IN    THE    EARLY   DAYS   OF   THE    REPUBLIC 


both  of  Americans  and  Frenchmen,  allude  frequently  to  the  grace,  beauty, 
and  attractiveness  of  many  women  then  in  society.  Among  them  were 
Lady  Mary  Watts  and  Lady  Kitty  Duer — in  reality,  and  according  to  a 
more  republican  nomenclature,  Mrs.  John  Watts  and  Mrs.  William  Duer. 
They  were  the  daughters  of  William  Alexander,  real,  or  at  least  titular, 

Earl  of  Stirling ;  and  there  was 
enough  of  old-time  courtliness  left 
in  the  States  to  defer  to  English 
usage  and  apply  to  them  the  title  of 
"  lady,"  as  above.  So  there  was  also 
Lady  Christiana  Griffin,  the  wife  of 
Cyrus  Griffin  of  Virginia,  the  presi- 
dent of  the  Continental  Congress ; 
she  belonged  to  a  noble  Scottish 
family.  Mrs.  Ralph  Izard,  though 
from  South  Carolina,  was  at  home 
in  New  York  society,  where  she  had 
many  relatives,  for  her  maiden  name 
was  Alice  De  Lancey,  and  she  was 
the  niece  of  the  whilom  chief-justice 
and  lieutenant-governor.  Soon  after 
her  marriage  her  husband  took  her 
to  Europe,  where  he  was  engaged 
to  some  extent  in  the  diplomatic 
service  of  the  confederation.  Mrs. 
Alexander  Hamilton  has  already 
been  referred  to.  We  may  mention  briefly  Mrs.  James  Beekman,  who 
was  Miss  Janet  Keteltas;  Mrs.  Theodore  Sedgwick,  formerly  Miss  Pamela 
Dwight ;  and  Miss  Wolcott  of  Connecticut,  who  afterward  became  Mrs. 
Chauncey  Goodrich. 

To  the  groups  already  presented  there  must  be  added  one  that  formed 
a  very  essential  element  of  social  life  in  that  day,  namely,  the  small  circle 
of  diplomats  accredited  to  the  United  States,  among  whom  may  be  logi- 
cally counted  also  the  occasional  European  travelers  who  were  attracted 
by  the  rising  greatness  of  the  young  republic,  and  from  whose  memoirs 
may  be  gathered  so  vivid  a  picture  of  the  social  events  at  which  they 
assisted  and  the  "  society  people  "  whom   they  met.     We   are   enabled  to 

1  Colonel  John  Bayard  was  born  in  1738,  and  died  in  1807.  He  distinguished  himself  during 
the  Revolution,  and  in  1785  was  elected  a  member  of  the  Continental  Congress.  He  was  descended 
from  Stuyvesant's  sister,  and  was  the  representative  of  the  oldest  branch  of  the  Bayard  family. 


SOCIETY    IN    THE    EARLY    DAYS   OF   THE    REPUI5LIC 


99 


look  in  upon  one  of  these  events  by  means  of  the  dinner-list  and  of  a  let- 
ter written  by  a  lady  who  was  a  participant.  Mrs.  William  S.  Smith,  the 
daughter  of  John  Adams,  writes  to  her  mother  and  tells  her  that  Mrs.  Jay 
gives  a  dinner  to  the  diplomatic  corps  on  Tuesday  evening  of  every  week. 
On  May  20,  1788,  this  lady  attended  one  of  these  dinners,  and  on  the  next 
day  discourses  of  it  in  the  following  style  :  "  Yesterday  we  dined  at  Mrs. 
Jay's  in  company  with  the  whole  corps  diplomatique.  Mr.  Jay  is  a  most 
pleasing  man,  plain  in  his  manners,  but  kind,  affectionate,  and  attentive  ; 
benevolence  is  stamped  in  every  feature.  Mrs.  Jay  dresses  showily,  but  is 
very  pleasing  on  a  first  acquaintance. 
The  dinner  was  a  la  Francaise,  and  ex- 
hibited more  of  European  taste  than  I 
expected  to  find." 

Now  let  us  observe  who  were  actually 
present  at  this  dinner.  Attention  is  due 
first  of  all  to  the  president  of  congress, 
Cyrus  Griffin.  On  the  list  he  is  often 
merely  referred  to  as  president,  or  Mr. 
President,  so  that,  if  dates  are  not  watched 
closely,  we  are  apt  to  think  of  the  great 
Washington.  Griffin's  position  in  the 
country  and  in  society  deserves  a  mo- 
ment's consideration.  He  was  undoubt- 
edly the  first  citizen.  Brissot  de  Warville, 
the  stanch  French  republican,  happy  to 
be  in  a  country  where  his  fond  ideals 
were  in  actual  operation,  says  of  the  office : 
"A  president  of  congress  is  far  from 
being   surrounded   with    the    splendor    of  MRS>  JAMES  BEEKMAN 

European  monarchs  ;  and  so  much  the  better.  He  is  not  durable  in  his 
station  ;  and  so  much  the  better.  He  never  forgets  that  he  is  a  simple 
citizen,  and  will  soon  return  to  the  station  of  one.  He  does  not  give 
pompous  dinners  ;  and  so  much  the  better.  He  has  fewer  parasites,  and 
less  means  of  corruption."  The  vivacious  Frenchman  might  have  added 
another  tant  mieux  to  the  last  item.  But  although  one  of  these  character- 
istic comments  was  attached  to  the  lack  of  pompous  dinners,  still  Mr. 
Griffin  felt  called  upon  to  give  dinners  of  some  kind.  At  one  of  these 
Brissot  was  present,  and  he  has  recorded  that  fact  with  some  circumstanti- 
ality. "  I  should  still  be  wanting  in  gratitude,"  he  says,  "  should  I  neglect 
to  mention  the  politeness  and   attention   showed   me  by  the   president   of 


100  SOCIETY    IX    THE    EARLY    DAYS    OF   THE    REPUBLIC 

congress,  Mr.  Griffin.  He  is  a  Virginian,  of  very  good  abilities,  of  an 
agreeable  figure,  affable,  and  polite.  ...  I  remarked  that  his  table  was 
freed  from  main-  usages  observed  elsewhere  ;  no  fatiguing  presentations, 
no  toasts,  so  despairing  in  a  numerous  society.  Little  wine  was  drank 
after  the  women  had  retired.  These  traits  will  give  you  an  idea  of  the 
temperance  of  this  country:  temperance,  the  leading  virtue  of  republicans." 

The  president  was,  of  course,  accompanied  by  his  lady,  sometimes 
playfully  called  the  "  presidentess  "  in  the  correspondence  of  those  days. 
Passing  now  to  the  American  guests  before  we  single  out  the  diplomats, 
we  notice  that,  besides  Mrs.  William  S.  Smith  and  her  husband,  there  are 
General  James  Armstrong,  the  defender  of  Germantown  in  1777;  Mr. 
Arthur  Lee,  active  in  diplomatic  work  abroad  during  the  Revolution  ;  Mr. 
and  Lady  Mary  Watts  ;  their  son  and  daughter-in-law  ;  Mr.  William  Bing- 
ham, of  Philadelphia,  reputed  the  richest  man  in  Pennsylvania,  and  cele- 
brated for  the  magnificent  hospitality  dispensed  by  him  and  his  beautiful 
wife  at  their  own  home;  Mr.  Daniel  McCormick,  and  Mr.  John  Kean, 
delegate  to  the  Continental  Congress  since  1785  from  South  Carolina,  yet 
voting  against  the  extension  of  slavery  to  the  northwestern  territory. 

First  among  the  diplomats  on  the  list,  and  presumably  at  the  dinner 
on  this  20th  of  May,  appears  the  minister  of  France,  the  Marquis  de 
Moustier.  Eleonore  Francois  Elie,  Marquis  de  Moustier,  was  sent  to 
America  in  1787.  Throughout  his  career  he  was  a  devoted  and  self-sacri- 
ficing adherent  of  the  Bourbons,  and  suffered  greatly  on  that  account.  But 
it  led  him  into  the  mistake  of  making  himself  disagreeable  in  his  official 
capacity  here,  inasmuch  as  he  gave  too  much  evidence  of  despising  the 
republic  which  his  own  master  had  helped  to  establish.  Yet,  whether  a 
welcome  guest  or  not,  as  a  member  of  the  diplomatic  corps  he  could  not 
well  be  left  out  of  the  invitations.  Quite  different  was  the  case  with  Don 
Diego  de  Gardoqui.  "  In  the  summer  of  1785  the  Court  of  Spain  appointed 
practically  a  resident  minister  to  the  United  States,  though  under  the 
modest  title  of  encargado  de  negocios,  with  a  view  to  settle  the  controversy 
about  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  which  had  been  guaranteed  to  the 
United  States  by  the  treaty  of  peace;  also  to  arrange  a  commercial 
treaty."1  Though  representing  a  more  intense  despotism,  and  a  govern- 
ment which  had  diligently  shunned  all  intercourse  with  our  country  during 
the  war,  De  Gardoqui  became  exceedingly  popular  in  New  York,  and  his 
departure  in  1789  was  greatly  regretted.  He  resided  at  No.  1  Broadway, 
and  De  Moustier  was  a  neighbor,  his  house  also  facing  the  Bowling  Green. 
The   Spanish    diplomat    seems  to  have  been    unaccompanied   by  a  lady, 

1  George  Pellew's  John  Jay,  p.  232. 


SOCIETY    IN    THE    EARLY    DAYS   OF    THE    REPUBLIC 


01 


but  with  the  French  minister  came  his  sister,  the  Marquise  dc  Brchan  ;  a 
near  relative  of  hers  must  have  been  the  Comte  dc  Brehan,  who  also  ap- 
pears on  the  list  for  this  date,  unless  it  is  in  error  about  the  title  ;  perhaps 
the  "comte"  was  really  the  Marquis  de  Brehan  and  the  brother-in-law  of 
De  Mousticr  ;  or  the  marquise  was  only  a  comtesse.  Besides  the  minister, 
France  had -a  chargd  d'affaires  to  represent  her,  M.  Louis  G.  Otto.  He 
had  come  to  America  in  1779,  and  evidently  liked  republican  ways  and 
people,  for  he  married  Miss  Livingston,  a  relative  of  Mrs.  Jay's.  He 
afterward  became  Count  de  Mosloy.  A  sister  republic  was  among  the  first 
to  recognize  the  American  commonwealth,  and  the  ink  was  hardly  dry 
upon  the  treaty  of  1783  when  Francis  P.  Van  Berckel  presented  his  creden- 
tials as  minister  plenipotentiary  from  the  ^^0^^^ 
United  Netherlands  to  the  United  States. 
He  was  a  widower,  but  the  honors  of  his 
domestic  establishment  were  borne  by 
his  daughter,  Miss  Van  Berckel.  There 
was  as  yet  no  minister  from  England, 
but  the  nearest  in  rank  and  functions 
to  that  position  was  that  of  consul-gen- 
eral, and  Sir  John  Temple  held  that 
office  at  this  time.  He  had  been  lieu- 
tenant-governor of  New  Hampshire  from 
1 761  to  1774,  and,  strangely  enough,  in 
view  of  his  present  post,  was  removed 
for  too  great  an  "  inclination  toward  the 
American  cause."  He  was  a  native  of  this 
country,  and  had  married  a  daughter  of 
Governor  James  Bowdoin  of  Massachu- 
setts.   They  were  at  the  dinner  of  May  20. 

Among  the  distinguished  foreigners  on  Mrs.  Jay's  list  is  found  the 
name  of  M.  Brissot  de  Warville,  from  whose  well-known  work  on  America 
we  have  already  quoted  more  than  once.  It  was  written  on  his  return  to 
Europe  ;  and  while  the  first  volume  (in  the  English  translation)  is  devoted 
to  an  interesting  account  of  his  voyage  to  and  experiences  in  this  country, 
the  second  treats  almost  exclusively  of  commercial  matters.      He  had  come 

1  The  portrait  of  Sir  John  has  been  copied  from  a  photograph,  made  in  1890,  of  the  original 
painting  in  the  possession  of  his  grandson,  the  Hon.  Robert  C.  Winthrop,  of  Boston,  Mass. 
That  of  Lady  Temple  was  made  in  like  manner  from  a  photograph  of  the  original  in  the  posses- 
sion of  her  grandson,  the  late  Grenville  Temple  Winthrop,  now  in  the  keeping  of  Hon.  Robert  C. 
Winthrop.  These  paintings  are  from  the  hand  of  the  celebrated  portrait-painter,  Gilbert  Stuart. 
The  death  of  Sir  John  occurred  in  1798.      Lady  Temple  died  in  1809. 


U*  y^fy<^i//iL- . 


io: 


SOCIETY    IN    THE    EARLY    DAYS    OF   THE    REPUBLIC 


over  especially  to  make  a  study  of  these,  in  order  to  establish,  if  possible, 
improved  mercantile  relations  between  France  and  America.  Brissot  had 
been  bred  to  the  profession  of  the  law,  but  in  the  stirring  times  preceding 
the  revolution  had  drifted  into  journalism.  When  the  outbreak  finally 
occurred  he  was  on  the  side  of  conservative  patriotism,  and  of  the  party 
of  the  Girondists.  He  opposed  the  execution  of  the  king,  and  in  conse- 
quence he,  together  with  several  other  Girondists,  was  arrested  on  October 
-  -;,  and  guillotined  on  the  31st.  Brissot  had  brought  to  Mr.  Jay  from 
La  Fayette  a  letter  commending  him  as  a  writer  on  the  side  of  liberty, 

and  as  one  of  the  founders  of  the  society 
in  behalf  of  the  blacks;  for  Jay  was  well 
known  to  be  an  anti-slavery  man.  On 
September  2,  1788,  he  dined  at  the  sec- 
retary's table. 

A  marked  influence  was  wrought  upon 
the  social  world  in  New  York  by  the  in- 
auguration of  the  federal  government, 
and  the  residence  here  of  the  President 
of  the  United  States.  With  the  latter's 
advent,  the  prominence  of  Jay,  especially 
as  regards  diplomatic  connections,  gave 
way  to  the  distinctive,  as  well  as  distin- 
guished, head  of  the  republic.  And  from 
the  social  standpoint  it  is  interesting  to 
consider,  first  of  all,  the  discussion  which 
took  place  about  the  title,  or  mode  of 
address,  proper  to  the  President.  Some 
suggested  "  Most  Serene  Highness,"  or 
"  Serene  Highness,"  thinking  it  a  safe  ap- 
pellation, inasmuch  as  none  of  the  rulers 
in  Europe  bore  it.  Madison  gave  it  as  his  opinion  that  the  chief  magistrate 
should  be  spoken  of  simply  as  the  President.  General  Muhlenberg,  with  an 
eye  to  the  high-sounding  title  assumed  by  the  States  General  of  the  Dutch 
republic,  suggested  "  High  Mightiness  "  ;  but  Washington  was  never  quite 
certain  whether  Muhlenberg  was  in  jest  or  in  earnest.  Speaking  on  the 
subject  at  the  President's  table,  Muhlenberg  remarked,  aptly :  "  If  the 
office  could  always  be  held  by  men  as  large  as  yourself,  it  would  be  appro- 
priate ;  but  if  by  chance  a  president  as  small  as  my  opposite  neighbor 
were  elected  [he  might  have  referred  to  Hamilton]  it  would  be  ridiculous." 
Bancroft   informs  us  that  when   the  style,  "The   President  of  the   United 


fc^/b  t?L . 


SOCIETY    IN   THE   EARLY    DAYS   OF   THE    REPUBLIC  103 

States  of  America,"  was  determined  on,  "  the  clause  that  his  title  should 
be  'His  Excellency'  was  still  suffered  to  linger  in  the  draft."1  This 
unwritten  and  therefore  extra-constitutional  title,  however,  was  the  one 
finally  determined  upon.  In  the  furor  of  French  sympathy  excited  by 
the  first  outburst  of  the  revolution,  the  adherents  of  the  democratic  clubs 
inveighed  against  this  title. 

Their  republican  wrath  rose  also  to  a  high  pitch  of  fervor  against  the 
President's  receptions,  which  society,  at  its  own  instance,  called  "  levees," 
smacking  thus  most  unsavorily  of  monarchical  institutions  in  Europe.  The 
stately  and  majestic  President  loved  these  courtly  manners.  When  he 
had  a  message  to  deliver  to  congress,  he  did  not  intrust  it  to  a  page  or  a 
messenger,  but  rode  to  Federal  Hall  in  a  coach  and  six,  with  outriders 
besides.  Yet  he  could  be  plain  in  his  own  house,  as  befitting  the  Ameri- 
can Cincinnatus.  Mr.  Paine  Wingate  tells  of  a  dinner  the  day  after  Mrs. 
Washington  had  arrived  in  New  York:  "  The  chief  said  grace,  and  dined 
on  boiled  leg  of  mutton.  After  dessert,  one  glass  of  wine  was  offered  to 
each  guest,  and  when  it  had  been  drunk,  the  President  rose  and  led  the 
way  to  the  drawing-room."  The  President's  "  levees  "  were  held  on  Tues- 
day afternoon  ;  Mrs.  Washington  received  on  Friday  evening,  from  eight 
to  ten  o'clock.  At  the  levees,  we  are  told,  "  there  were  no  places  for  the 
intrusion  of  the  rabble  in  crowds,  or  for  the  mere  coarse  and  boisterous 
partisan,  the  vulgar  electioneerer,  or  the  impudent  place-hunter,  with 
boots,  frock-coats,  or  roundabouts,  or  with  patched  knees  and  holes  at 
both  elbows.  On  the  contrary,  they  were  select  and  more  courtly  than 
have  been  given  by  any  of  the  President's  successors.  None  were  admitted 
to  the  levees  but  those  who  had  either  a  right  by  official  station,  or  by 
established  merit  and  character  ;  and  full  dress  was  required  of  all." 

It  need  not  be  said  here  that  President  Washington  resided  at  first  in 
the  Franklin  house,  on  the  present  Franklin  square,  corner  of  Cherry 
street.  The  huge  bridge  now  has  one  of  its  piers  standing  on  or  near  the 
spot,  and  the  house  has  disappeared.  Later,  he  occupied  the  Macomb 
house,  at  39  Broadway,  because  the  other  was  inconveniently  "  far  out 
of  town."  And  we  are  fortunate  in  having  a  minute  account  of  the 
house  of  one  of  the  cabinet  officers,  the  secretary  of  war,  Major-General 
Henry  Knox,  situated  at  No.  4  Broadway.  It  was  advertised  for  sale  in 
1789,  "  a  four-story  brick  house  on  the  west  side  of  Broadway  [No.  4 
at  present  is  on  the  east  side],  31^  feet  wide  by  60  feet  deep,  con- 
taining two  rooms  of  thirty  feet  in  length,  one  of  twenty-six,  three 
of  twenty-three   feet."     Ample   opportunity,   therefore,   in   this  generous 

1  History  of  the  United  States,  6  :  342  (ed.  1883). 


104 


SOCIETY    IX    THE    EARLY    DAYS    OF   THE    REPUBLIC 


mansion  for  the  gatherings  of  the  society  of  a  capital ;  for  there  was  a 
limit  to  the  number  that  could  claim  to  form  a  part  of  it  then  as  now. 
To-day  there  are  the  "  four  hundred  "  ;  in  Washington's  day  it  was  not  far 
below  that  figure.  44  Fashionable  society  in  New  York  in  1789,"  says 
Thomas  E.  V.  Smith,  "  seems  to  have  consisted  of  about  three  hundred 
persons,  as  that  number  attended  a  ball  on  the  7th  of  May,  at  which 
Washington  was  present."  But  the  "  three  hundred  "  out  of  a  population 
of  not  quite  sixty  thousand  was  a  considerably  larger  proportion  than  that 
of  the  "  four  hundred  "  to  nearly  two  millions. 

At  these  gay  assemblies  the  dress  worn  by  ladies  and  gentlemen  was 
modeled  then,  as  now,  after  the  fashions  prevailing  in  London  and   Paris. 

Brissot  de  Warville  observes:  "  If  there 
is  a  town  on  the  American  continent 
where  the  English  luxury  displays  its 
follies,  it  is  New  York.  You  will  find 
here  the  English  fashions.  In  the  dress 
of  the  women  you  will  see  the  most 
brilliant  silks,  gauzes,  hats,  and  bor- 
rowed hair.  The  men  have  more  sim- 
plicity in  their  dress."  But  that  France 
also  contributed  to  set  the  fashion  of 
that  day  in  New  York  we  may  gather 
from  the  New  York  Gazette  of  May  15, 
1789,  describing  several  costumes  im- 
ported from  Paris.  "  One  was  a  plain 
celestial  blue  satin  gown  with  a  white 
satin  petticoat.  There  was  worn  with 
it,  on  the  neck,  a  very  large  Italian 
gauze  handkerchief  with  satin  border 
stripes.  The  head-dress  with  this  cos- 
tume was  a  pouf  of  gauze  in  the  form  of  a  globe,  the  creneaux,  or 
head-piece,  of  which  was  made  of  white  satin  having  a  double  wing,  in 
large  plaits,  and  trimmed  with  a  large  wreath  of  artificial  roses  which  fell 
from  the  left  at  the  top  to  the  right  at  the  bottom  in  front,  and  the 
reverse  behind.      The  hair  was  dressed  all  over  in  detached  curls,  four  of 


PHILIP    LIVINGSTON.1 


1  Philip  Livingston,  the  second  Lord  of  the  Manor,  was  born  at  Albany,  July  9,  1686.  Was 
deputy  secretary  of  Indian  affairs,  and  afterward  (in  1722)  secretary.  Was  a  member  of  the  pro- 
vincial  assembly  from  Albany  in  1709,  and  county  clerk  in  1721-49  He  married  Catharine  Van 
Lrugh  of  Albany,  and  during  the  later  years  of  his  life  entertained  with  great  magnificence.  He 
died  in  New  York  city,  February  4,  1749. 


SOCIETY    IN   THE    EARLY    DAYS   OE    THE    REPUBLIC 


I05 


which  fell  on  each  side  of  the  neck  and  were  relieved  behind  by  a  Moating 
chignon.  .  .  .  The  newest  costume  consisted  of  a  perriot  and  petti- 
coat of  gray  striped  silk  trimmed  with  gauze  cut  in  points.  A  large  gauze 
handkerchief  bordered  with  four  satin  stripes  was  worn  with  it  on  the 
neck,  and  the  head-dress  was  a  plain  gauze  cap  such  as  was  worn  by  nuns. 
Shoes  were*  made  of  celestial  blue  satin  with  rose-colored  rosettes."  * 

As  for  the  gentlemen,  they  wore  very  long  blue  riding-coats,  the 
buttons  of  which  were  of  steel,  the  vest,  or  waistcoat,  being  at  the  same 
time  of  scarlet  color,  and  the  knee-breeches  yellow.  The  shoes  were  tied 
with  strings,  and  low  ;  but  gaiters  were  fastened  above  them,  running  up 
nearly  to  the  knee,  and  made  of  polished  leather.  But  for  evening  dress 
the  gaiters  were  omitted,  and  the  legs  (more  or  less  genuine  as  to  shape) 
were  incased  in  silk  stockings.  It  was  not  until  toward  the  end  of  the 
century  that  material  modifications  in  the  dress  of  gentlemen  occurred. 
The  hair  was  no  longer  powdered,  nor  worn  long  and  tied  in  a  queue  at 
the  back.  The  locks  were  worn  short,  or  at  a  length  considered  proper 
to-day.  For  the  close-fitting  knee-breeches  and  stockings  or  gaiters  upon 
the  legs,  loose  pantaloons  reaching  to  the  shoe  were  sub- 
stituted. "  The  women  in  1800  wore  hoops,  high-heeled 
shoes  of  black  stuffs,  with  silk  or  thread  stockings,  and 
had  their  hair  tortured  for  hours  at  a  sitting  to  get  the  \-r 
curls  properly  crisped.  The  hoops  were  succeeded  by 
'bishops'  stuffed  with  horse-hair.  In  the  early  days 
ladies  who  kept  their  coaches  often  went  to  church  in 
check  aprons  ;  and  Watson  mentions  a  lady  in  Phila- 
delphia who  went  to  a  ball,  in  full  dress,  on  horseback."  2 
About  the  same  time,  dark  or  black  cloth  took  the  place 
of  colored  stuffs  for  the  dress  of  gentlemen. 

Perhaps  it  will  be  of  interest  to  conclude  this  review  of  New  York 
society  with  two  brief  glimpses  into  the  actual  doings  of  people  in  high 
life,  one  of  a  private  and  familiar  nature,  the  other  a  celebrated  public 
occasion.  While  Mr.  Jay  was  absent  in  England  on  the  special  mission, 
Mrs.  Jay  wrote  to  him  as  follows  :  "  Last  Monday  the  President  went  to 
Long  Island  to  pass  a  week  there.  On  Wednesday,  Mrs.  Washington 
called  upon  me  to  go  with  her  to  wait  upon  Miss  Van  Berckel,  and  on 
Thursday  morning,  agreeable  to  invitation,  myself  and  the  little  girls  took 
an  early  breakfast  with  her,  and  then  went  with  her  and  her  little  grand- 
children to  breakfast  at  General  Morris's,  Morrisania.  We  passed  together 
a  very  agreeable  day,  and  on  our  return  dined  with  her,  as  she  would  not 

1  Smith's  New  York  in  1789,  p.  95.  2  Mrs.  Ellet,  Queens  of  American  Society,  p.  149. 


THE   TEMPLE    ARMS. 


:o6 


SOCIETY    IN    THE    EARLY    DAYS    OF   THE    REPUBLIC 


take  a  refusal.  After  which  I  came  home  to  dress,  and  she  was  so  polite 
as  to  take  coffee  with  me  in  the  evening."  The  other  picture  presents  a 
fashionable  ball  given  by  the  French  ambassador,  the  Marquis  de  Mous- 
tier,  at  his  residence  opposite  the  Bowling  Green,  on  May  14,  1789. 
Although  a  despiser  of  republics  in  theory,  he  could  not  very  well  avoid 
doing  the  honors  of  his  nation  to  the  great  chief  of  the  American  com- 
monwealth, who  had  been  inaugurated  two  weeks  before,  and  his  manner 
of  doing  it  was  altogether  worthy  of  France.  Elias  Boudinot  of  New 
Jersey,  writing  of  it  to  a  friend,  spoke  enthusiastically  of  his  experiences 
there  ;  and  as  his  description  has  all  the  flavor  of  a  contemporary  and  an 
eye-witness,  we  give  it  as  it  appeared  in  Griswold's  Republican  Court: 

"  After  the  President 
came,  a  company  of  eight 
couple  formed  in  the  other 
room  and  entered,  two  by 
two,  and  began  a  most 
curious  dance  called  En 
Ballet.  Four  of  the  gen- 
tlemen were  dressed  in 
French  regimentals  and 
four  in  American  uni- 
forms ;  four  of  the  ladies 
with  blue  ribbons  round 
their  heads  and  American 
flowers,  and  four  with 
red  roses  and  flowers  of 
France.  These  danced  in 
a  very  curious  manner, 
sometimes  two  and  two, 
sometimes  four  couple 
and  four  couple,  and  then  in  a  moment  altogether,  which  formed  great 
entertainment  for  the  spectators,  to  show  the  happy  union  between  the 
two  nations.  Three  rooms  were  filled,  and  the  fourth  was  most  elegantly 
set  off  as  a  place  for  refreshment.  A  long  table  crossed  this  room  from 
wall  to  wall.  The  whole  wall  inside  was  covered  with  shelves  filled  with 
cakes,  oranges,  apples,  wines  of  all  sorts,  ice-creams,  etc.,  and  highly  lighted 
up.  A  number  of  servants  from  behind  the  table  supplied  the  guests  with 
everything  they  wanted,  from  time  to  time,  as  they  came  in  to  refresh  them- 
selves, which  they  did  as  often  as  a  party  had  done  dancing,  and  made  way 
for  another.     We  retired  about  ten  o'clock,  in  the  height  of  the  jollity." 


RESIDENCE    OF    LORD    STIKI.IM, 


SOCIETY    IN   THE    EARLY    DAYS    OF   THE    REPUBLIC 


I07 


We  may  properly  take  leave  of  New  York  society  at  a  reception,  or 
levee,  at  the  President's  house  in  Broadway.  He  stands  in  the  midst  of  a 
brilliant  circle  of  ladies  and  gentlemen.  As  guests  are  presented,  he  does 
not  shake  hands,  but  receives  them  with  a  dignified  bow.  He  is  attired 
in  black  velvet  coat  and  knee  breeches,  a  white  or  pearl-colored  waistcoat 
showing  finely  underneath  the  dark  and  flowing  outer  garment.  Silver 
buckles  glitter  at  the  knees  and  upon  the  shoes.  A  long  sword  hangs  by 
his  side,  bright,  with  a  finely  wrought  steel  hilt.  It  is  the  mark  of  the 
gentleman  of  the  day,  and  need  not  recall  the  soldier  amid  these  peaceful 
surroundings.  Yellow  gloves  adorn  the  hands  that  struck  so  bravely  for 
liberty.  With  a  lingering  look  of  affection  and  admiration  upon  the 
noblest  American  that  ever  breathed,  we  pass  out  of  the  assembly-room, 
and  the  shadowy  forms  of  the  past  dissolve.  The  plain  present  is  upon 
us,  a  city  huge  and  magnificent,  a  society  possessing  a  wealth  then  never 
dreamed  of,  but  adorned  by  no  immortal  names.  Yet  these  are  not  "  the 
times  that  try  men's  souls  ;  "  and,  moving  under  brilliant  exteriors,  there 
may  be  hearts  as  noble  and  natures  as  brave,  to  be  called  forth  when  the 
needs  of  the  country  shall  demand  it. 


LA   TOUR   AND   ACADIA 

IN    THE    SUFFOLK   DEEDS 

By  A.  E.  Allaben 

In  the  Acadian  land,  on  the  shores  of  the  Basin  of  Midas, 
Distant,  secluded,  still,  the  little  village  of  Grand-Pre 
Lay  in  a  fruitful  valley. 

The  destruction  of  this  Acadian  village  and  the  unhappy  deportation 
of  its  inhabitants  are  pathetically  pictured  in  Longfellow's  Evangeline. 
The  incident  is  historical.  The  sufferers  were  simple  French  peasants 
and  fur-traders.  The  conquerors  who  dispossessed  and  scattered  the  vil- 
lagers, who  confiscated  their  lands  and  burned  their  cottages,  were  Eng- 
lish. In  the  poem  the  act  appears  barbarous  and  desperately  cruel,  and 
in  this  light  many  historians  present  it.  But  there  is  another  side  to  the 
story.  For  forty  years  these  unreconciled  Acadians  had  rejected  all 
kindly  overtures  of  the  English  government,  losing  no  opportunity  to  vent 
their  sleepless  hostility.  They  still  refused  the  oath  of  allegiance,  and 
their  removal  seemed  a  military  and  political  necessity. 

The  incident  is  remote;  it  occurred  in  1755,  yet  the  country,  always  in 
dispute  between  the  French  and  English,  had  already  been  occupied  by 
the  French  for  one  hundred  and  fifty  years. 

"  The  Basin  of  Midas,"  upon  whose  shores  lay  this  prosperous  hamlet,  is 
the  eastern  arm  or  inlet  of  the  bay  of  Fundy  (Le  Grande  Baie  Franchise, 
of  the  French),  whose  waters  had  already  been  the  scene  of  contentions, 
of  romantic  hopes,  brave  endeavors,  and  cruel  disappointments.  Next  in 
importance  to  Port  Royal  (on  the  present  bay  of  Annapolis),  and  a  key  to 
the  country,  is  the  St.  John  river  where  it  enters  the  sea,  a  spot  occupied 
by  Fort  La  Tour  as  early  as  1635.  Connected  with  this  point  is  a  remark- 
able history.  Of  especial  interest  is  the  fact  that  the  region  in  the  early 
day  stood  not  only  in  intimate  relation  to  the  New  England  colonies,  but 
also  that  this  strategic  point  of  Evangeline's  country,  with  a  goodly  por- 
tion of  adjacent  lands,  was  under  mortgage  in  due  form  to  a  citizen  of 
Boston.  The  quaint  and  curious  documents  relating  to  the  transaction 
are  still  preserved  in  the  Suffolk  Records.  Furthermore,  by  an  endorse- 
ment or  memorandum  upon  the  instrument  itself,  it  appears,  that,  by 
expiration    of  the  given  time  and  in  default  of  payment,  a  ceremony  of 


LA   TOUR   AND   ACADIA  IO9 

foreclosure  of  some  sort  occurred.  Whether  this  was,  as  the  bond  recites, 
a  "liuery  &  seizin  of  the  sajd  bargained  premisses  according  to  the  Cere- 
mony vsed  in  England  in  Cases  of  the  like  nature,"  putting  the  mortgagee 
into  "  full  and  peaceable  possession,"  we  cannot  be  entirely  assured,  yet 
so  the  memorandum  declares  in  the  following  words : 

"  Memorand  that  vppon  the  day  of  sale  seizin  &  peaceable  possession  of  ye  fort  &  lands 
wthin  specified  was  had  taken  &  deliuered  according  to  the  tennor  purport  and  effect  of 
the  deed  wthin  specified  in  the  prsence  of  ys  on  ye  backsides." 

Unfortunately  the  names  of  those  witnesses  "  on  ye  backsides  "  have 
not  been  recorded,  and  under  the  circumstances  we  will  be  justified  in 
believing  that  the  procedure  was  as  regular,  u  according  to  the  Ceremony 
vsed  in  England,"  as  the  times,  place,  and  peculiar  state  of  the  case  would 
admit.  At  all  events  the  maker  of  the  instrument  had  clear  titles  to  what 
he  conveyed  under  patents  only  one  remove  from  the  kings  both  of 
France  and  England  ;  by  the  records  the  heirs  of  "  Serjeant  major  Edward 
Gibbons  of  Boston  in  New  England  Esqr "  have  a  fair  legal  showing 
should  they  lay  claim  to  the  mouth  of  the  river  St.  John  in  New  Bruns- 
wick, a  tract  containing  four  hundred  and  fifty  square  miles  ;  or  twice  as 
much,  if  both  sides  of  the  river  were  intended.  The  grant  was  made  to 
Charles  Stephen  de  St.  Estienne  Lord  de  La  Tour,  upon  January  15,  1635, 
together  with  a  commission  as  lieutenant-general  for  the  French  king  "  on 
the  coast  of  Acadia  in  New  France."  This  was  a  renewal  of  a  like  com- 
mission given  to  Lord  La  Tour,  February  11,  1631.  Still  earlier  he  had 
established  a  trading-post  and  built  Fort  St.  Louis  at  Port  La  Tour  near 
Cape  Sable,  where  by  his  fidelity  and  spirit  he  won  the  commendation  of 
the  French  government. 

The  mortgage-deed,  already  alluded  to,  by  no  means  covers  the  only 
transaction  made  with  New  Englanders  by  La  Tour  and  his  wife,  the 
brave,  enterprising  Lady  La  Tour.  No  less  than  ten  instruments  of  differ- 
ent date,  under  the  hand  of  one  or  both,  are  preserved  in  the  Suffolk  Rec- 
ords. They  are  inserted  with  little  regard  to  the  chronological  order  of 
the  transactions,  and  for  a  clear  understanding  of  these  curious  and  highly 
interesting  documents  they  must  be  rearranged  and  woven  into  the  life 
histories  of  the  La  Tours. 

Acadia,  as  the  French  understood  it,  included  the  present  Nova  Scotia, 
New  Brunswick,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  state  of  Maine,  reaching  west- 
ward to  the  Kennebec,  and  forming  a  very  considerable  portion  of  New 
France.  The  Barony  of  New  Scotland,  as  mapped  by  Sir  William  Alex- 
ander, under  the  charters  of  James  I.  and  Charles  I.,  covered  at  the  same 


1  l^  LA    TOUR   AND   ACADIA 

time  substantially  the  same  area.  New  England  also  claimed  the  country 
as  far  east  as  the  St.  Croix,  the  boundary  finally  secured  by  the  treaty  of 
Paris  in  1783.  Pemaquid  and  Penobscot  were  at  various  times  held  by 
the  French.  During  the  French  and  Indian  war  the  contest  of  the 
French  under  Frontenac  for  possession  of  Acadia  was  wholly  with  the 
"  Bostonians,"  or  people  of  New  England. 

There  were  two  La  Tours,  Claude  and  Charles,  father  and  son.  We  are 
chief!}' concerned  with  the  son,  yet  some  notice  of  Claude  seems  necessary. 
Claude  de  St.  Estienne  Sieur  de  La  Tour,  a  French  Huguenot  allied  to  the 
noble  house  of  Bouillon,  having  lost  the  greater  part  of  his  estates  in  the 
civil  war,  came  to  Acadia  about  the  year  1609  with  his  son  Charles,  then 
fourteen  years  of  age.  He  traded  at  Port  Royal  (now  Annapolis)  till  that 
settlement  was  wantonly  broken  up  by  Argal,  admiral  for  the  Virginia 
colony.  He  then  erected  a  fort  and  trading-house  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Penobscot,  where  he  remained  till  dispossessed  by  the  Plymouth  colony  in 
1626.  In  the  meantime  his  son  Charles  allied  himself  with  Biencourt,  the 
son  of  Poutrincourt,  who  had  founded  Port  Royal  in  1605.  Charles  St. 
Stephen  de  St.  Estienne,  Sieur  (or  Lord)  de  La  Tour,  whose  full  name  and 
title  is  here  given  once  for  all,  became  Biencourt's  lieutenant  and  insepa- 
rable friend.  After  the  outrageous  raid  of  Argal  they  lived  some  years 
together  among  the  Indians,  and  young  Biencourt  dying  in  1623  be- 
queathed to  Charles  La  Tour  his  rights  in  Port  Royal  derived  from  his 
father  Poutrincourt,  who  had  his  title  from  De  Monts,  a  grant  confirmed 
to  him  also  by  the  French  king  in  1607. 

About  1625  Charles  married  a  French  Huguenot  lady,  Frangoise  Marie 
Jacquelin,  who  became  the  real  heroine  of  Acadia,  the  first  and  greatest 
that  land  has  ever  known.  The  sober  truth  of  this  lady's  energy,  courage, 
constancy,  sufferings,  and  pathetic  end,  is  no  whit  inferior  to  the  poetic 
picture  of  the  mythical  Evangeline.  She  lived  a  full  century  before  the 
time  of  Longfellow's  story,  but  scarcely  a  hundred  miles  from  the  home  of 
his  heroine,  the  distance  across  the  bay  between  the  rivers  of  St.  John  and 
Gaspereaux. 

Soon  after  his  marriage  Charles  La  Tour  left  Port  Royal  and  built  Fort 
St.  Louis  at  Point  La  Tour,  only  a  few  miles  from  Cape  Sable.  Two  years 
later,  in  1627,  war  was  again  declared  between  France  and  England.  Of 
course,  the  quarrels  of  the  mother  countries  always  gave  rein  to  unfriendly 
schemes  of  their  weak,  scattered,  but  intensely  jealous  colonies.  Charles 
La  Tour,  realizing  the  feeble  hold  of  the  French  upon  Acadia,  and  the 
danger  of  assault,  sent  an  urgent  request  to  France  by  Claude,  his  father, 
for  a  commission  for  himself  and  reinforcements  for  his  fort.    The  request 


LA    TOUR    AND    ACADIA  I  I  I 

was  heeded  ;  but  the  entire  outfit  (eighteen  vessels,  one  hundred  and 
thirty-five  cannon,  with  a  large  supply  of  ammunition)  fell  into  the  hands 
of  Sir  David  Kirk,  who  sent  Claude  La  Tour  a  prisoner  to  England.  Kirk 
took  possession  of  Port  Royal,  and  in  1629  captured  Quebec.  Claude 
speedily  became  a  great  favorite  in  England.  He  married  one  of  the 
queen's  maids  of  honor;  and  Sir  William  Alexander,  who  established  a 
Scotch  colony  at  Port  Royal,  made  him  a  baron  of  New  Scotland,  con- 
ferring the  same  order  also  upon  his  son.  With  the  honor  came  a  great 
tract  of  land  from  Yarmouth  to  Lunenbury  along  the  eastern  coast  of 
Nova  Scotia,  about  four  thousand  five  hundred  square  miles.  This  was 
to  be  divided  between  father  and  son,  forming  the  two  baronies  of  St. 
Estienne  and  La  Tour.  In  consideration  of  such  favors  Claude  engaged 
to  plant  a  colony  and  to  secure  his  son's  fort,  St.  Louis,  for  Great  Britain. 
He  came  with  ships,  colonists,  soldiers,  and  supplies.  But  Charles  said  his 
allegiance  belonged  to  France,  and  not  even  for  the  entreaties  or  threats 
of  a  father  would  he  betray  his  country's  interest.  At  length  in  despera- 
tion the  elder  La  Tour  ordered  two  attacks,  which  were  both  gallantly 
repulsed.  The  commandant  of  the  ship  refused  to  make  a  third  attempt, 
and  sailed  away  to  Port  Royal.  This  was  in  1630.  Sir  William's  parch- 
ment baronetcy  had  been  conferred  upon  La  Tour  the  elder  in  the  Novem- 
ber previous  under  the  style  of  Claude  St.  Estienne,  Signeur  de  La  Tour, 
and  upon  the  younger  in  May  of  this  same  year,  as  Charles  St.  Estienne, 
Signeur  de  St.  Denis  Court.  At  this  time  England  had  possession  of  all 
Acadia  and  New  France,  save  two  small  posts.  But  the  following  year, 
in  concluding  peace,  under  pressure  from  his  royal  cousin  of  France,  who 
threatened  else  to  withhold  Queen  Henrietta  Maria's  portion  (four  hun- 
dred thousand  crowns),  Charles  I.  weakly  surrendered  the  whole.  He 
informed  Sir  William  Alexander,  then  Earl  of  Stirling,  to  whom  he  had  by 
charter  given  such  wide  territories  and  remarkable  powers,  that  Port 
Royal,  his  one  poor  colony,  must  be  surrendered  to  the  French,  and  the 
fort  demolished.  So  collapsed  that  nobleman's  enthusiastic  schemes  of 
colonization;  and  the  newly  created  barons  of  New  Scotland  were  left 
suspended  in  air,  without  country  or  estates.  The  formal  engagement, 
the  treaty  of  St.  Germain-en-Laye,  which  insured  this  miscarriage  of  large 
promises  and  high  hopes,  was  signed  in  March,  1632. 1 

1  This  was  a  comprehensive  scheme.  Sir  William  received  almost  regal  powers  over  "  the 
Lordship  and  Barony  of  New  Scotland  in  America  "  (Nova  Scotia,  New  Brunswick,  and  Cape 
Breton),  to  which  was  added  a  little  later  "the  County  and  Lordship  of  Canady  "  (the  present 
state  of  Maine,  east  of  the  Kennebec  and  north  to  the  St.  Lawrence,  then  called  the  great  River 
of  Canada).  "  Also  that  island  Matowack  or  Long  Island,"  described  as  reaching  from  the  Hud- 
son river  to  the  Connecticut,  and  thereafter  to  be  called  "  the  Isle  of  Starlinge."     Nor  yet  did  Sir 


112  LA   TOUR   AND    ACADIA 

Meantime  Charles  La  Tour,  after  his  gallant  defense  of  Fort  St.  Louis, 
and  the  striking  proof  of  fidelity  to  his  country's  cause,  was  encouraged 
by  the  arrival,  in  1630,  of  two  French  ships  with  reinforcements,  supplies, 
and  a  letter  of  hearty  commendation  and  confidence,  telling  him  to  build 
dwellings  and  forts  wherever  he  found  it  advantageous  or  convenient. 
Claude  La  Tour,  sorely  disappointed  and  distressed  by  his  own  failure  to 
bring  his  son  to  terms,  and  doubtless  ill  at  ease  in  the  Scotch  colony  under 
such  circumstances  of  failure  and  almost  disgrace,  gladly  accepted  an  invi- 
tation to  return  to  Fort  St.  Louis  and  his  French  allegiance.  Thence  he 
was  sent  with  a  force  to  establish  a  post  and  build  a  strong  fort  at  the 
mouth  of  the  St.  John.  February  11,  1631,  Charles  La  Tour's  courage  and 
patriotism  were  further  recognized  in  France  by  the  above-named  commis- 
sion making  him  the  king's  lieutenant-general  in  Acadia.  Four  years 
after,  this  commission  was  reaffirmed  in  connection  with  a  grant  of  the 
"  Fort  &  Habitation  of  La  Tour  on  the  River  St.  John  with  lands  adja- 
cent having  a  frontage  of  five  leagues  on  the  river  and  extending  ten 
leagues  back  into  the  country."  He  had  transferred  his  residence  to  this 
place  while  his  father  took  command  at  Fort  St.  Louis. 

Fort  La  Tour  on  the  St.  John  was  a  structure  one  hundred  and  eighty 
feet  square,  with  four  bastions  and  inclosed  with  palisades.  It  stood  on 
the  west  side  of  the  harbor,  which  it  commanded  toward  the  south,  as  also 
a  good  stretch  of  the  river  northward.  Here  this  chivalrous  pioneer  lord 
lived  with  his  devoted  wife,  like  a  feudal  baron,  surrounded  by  a  large  retinue 
of  soldiers  and  retainers.  The  peltries  taken  in  barter  from  the  savages, 
and   sold   in  France  at  a  large  profit,  secured  not  only  the  necessities  but 

William's  limitless  desire  and  King  Charles's  prodigal  generosity  stop  with  such  known  and  some- 
what definite  bounds.  The  grant  also  includes  fifty  leagues  on  both  sides  of  "  the  River  of  Can- 
ada "  (the  St.  Lawrence)  as  well  as  an  equal  breadth  on  all  its  tributaries,  even  to  the  discovery  of 
"  the  South  Sea,  from  which  the  head  or  source  of  that  great  River  or  Gulf  of  Canada,  or  some 
river  flowing  into  it,  is  deemed  to  be  not  far  distant"  .  .  .  "  up  to  the  head,  fountain  and 
source  thereof  wheresoever  it  be,  or  the  lake  whence  it  flows  (which  is  thought  to  be  toward  the 
Gulf  of  California,  called  by  some  the  Vermilion  Sea  "),  .  .  .  "  likewise  all  and  sundry  islands 
lying  within  the  said  Gulf  of  California  ;  as  also  all  and  whole  the  lands  and  bounds  adjacent  to  the 
said  Gulf  on  the  West  and  South  whether  they  be  found  a  part  of  the  continent  or  mainland  or  an 
island  (as  it  is  thought  they  are)  which  is  commonly  called  and  distinguished  by  the  name  of  Cali- 
fornia."— Novadamu's  Charter,  July  12,  1625. 

For  this  vast  domain,  real  and  imaginary,  Sir  William  Alexander  was  to  pay  a  quit-rent  of  one 
penny  Scots  on  the  soil  of  New  Scotland  on  the  festival  of  the  nativity  of  Christ  if  demanded.  To 
facilitate  the  settlement  he  was  empowered  to  create  the  order  of  "  Knights  Baronet  of  New  Scot- 
land." to  be  bestowed  upon  one  hundred  and  fifty  gentlemen,  together  with  a  tract  of  land  to  each 
containing  eighteen  square  miles.  Between  the  years  1625-1635  of  such  barons  thirty-four  were 
created  for  New  Brunswick,  fifteen  for  Nova  Scotia,  twenty-four  for  Cape  Breton,  and  thirty-four 
for  the  great  island  of  Anticosti. 


LA    TOUR   AND   ACADIA  113 

also  many  luxuries  not  produced  at  home,  while  the  forests  abounded  in 
game,  and  the  water  with  fowl  and  fish.  Explorations,  the  chase,  and 
occasional  warlike  expeditions  added  the  spice  of  adventure  to  this  life  of 
rude  splendor  and  plenty.  But  this  happy  picture  could  not  last.  Even 
the  vast  reaches  of  a  new  and  mainly  unappropriated  world  were  not 
ample  enough  to  meet  the  insatiable  greed  of  the  adventurers  who  resorted 
to  these  shores. 

The  very  year  of  the  beginning  of  the  war  of  1627  the  grand  "Com- 
pany of  New  France  "  was  organized,  including  in  its  directorship  Riche- 
lieu, De  Rizilly,  and  Champlain.  Upon  the  restoration  of  peace,  arrange- 
ments for  colonizing  Acadia  were  made  with  new  energy  and  zeal,  and  on 
a  scale  not  before  attempted.  Isaac  de  Rizilly  was  in  charge,  and  with 
him  came  Charles  de  Menou,  Seigneur  d'Aulnay  de  Charnisay,  destined  to 
become  the  rival  and  deadly  enemy  of  Charles  La  Tour.  In  1635  Char- 
nisay was  sent  to  Penobscot,  wmich  he  seized  and  fortified.  The  following 
year  De  Rizilly  died,  and  Charnisay  presently  succeeded  to  his  interests  in 
Acadia,  which  broad  and  diversified  country  soon  proved  quite  too  narrow 
for  this  intriguing  adventurer  and  his  enterprising  countryman  already 
established  at  St.  John.  The  two  men  were  totally  unlike  and  could  not 
fail  to  antagonize  each  other.  Charnisay 's  headquarters  at  Port  Royal 
were  within  the  especial  bounds  of  La  Tour's  command,  while  the  latter's 
seat  at  St.  John  lay  within  Charnisay 's  jurisdiction.  While  La  Tour 
quietly  attended  to  his  own  affairs,  Charnisay  began  his  intrigues  in  France 
with  the  purpose  of  supplanting  La  Tour  and  driving  him  from  the  country. 
Securing  the  favor  of  Richelieu,  in  1641  he  finally  obtained  an  order  com- 
manding La  Tour  to  embark  and  return  to  France  to  answer  charges.  A 
few  days  later  the  king  revoked  La  Tour's  commission  as  lieutenant-gen- 
eral, which  La  Tour  had  so  honorably  won  and  so  manfully  defended  for 
twelve  years.  Charnisay  was  empowered  to  execute  the  order,  seize  La 
Tour's  person,  and  inventory  his  effects  in  the  interest  of  the  government. 

This  was  a  terrible  stroke  to  La  Tour.  He  utterly  refused  to  embark 
in  the  vessel  sent  for  him,  and  Charnisay  did  not  venture  to  attack  the 
fort.  He  sent  back  a  report  of  La  Tour's  defiance  of  the  king's  order,  and 
presently  went  to  France  to  strengthen  himself  at  court,  and  get  assistance 
for  making  the  arrest. 

In  this  extremity  La  Tour  turned  to  the  people  of  New  England.  He 
sent  a  French  Huguenot  named  Rochette  as  his  agent.  The  citizens  of 
Boston  had  great  confidence  in  La  Tour,  and  were  quite  as  distrustful  of 
his  rival.  Still  they  would  promise  only  an  amicable  arrangement  for 
trade.     The  following  year  he  sent  his  lieutenant  to  Boston  with  a  second 

Vol.  XXIX.-No.  2.-8 


114  LA    TOUR   AND    ACADIA 

request  for  assistance.  The  Boston  authorities  and  citizens  entirely  sym- 
pathized with  him  against  his  adversary,  but  were  not  willing  to  be 
embroiled  in  the  affair  by  openly  and  officially  espousing  La  Tour's  cause. 
The  merchants  as  a  private  enterprise  sent  out  a  vessel  with  supplies  for 
Fort  La  Tour  and  to  trade  with  other  points.  On  the  return  this  ship 
stopped  at  Pemaquid,  where  Charnisay  showed  the  master  his  order  for 
La  Tour's  arrest,  which  had  been  renewed  in  February,  1642.  In  France 
he  had  not  been  idle.  He  had  perfected  his  title  to  Isaac  de  Rizilly's 
estate,  and  borrowing  upon  it  two  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  livres  fitted 
out  five  ships  with  five  hundred  men.  La  Tour  dispatched  Rochette  to 
the  city  of  Rochelle  in  France.  The  Rochelle  Huguenots  promptly  fitted 
out  a  large  vessel  called  the  Clement,  which,  manned  by  one  hundred  and 
forty  armed  men,  they  sent  to  his  assistance.  Meantime  Charnisay  with 
his  fleet  besieged  Fort  La  Tour.  The  Clement  could  not  enter  the  harbor 
to  relieve  the  fort,  since  the  entrance  was  guarded  by  two  ships  and  a  gal- 
liot; but  La  Tour,  escaping  the  vigilance  of  the  blockading  squadron,  stole 
out  in  his  shallop  by  night,  boarded  the  Clement,  and  set  sail  for  Boston. 
Upon  the  morning  of  June  12,  1643,  the  good  citizens  of  that  place  were 
astonished  to  see  a.  large  armed  vessel,  a  formidable  stranger,  letting  go 
her  anchors  in  their  harbor.1 

La  Tour  again  appealed  to  the  governor  and  council.  The  captain  of 
the  Clement  showed  papers,  dated  the  previous  April  under  the  hand  of 
the  vice-admiral  of  France,  authorizing  him  to  carry  supplies  to  La  Tour 
as  lieutenant-general  of  Acadia;  also  a  letter  from  the  agent  of  the  Com- 
pany of  New  France,  informing  him  of  Charnisay's  plot,  and  advising  him 
to  take  care  of  himself,  and  again  addressing  him  as  lieutenant-general  for 
the  king.  The  Massachusetts  authorities  were  convinced  of  La  Tour's 
standing,  and  gave   him    all    encouragement   short   of    an    actual    official 

1  This  sudden  entry  of  La  Tour's  battle-ship  caused  great  consternation.  The  place  was- 
utterly  defenseless — both  city  and  shipping  quite  at  the  mercy  of  the  stranger.  La  Tour  in  a  boat 
hailed  Mrs.  Gibbons,  who  with  a  few  attendants  was  just  returning  from  some  short  trip  by  water, 
and  sought  to  converse  with  her.  Her  party  in  a  fright  drew  up  to  the  Governor's  landing  and 
hastened  to  his  mansion,  where  La  Tour  and  his  men  appeared  almost  at  the  same  time.  There 
was  a  call  to  arms  in  the  city,  and  an  escort  or  guard  was  hastily  called  out  and  dispatched  to  the 
governor.  At  this  distance  the  alarm  seems  almost  ludicrous.  The  practical  Winthrop,  with  his 
usual  candor,  confessed  the  deplorable  condition  of  "  the  coast-defense." 

"  But  here,"  he  says,  "  the  Lord  gave  us  occasion  to  take  notice  of  our  weakness  &c,  for  if 
La  Tour  had  been  ill  minded  toward  us,  he  had  such  an  opportunity  as  we  hope  neither  he  nor  any 
other  shall  ever  have  the  like  again.  .  .  .  Then  having  the  Governor  and  his  family  and  Cap- 
tain Gibbon's  wife  etc.  in  his  power  he  might  have  gone  and  spoiled  Boston  ;  and  having  so  many 
men  ready  they  might  have  taken  two  ships  in  the  harbor  and  gone  away  without  danger  or  resist- 
ance.'"—  Winthrop" s  Journal. 


LA  TOUR   AND   ACADIA  115 

espousal  of  his  cause.  It  is  at  this  point  that  La  Tour  appears  in  the 
Suffolk  Records.  The  merchants  were  quite  at  liberty  to  assist  him,  and 
a  fleet  of  four  vessels  properly  fitted,  armed,  and  manned,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Thomas  Hawkins,  were  furnished  him  on  conditions  named  in  a 
long  and  explicit  contract,  from  which  portions  only  can  here  be  quoted. 
It  begins  as  follows:1 

"  Articles  of  Agreement  Indented  and  made  the  thirtieth  day  of  June  Anno  dom  1643 
betweene  mounseir  Latour  knight  of  the  orders  of  the  king  Leftennant  Gennerall  of 
new  france  of  the  one  party,  And  Captaine  Edward  Gibbons  and  Thomas  Hawkins  mer- 
chant and  parte  owners  of  the  good  shipp  called  the  seabridge  the  shipp  phillip  and  mary 
the  shipp  Increase  the  shipp  Greyhound  all  of  them  of  the  massachusetts  bay  in  New  Eng- 
land of  the  other  party  In  behalf  of  themselves  and  of  their  partners,  have  let  to  freight  to 
the  sd  mounseir  dela  Tour  all  the  sd  shipps  in  manner  and  vppon  Condicons  following, 

1.  first  the  sd  Edward  Gibbons  and  Thomas  Hawkins  and  ther  Assignes  in  the 
behalfe  of  the  owners  of  the  shipp  seabridge  doe  Couenant  and  promise  that  the  sd  shipp 
shall  be  compleately  fitted  with  a  master  and  fowerteene  able  seamen,  and  a  boy,  with 
fowerteene  peece  of  Ordinance,  with  powder  and  shott  fitt  for  them,  with  tackle  and 
Apparrell  victualls  for  the  sd  sixteene  men  for  two  months  time  from  the  tenth  day  of 
July  next." 

Sections  two  and  three  provide  in  like  terms  for  the  Philip  and  Mary  a 
crew  of  sixteen,  for  the  Increase  fourteen,  and  for  each  "  tenn  peece  of 
ordinance  "  with  supplies.     The  next  specification  is  : 

"  That  the  shipp  Greyhound  shall  be  Compleately  fitted  with  fower  murderers  :  and 
powder  and  shott  fitting  for  them,  with  tackle  apparrell  and  victualls  fitting  for  eight 
men  :  viz  a  master  and  seven  able  seamen  with  the  sd  shipp,  Compleately  for  two  months 
from  the  tenth  day  of  July  next. 

These  ships  'shall  be  by  the  Providence  of  God  (the  winde  and  weather  serving)  bee 
ready  vppon  demaund  to  sett  sajle  '  from  Boston  Roades  at  the  date  named  above  ;  'and 
from  thence  by  God's  Grace  shall  directly  saile  In  Company  with  the  shipp  clement  apper- 
taining to  thesd  mounseir  de  la  Tour  ;  And  further  we  promise  to  Joyne  with  the  sd  shipp 
clement  In  the  defence  of  ourselves,  and  the  sd  mounseir  La  Tour  ;  against  mounseir  dony 
[D'Aulnay],  his  forces  or  any  that  shall  vnjustly  assault.'" 

On  his  part  La  Tour  agrees  to  furnish  twenty  English  soldiers,  armed 
and  provisioned  at  his  own  cost,  for  each  of  the  three  larger  vessels,  and 
eight  for  the  smaller  Greyhound?  He  also  has  the  privilege  of  putting 
on  board  his  own  French  soldiers  not  to  exceed  ten  for  each  vessel.  He 
is  to  pay  for  the  Seabridge  two  hundred  pounds  per  month,  for  the  Philip 
and  Mary  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds  per  month,  for  the  Increase 
one  hundred  and    fifty  pounds,  and  for  the  Greyhound  fifty   pounds,  "  in 

1  Suffolk  Deeds,  Lib.  L,  p.  7. 

2  We  learn  from  Winthrop  that  these  English  soldiers  engaged  for  forty  shillings,  or  nine 
dollars  and  sixty-eight  cents,  per  month. 


Il6  LA   TOUR   AND   ACADIA 

peltry  at  the  prize  Currant  as  at  the  tjme  of  pajment,  they  shall  beare 
at  Boston," — this  for  a  cruise  of  two  months,  without  reduction  of  pay 
for  any  shortening  of  the  time.  La  Tour  is  to  furnish  the  ammunition,  but 
the  cost  of  that  actually  used  is  to  be  deducted  from  the  ship-rent.     Lastly 

"  what  Pillage  and  spoile  or  goods  shall  be  taken  by  the  afore  named  shipp  clement 
and  the  sd  foure  English  shipps  or  either  of  them  shall  be  aequally  divided  among  the 
merchants  ouners  mariners  and  souldjers  according  to  the  vsual  Custome  In  such  voy- 
ages And  for  the  true  performance  according  to  the  true  Intent  of  these  presents  the  sd 
mounseir  Latour  doth  make  ouer  to  the  sd  Edward  Gibbons  and  Thomas  Hawkins  all 
that  his  fort  in  the  Riuer  of  S*  John,  with  the  gunns  pouder  and  shott  therevnto  belong- 
ing ;  and  all  his  property  in  the  sajd  Riuer,  and  the  Coast  of  Achady  together  with  all 
his  mooveables  and  inmooveables  therein  In  wittness  hearof  the  parties  above  named 
have  Interchangeably  put  to  their  hands  and  seales 

Signed  and  sealed  De  la  Tour  &  a  seale 

in   the   prnce   of  Vs 

Robert    Keajne     \Vm  Ting 

Estienne  auprvs  " 

This  expedition  proved  wholly  successful  in  raising  the  siege  of  Fort 
La  Tour  and  putting  Charnisay  himself  upon  the  defensive.  Upon  the 
appearance  of  La  Tour's  fleet  the  enemy,  thoroughly  surprised,  precipi- 
tately took  to  flight.  La  Tour  pursued,  but  Charnisay  succeeded  in  making 
Port  Royal  (now  Annapolis)  bay,  and  ran  his  ships  upon  the  beach  to 
avoid  capture.  La  Tour  desired  Captain  Hawkins  to  join  in  an  attack 
upon  Charnisay's  forces,  who  in  much  disorder  were  fortifying  themselves 
in  the  mill.  This  he  refused,  but  allowed  his  command  to  volunteer. 
About  thirty  Massachusetts  men  joined  in  the  attack  by  which  Charnisay 
was  driven  from  the  mill.  The  fleet  returned  to  Fort  La  Tour.  Falling 
in  with  a  pinnace  belonging  to  Charnisay,  loaded  with  furs,  she  was  made  a 
prize.  The  English  vessels  were  paid  off  and  returned  to  Boston,  having 
been  absent  only  thirty-seven  days. 

Charnisay,  beaten  but  not  crushed,  rebuilt  the  old  fort  at  Port  Royal, 
and  presently  sailed  for  France.  Lady  La  Tour  also  went  to  France  in  her 
husband's  interest.  Charnisay  secured  an  order  for  her  arrest  as  involved 
in  La  Tour's  rebellion.  She  escaped  to  England,  where  she  engaged  a 
vessel  and  freighted  it  with  supplies  for  Fort  La  Tour.  The  master  of 
the  ship,  in  spite  of  her  expostulations,  spent  so  much  time  in  trade  by  the 
way  that  six  months  were  consumed  in  the  passage.  When  the  ship  came 
at  length  into  the  bay  of  Fundy,  Charnisay  had  already  returned,  and  his 
vessels  were  on  the  watch  to  intercept  any  relief  for  La  Tou,r.  He  over- 
hauled Lady  La  Tour's  ship,  but  little  suspected  the  prize  he  held  in  his 
hand.     She  and  her  people  were  hidden   in   the   hold,  while  the  master, 


LA    TOUR   AND    ACADIA 


117 


professing  to  sail  an  English  ship  bound  for  Boston,  was  suffered  to  pass 
on  toward  that  port. 

La  Tour  meantime,  discouraged  and  distressed  at  his  wife's  long  ab- 
sence, which  now  exceeded  a  year,  had  set  out  for  Boston,  where  he  arrived 
in  July,  1644.  He  represented  his  condition  to  the  governor  and  magis- 
trates, craving  their  assistance,  and  not  failing  to  urge  the  English  title  to 
his  possessions  by  grant  from  Sir  William  Alexander.  All  sympathized 
with  him,  but  the  matter  ended  as  usual  without  official  action  in  his  favor. 
A  merchant  vessel,  however,  sailed  with  supplies  for  his  fort,  and  in  this 
case  a  letter  to  Charnisay  of  expostulation  was  added.  With  this  La  Tour 
had  to  content  himself,  and  his  white  sails  were  hardly  out  of  sight  when 
Lady  La  Tour's  chartered  vessel  came  into  Boston  harbor. 

Lady  La  Tour  promptly  entered  action,  as  Winthrop  relates,  "  against 
Captain  Baylye,  and  the  merchant  (brother  and  factor  to  Alderman  Berk- 
ley who  freighted  the  ship)  for  not  performing  the  charter  party,"  and 
causing  the  needless  detention  and  peril  which  she  had  suffered.  She  had 
the  captain  and  merchant  arrested,  who  were  compelled  to  surrender  the 
cargo,  valued  at  ,£1,100,  to  deliver  their  persons  from  custody.  She  then 
employed  three  vessels  to  convey  her  supplies  and  convoy  her  home.  The 
contract  under  which  she  secured  this  fleet  is  also  found  in  the  Suffolk 
Records,  and  is  as  follows  : 

"  Know  all  men  by  these  prsents  that  I  francoice  mary  Jacquelin  spouse  of  charles  sieur 
St  Steeven  knight  of  the  orders  of  the  king  of  fraunce  Lieutenant  in  the  Coast  of  the 
accady  of  new  fraunce  by  virtue  of  a  procuration  given  vnto  me  from  my  sajd  Sr  of  St 
Steevens  the  twenty-seventh  of  August  last  past,  doe  Confesse  to  have  hired  of  Captne 
John  Parris  three  shipps  to  Convey  me  to  my  fort  &  in  consideration  of  seven  hundredth 
pounds  starling  wch  I  promise  to  pay  or  cause  to  be  pajd  by  the  sajd  Sr  Called  de  la  Tour 
forthwith  vppon  our  Arrivall  at  the  fort  de  la  Toure  in  S*  Johns  Riuer  the  dischardge  of 
w*  goods  I  have  putt  aboard  the  sajd  shipps  I  do  further  promise  that  the  pajment  of  the 
abovesajd  some  of  seven  hundredth  pounds  shall  be  pajd  in  Pelleterje  moose  skines  at 
twenty  five  shillings  pr  skin  one  wth  an  other  marchantable  beavor  the  skins  at  eight 
shillings  pr  pound  &  Coale  at  twelve  or  in  other  payment  of  Comoditjes  of  value  farther 
promising  vnto  the  sajd  Capne  Parris  that  if  so  be  he  be  not  fully  sattisfyed  the  above  sajd 
some  vppon  our  Arrival  to  be  ljable  to  make  good  w'euer  damages  may  insue  through 
default  therof  In  wittnes  whereof  I  have  herevnto  signed  and  sealed  made  at  Boston 
this  eleventh  day  of  december  1644  francoice  marje  Jacquelin 

&  a  seale 

In  prnce  of  Charles  dupre 

Joshua  Scotto  :  Ed.  Gibbons  " 

Lady  La  Tour  made  a  safe  passage  with  her  little  fleet  and  supplies. 
We  can  imagine  the  happy  meeting  after  this  long  separation,  while  beset 
with  so  many  difficulties  and  dangers.     For  the  time  too  there  was  abun- 


Il8  LA   TOUR   AND   ACADIA 

dance,  though  not  without  hint  of  financial  embarrassment.  Even  the 
moose-skin  and  beaver  currency  gleaned  out  of  the  woods  did  not  suffice 
for  the  great  expenditures  of  this  contest.     Hence  the  following  bond  : 

"  St.  Johns,  December  29,  1644. 
I  mounseir  charles  of  S{  Steevens  delatoure  Knight  &  Baronet  and  francois  marje  Jacque- 
lin  doe  acknowledg  to  have  Received  of  Mr  John  Paris  all  such  goods  as  came  in  the  three 
shipps.  Cap1  Richardson  Capt  Thomas  Capt  Bridecake  and  his  owne  but  have  not  given 
him  full  sattisfaccon,  according  to  his  Contract  and  our  obligation,  onely  he  hath  received 
of  me  a  hundred  seventy  two  pounds  in  beaver  sterling  money  and  a  smale  chajne  of  Gold 
to  the  valleju  of  thirty  or  fouerty  pound  which  is  to  be  Retourned  again  In  Case  it  pos- 
sibly may  ;  and  more. besides  Wee  doe  engage  ourselves  to  give  sattisfaccon  vnto  major 
Gibbons  for  the  some  specified  in  the  bond  ;  what  he  hath  received  above  specified  is  to 
be  deducted  out  of  the  bond  of  seven  hundred  pound. 

de  latour  &  seale 
Signed  sealed  and  francois :  marje  Jacquelin 

deliuered  in  the 
prnce  of  John  Pasfeild 
Thomas  Bredcake  " 

Marie,  Charnisay's  agent,  had  been  in  Boston  at  the  same  time  with 
Lady  La  Tour,  endeavoring  to  persuade  the  authorities  of  La  Tour's  out- 
lawry and  of  the  impropriety  of  their  maintaining  friendly  relations  with 
him.  However,  he  only  secured  a  treaty  of  amity  and  free  commerce 
between  the  colony  and  Charnisay,  which  that  vengeful  Frenchman  thought 
of  small  consequence  when  he  heard  of  Lady  La  Tour's  success.  Indeed, 
his  rage  knew  no  bounds.  He  wrote  an  insolent  and  abusive  letter  to  Gov- 
ernor Winthrop,  and  soon  found  opportunity  to  make  his  resentment  felt. 

Although  La  Tour  and  his  wife  had  now  obtained  a  temporary  success, 
yet  the  contest  was  ruinous  to  both  parties.  The  enormous  expenses  and 
losses,  together  with  the  obstruction  of  his  trade,  reduced  La  Tour  to  pov- 
erty7. His  indebtedness  to  the  Boston  merchants  only  increased  ;  but  they 
seem  to  have  had  unbounded  confidence  in  his  integrity.  In  May  of  the 
following  spring  he  owed  them  more  than  ten  thousand  pounds,  and  he 
felt  constrained  to  give  his  creditors  the  best  and  only  security  he  could. 
Hence  the  famous  mortgage  deed  of  Fort  La  Tour  and  the  adjacent  lands 
at  the  mouth  of  the  St.  John,  recorded  at  length  in  Suffolk  Deeds.1  Only 
the  first  part  of  this  long  document  is  here  given,  containing  a  description 
of  the  premises  conveyed,  and  the  important  exception  or  reservation.  It 
will  be  observed  that  the  tract  excepted  embraces  seventy-two  miles  on 
the  eastern  coast  of  Nova  Scotia  proper,  and  as  much  in  depth,  and  hence 
includes  the  greater  part  of  the  peninsula.     It  is  the  grant  from  Sir  Wil- 

!  Lib.  I.,  filling  10  pages  of  the  folio.     It  has  been  printed  in   Hazard's  Historical  Collections, 
I.,  541-544- 


LA   TOUR  AND   ACADIA  I  19 

liam  Alexander  to  Claude  and  Charles  La  Tour,  to  be  divided  into  the  two 
baronies  of  St.  Estienne  and  La  Tour. 

"  This  Indenture  made  betweene  Sr  charles  Sl  Steephens  lord  of  La  Tour  in  fraunce  and 
Knight  Barronet  of  Scotland  of  ye  one  part  and  Serjeant  major  Edward  Gibbons  of  Boston 
in  New-England  Esqr  of  the  other  parte  wittnesseth  that  ye  sajd  mounseir  lord  of  latour 
for  &  in  consideration  of  the  full  some  of  two  thousand  eighty  fower  pounds  To  him  the 
sd  mounser  in  hand  pajd  by  the  sajd  S^1  major  Gibbons  and  also  for  diverse  other  good 
causes  and  Considerations  him  the  sd  mounser  herevnto  especially  moving  hath  Graunted 
bargained  sould  enfeoffed  and  confirmed  vnto  him  the  sd  S^'  major  Edward  Gibbons  his 
heires  and  Assignes  all  that  his  fort  called  fort  La  Toure  &  plantacon  wthin  ye  northerne 
part  of  america  wherein  ye  sd  mounsr  together  with  his  family  hath  of  late  made  his  Resi- 
dence, Scittuate  &  being  at  or  neere  the  mouth  of  a  certajne  Riuer  Called  by  ye  name  of 
S*  John's  Riuer  together  also  with  all  the  Ammunition  and  weapons  of  warr  or  instru- 
ment of  defence  &  other  Implements  necessarjes  And  together  also  with  all  the  land  & 
Islands  Riuers  lakes  woods  &  vnderwoods  mines  &  mineralls  whatsouer  and  all  and  sin- 
gular other  the  comoditjes  &  Appurtenances  to  the  same  plantacon  belonging  or  in  any 
wise  appertayning  either  by  right  of  discouery  or  first  Inhabitting  and  there  graunted 
vnto  him  by  the  grand  Company  of  Cannida  merchants  or  as  the  same  were  heeretofore 
purchased  of  Sr  Willjam  Alexander  Knight  by  S*  chaude  of  Sl  Stephen  Lord  of  latour  for 
and  in  the  name  of  him  the  sajd  Sr  charles  his  heires  and  Assignes  by  the  name  of  the 
Countrje  of  new  Scotland  formerly  called  the  Countrje  of  Laccadie  as  it  lyeth  along  the 
sea  coast  eastward  as  by  a  deede  thereof  in  the  french  toung  made  bearing  date  the  30th 
of  Aprill  1630.     .     .     .     To  have  &  to  hold — " 

No  need  to  give  the  remaining  tedious  formula.  The  time  of  redemp- 
tion was  fixed  "  at  or  before  the  twentjeth  day  of  february  which  shall  be 
in  the  yeare  of  or  Lord  God  one  thousand  six  hundred  fifty  and  two  ;  " 
that  is,  by  our  reckoning,  February  20,  1653.  The  instrument  is  signed: 
"  Charles  de  sainct  Estienne,"  and  witnessed  by  seven  persons. 

No  doubt  La  Tour  hoped  that,  by  this  solemn  and  formal  conveyance 
to  a  very  prominent  Boston  citizen,  the  personal  interest  as  well  as  the 
sympathies  of  the  people  and  authorities  might  be  more  fully  enlisted  in 
his  cause.  Certainly  Governor  Winthrop  and  others  did  not  regard  La 
Tour's  title  lightly,  and  they  were  by  no  means  indifferent  to  securing  a 
substantial  claim  to  the  lands  and  harbors  patented  to  him.  So  Win- 
throp remarks :  , 

"  In  the  opening  of  La  Tour's  case  it  appeared  that  the  place  where  his  fort  was  had 
been  purchased  by  his  father  of  Sir  William  Alexander,  and  he  had  a.  free  grant  of  it  and 
of  all  that  part  of  New  Scotland  under  the  great  seal  of  Scotland,  and  another  grant  of  a 
Scott  Baronet  under  the  same  seal  ;  and  that  himself  and  his  father  had  continued  in  pos- 
session &c.  about  thirty  years,  and  that  Port  Royal  was  theirs  also  until  D'Aulnay  [as 
Charnisay  was  more  commonly  called  in  New  England]  had  dispossessed  him  of  it  by 
force  within  these  five  years."  ' 

1  Winthrop's  Journal  (see  page  179). 


1-0  LA   TOUR   AND   ACADIA 

Nor  was  this  confidence  ill-founded,  for  La  Tour's  grants  were  subse- 
quently confirmed  under  the  hand  of  the  Lord  Protector  Oliver  Cromwell. 
But  at  the  time  of  this  mortgage  La  Tour  was  a  bankrupt  and  apparently 
ruined.  His  enemy  had  triumphed,  and  he  no  longer  held  in  actual  pos- 
session an  acre  of  ground  or  a  sheltering  roof. 

Charnisay's  ships  now  so  haunted  the  coasts  and  scoured  the  inter- 
vening seas,  that  La  Tour  could  neither  relieve  his  courageous  lady  and 
faithful  friends  at  the  fort,  nor  himself  return  to  their  aid.  In  February, 
learning  from  two  spies  that  Lady  La  Tour  had  no  more  than  fifty  soldiers 
all  told,  little  powder  and  that  mainly  of  poor  quality,  while  her  husband 
was  absent  in  Boston,  and  the  fort  indeed  to  appearance  all  but  defense- 
less, the  implacable  Charnisay  judged  that  now  the  hour  of  triumph  drew 
nigh.  Accordingly  he  sailed  into  the  harbor  and  opened  his  attack,  confi- 
dent of  taking  Fort  La  Tour  almost  without  resistance.  But  he  reckoned 
without  his  host.  Lady  La  Tour  took  command,  inspired  her  devoted 
soldiers,  manned  a  bastion,  and  directed  the  fire  with  such  effect  that 
Charnisay  was  compelled  to  draw  off  with  twenty  killed  and  thirteen 
wounded.  His  shattered  vessel  he  warped  ashore  behind  a  neighboring 
point  to  save  her  from  sinking. 

Charnisay  was,  however,  still  able  to  prevent  La  Tour's  return,  and  in 
the  following  April  appeared  before  the  fort  with  a  yet  stronger  arma- 
ment. In  the  meantime  Lady  La  Tour  and  her  men  had  not  been  relieved 
nor  supplied,  and  consequently  were  taken  at  even  greater  disadvantage. 
But  Charnisay,  who  now  made  his  approach  from  the  land  side,  was  re- 
pulsed again  and  again,  until  he  despaired  of  success  except  by  strategy 
and  treachery.  Upon  the  fourth  day  he  succeeded  in  bribing  a  Swiss 
sentry,  who,  on  Easter  morning,  while  the  garrison  were  at  prayers,  allowed 
the  enemy  to  approach  without  giving  the  alarm.  They  were  already 
scaling  the  walls  when  discovered.  Yet  brave  Lady  La  Tour  rallied  her 
forces,  and  putting  herself  at  their  head,  the  assailants  were  repulsed  with 
such  promptness  and  vigor  that  Charnisay,  who  had  already  lost  twelve 
killed  and  many  wounded,  was  glad  to  withdraw,  and  offered  honorable 
terms  of  capitulation.  He  guaranteed  life  and  liberty  to  all.  In  no  con- 
dition to  endure  a  siege,  despairing  of  relief  and  anxious  to  save  the  lives 
of  her  friends,  Lady  La  Tour  consented,  and  opened  the  gates  to  her  das- 
tardly foe.  Then  the  extent  of  his  perfidy  appeared.  The  character  and 
performance  of  the  heroic  Lady  La  Tour  made  no  appeal  to  the  rapacious 
and  cruel  Charnisay.  Every  soldier  in  the  fort,  French  and  English  alike, 
was  hung,  save  one,  whom  he  spared  on  the  dreadful  condition  of  becom- 
ing the  executioner  of  his  comrades.     He  did  not  venture  to  put  Lady 


LA    TOUR   AND   ACADIA  121 

La  Tour  to  death.  Even  the  corrupt  French  court  would  not  have  tol- 
erated such  a  procedure  against  a  noble  lady  whom  he  was  merely  com- 
missioned to  arrest.  But  he  did  worse.  He  compelled  this  heroic  victim 
of  his  vindictive  hate  and  perfidy  to  stand  by  with  a  rope  about  her  neck 
and  witness  the  murder  of  all  her  faithful  defenders. 

Lady  La  Tour,  so  heroic  and  spirited  by  nature,  was  not  formed  to 
endure  a  helpless  captivity  under  circumstances  of  such  cruelty.  The 
strain  of  the  protracted  contest,  the  separation  from  her  husband,  the  sur- 
render of  the  fort,  with  loss  of  home  and  hope,  proved  too  much  for  her 
lofty  spirit.  She  faded  away,  and,  only  three  weeks  after  the  surrender, 
died  of  a  broken  heart,  and  was  laid  to  rest  on  the  banks  of  the  St.  John 
by  the  same  cruel  hands  which  had  wrought  her  sorrow. 

A  little  child  left  behind  was  afterwards  sent  to  France,  but  no  mention 
of  it  occurs  in  the  La  Tour  genealogy,  and  it  probably  died  young. 

The  booty  taken  with  the  fort  is  estimated  at  two  thousand  pounds, 
and  Winthrop  rather  peevishly  blames  La  Tour  for  not  having  removed 
his  plate  and  valuables  to  Boston,  where  they  might  have  satisfied  his 
creditors,  instead  of  falling  into  the  hands  of  his  enemy.  Distressed  and 
beggared,  La  Tour  still  found  refuge  and  sympathy  with  his  New  England 
friends.     For,  says  Winthrop  : 

"  In  the  spring  he  went  to  Newfoundland,  and  was  there  courteously  entertained  by- 
Sir  David  Kirk.  Returned  to  Boston  again  by  the  same  vessel  and  all  the  next  winter 
was  entertained  by  Mr.  Samuel  Maverick  at  Noddle's  Island."  ' 

La  Tour  returned  to  Boston  in  one  of  Kirk's  ships,  and  in  the  following 
January  rented  the  same  vessel  from  Maverick,  Sir  David's  agent.  This 
was  for  a  trading  expedition,  and,  undertaken  after  his  bereavement  and 
losses,  and  upon  the  conditions  he  accepted,  it  displays  again  the  indomi- 
table will  and  spirit  of  the  man.  So  far  from  spending  all  winter  as  an 
idle  guest  at  Noddle's  Island,  we  find  him  executing  this  lease  on  January 
14,  and  his  contract  with  the  merchants  who  furnished  the  trading-stock 
on  January  19.     He   must    have    sailed    about    this    time,   for    Winthrop 

1  Winthrop's  Hist.  N.  Eng.,  II.,  291.  But  in  this  statement  Winthrop  is  not  accurate, 
neither  is  he  consistent  with  himself;  for  he  says  afterward,  apparently  under  date  [25  (5)  1645J 
of  July  25,  1645,  though  the  entry  must  have  been  made  later,  that  : 

"  M.  La  Tour  having  stayed  here  all  winter  and  so  far  in  the  summer,  and  having  petitioned 
the  court  for  aid  against  M.  D'Aulnay,  and  finding  no  hope  to  obtain  help  that  way,  took  shipping 
in  one  of  our  vessels  which  went  on  fishing  to  Newfoundland  hoping  by  means  of  Sir  David  Kirk, 
governor  there,  and  some  friends  he  might  procure  in  England,  to  obtain  aid  from  thence,  intend- 
ing for  that  end  to  go  thence  to  England,  returned  hither  before  winter." — Winthrop's  Hist.  N. 
Eng.,  II.,  303. 


[22  LA   TOUR  AND   ACADIA 

himself  elsewhere  states  that  he  arrived  at  Cape  Sable  u  in  the  heart  of 
winter." 

That,  under  the  circumstances,  his  Boston  friends  furnished  La  Tour 
with  this  complete  outfit,  shows  their  confidence  and  perhaps  their  sym- 
pathy ;  but  these  sentiments  did  not  prevent  an  eye  to  business,  nor 
obstruct  their  fondness  for  good  bargains.  From  the  results  of  the  voyage 
La  Tour,  first  of  all,  agreed  to  pay  his  friends  the  full  price  for  their  goods 
as  per  invoice.  But  secondly  :  "  And  in  consideration  of  the  Adventure 
wch  the\-  run  I  doe  promise  to  deliver  vnto  them  or  their  Assignes  over  & 
aboue  the  principall  aboue  expressed  three  eight  parts  of  all  wch  shall 
remaine  when  the  principall  is  payd."  And  again,  thirdly:  "  For  hyre  of 
the  afore  said  vessell  "  with  crew,  supplies,  and  necessary  appointments, 
including  "  foure  guns  two  murderers  6  musketts  with  powder  shott  match 
&  other  necessaries  "  he  must  give  "  the  ful  one  halfe  part  of  all  such 
Bever  Moose  &  other  furrs  &  Merchandize  as  he  shall  get  by  way  of  trade 
wth  the  Indians  in  this  his  voyage  "  beyond  the  amount  required  to  pay 
for  his  goods.  That  is,  after  settling  for  the  stock  in  trade,  La  Tour 
would  have  one-eighth  of  the  profits,  while  the  ship  took  one-half  and  the 
merchants  three-eighths.  With  a  most  prosperous  voyage  this  would  be  a 
laborious  if  not  impossible  method  of  restoring  his  shattered  fortunes.  If 
he  "  turned  pirate,"  as  was  said,  it  was  upon  this  discouragement. 

Honest  John  Winthrop  is  the  sole  authority  for  this  story.  He  de- 
clares : 

"  When  La  Tour  came  to  Cape  Sable  (which  was  in  the  heart  of  winter),  he  conspired 
with  the  master  (being  a  stranger)  and  his  own  Frenchmen,  being  five,  to  go  away  with 
the  vessel,  and  so  forced  out  the  other  five  English  (himself  shooting  one  of  them  in  the 
face  with  a  pistol)  who,  through  special  providence,  having  wandered  up  and  down 
fifteen  days  found  some  Indians  who  gave  them  a  shallop  and  victuals,  and  an  Indian 
pilot.  So  they  arrived  safe  at  Boston  in  the  third  month  [May].  Whereby  it  appeareth 
(as  the  Scripture  saith)  that  there  is  no  confidence  in  an  unfaithful  or  carnal  man. 
Though  tied  with  so  many  strong  bonds  of  courtesy,  etc.,  he  turned  pirate,  etc."1 

Hannay  in  his  History  of  Acadia  discredits  the  tale.  No  doubt  these 
five  sailors  returned  and  imposed  upon  the  governor  with  this  pitiful  yarn, 
which  Hannay  suggests  was  more  likely  concocted  to  cover  their  own 
mutinous  conduct  or  desertion.  There  is  much  to  be  said  for  this  view. 
The  thing  is  so  inconsistent  with  all  we  know  of  La  Tour's  character  and 
conduct,  both  before  and  after,  that  it  becomes  well  nigh  incredible.  His 
version  of  the  incident  has  not  come  down  to  us ;  but  his  subsequent 
relations  with  New  England,  the  distinguished  consideration  and  remark- 

1  Winthrop's  History  of  New  England,  II.,  325. 


LA   TOUR   AND    ACADIA 


123 


able  favors  received  from  the  British  government,  refute  the  supposition 
that  such  a  stain  could  rest  upon  him.  He  afterward  traded  at  Boston, 
an  exception  being  made  in  his  favor  at  a  time  when  all  exporting  of  pro- 
visions to  either  Dutch  or  French  was  interdicted.  Living  in  Acadia 
under  English  rule,  he  stood  so  high  as  to  receive  almost  unparalleled 
gifts  at  the  hands  of  the  government.  As  for  Winthrop's  journal,  it 
ceased  with  the  death  of  its  author  (March  26,  1649),  and  hence  could  not 
contain  the  correction  which  otherwise  might  have  been  added. 

La  Tour  appeared  at  Quebec  August  8,  1646,  where  this  governor  of 
Acadia,  proscribed  from  his  province  and  outlawed  in  France,  was  received 
with  acclamations  from  the  people,  and  all  honors  from  the  commandant. 
He  continued  four  years  absent  from  Acadia,  two  of  which  at  least  he 
spent  in  Canada.  Of  this  period  we  have  but  a  meagre  knowledge,  but  in 
those  stirring  times  we  may  be  sure  such  a  man  could  not  be  idle.  In 
1648  he  is  mentioned  as  having  gone  to  fight  against  the  Iroquois.  He 
continued  in  the  fur  trade,  and  is  said  to  have  penetrated  to  the  shores  of 
Hudson's  bay. 

Charnisay,  of  course,  adorned  his  own  cause  in  France,  where  he  was 
complimented  for  his  success,  in  letters  commendatory,  by  the  queen  regent, 
in  the  name  of  the  child-king,  wherein  it  was  assumed  that  La  Tour  wished 
to  subvert  the  French  authority  and  planned  to  deliver  his  fort  to  for- 
eigners. Charnisay's  renewed  commission  recited  his  many  and  remark- 
able services,  and  gave  him  everything — all  authority,  and  exclusive  privi- 
leges of  trade  from  the  St.  Lawrence  to  Virginia.  He  returned,  summarily 
and  forcibly  ejected  Nicholas  Denys,  the  only  remaining  rival  holding 
patents  within  his  territory.  He  now  reigned  supreme,  apparently  having 
succeeded  in  all  his  intrigues  and  rapacious  schemes.  He  was  embarrassed, 
indeed,  with  an  enormous  debt  incurred  through  such  costly  enterprises, 
but  with  an  immensely  rich  monopoly,  which  might  presently  reimburse 
him  fourfold.  His  career  came  to  a  sudden  end,  for  in  1650  he  was  drowned 
in  the  river  of  Port  Royal.  "  There  is  no  further  history  or  tradition  con- 
cerning him.  If  Charnisay  had  any  friends  when  living,  none  of  them  were 
to  be  found  after  his  death.  .  .  .  His  influence  at  the  French  court, 
which  must  have  been  great,  rested  upon  such  a  slender  foundation  of  merit 
that  it  did  not  survive  him  a  single  day.  He  who  stood  high  in  the  royal 
favor  was  a  few  months  after  his  death  branded  as  a  false  accuser,  in  an 
official  document  signed  by  the  king's  own  hand."  * 

Upon  Charnisay's  death   La  Tour  returned   to   France,  and  had  little 

1  Hannay's  History  of  Acadia,  p.  188. 


1-4  LA   TOUR   AND   ACADIA 

trouble  in  establishing  his  own  innocence  and  securing  a  complete  reversal 
of  all  the  former  proceedings  against  him,  with  a  renewal  of  his  commission 
as  governor  and  lieutenant-general  in  Acadia.  Indeed,  the  charter  highly 
commended  his  fidelity  and  valor  in  defending  the  territorial  rights  of  his 
sovereign,  which,  as  the  document  recited,  he  would  have  continued  to  do 
had  he  not  been  hindered  by  the  false  accusations  and  pretenses  of  Charles 
de  Menou,  Sieur  d'Aulnay  Charnisay. 

La  Tour  returned  to  Acadia,  and  in  September,  165 1,  took  peaceable 
possession  once  again  of  his  plantation  and  Fort  La  Tour  at  the  mouth  of 
the  St.  John.  Charnisay's  widow,  alarmed  at  the  scope  of  his  commission, 
sought  to  interest  the  Duke  de  Vendome.  He  readily  secured  letters 
patent  from  the  compliant  king,  but  did  nothing  under  them.  Early  in 
1653  the  bitter  and  disastrous  controversy  between  these  rival  French 
houses  of  Acadia  was  at  once  and  forever  composed  by  the  marriage  of 
Lord  La  Tour  to  the  widow  of  Charnisay.  On  February  24  of  that 
year  the  voluminous  and  explicit  marriage  contract  declared  the  object  of 
the  union  to  be  to  secure  "  the  peace  and  tranquillity  of  the  country,  and 
concord  and  union  between  the  two  families." 

About  the  time  that  La  Tour  and  his  new  wife  were  well  settled  at 
Fort  La  Tour,  which  had  been  bestowed  as  a  marriage  portion  on  Madame 
Charnisay,  a  new  claimant  appeared  in  the  field.  A  certain  M.  Le  Borgne, 
chief  creditor  of  Charnisay,  secured  a  judgment  and  execution  against  the 
estate,  and  now  proposed  to  capture  all  Acadia  for  debt.  He  had  already 
seized  upon  St.  Peter's  and  Port  Royal  by  a  mixture  of  strategy  and  vio- 
lence, and  soon  appeared  before  Fort  La  Tour  with  a  pretense  of  bringing 
supplies  for  sale,  but  intending  to  take  the  place  by  fraud  and  force.  He 
was  hastily  recalled  to  Port  Royal  by  news  of  the  re-occupation  of  St. 
Peter's  by  Nicholas  Denys  under  a  new  commission  from  the  French  king, 
who  seems  to  have  given  away  the  province  or  any  part  of  it  as  often  as 
anybody  would  ask  him. 

So  Le  Borgne,  intending  to  return  later,  withdrew  without  revealing  his 
treacherous  scheme.  But  the  next  day  an  English  fleet  arrived  before  the 
fort,  under  the  command  of  Major  Robert  Sedgwick  of  New  England. 
Cromwell  had  sent  four  ships  to  Boston  with  intent  there  to  organize  an 
expedition  against  the  Dutch  of  Manhattan.  They  arrived  early  in  June, 
1654,  and  a  few  days  later  came  news  of  peace  concluded  between  Eng- 
land and  Holland.  Our  fathers,  entering  into  the  scheme  with  alacrity, 
had  already  enlisted  five  hundred  men  ;  and  all  thinking  it  a  pity  to  waste 
so  fine  an  armament,  they  soon  saw  it  to  be  their  duty  to  turn  the  fleet 
against  their  popish  neighbors  in  Acadia,  and  this  in  a  time  of  profound 


LA   TOUR   AND    ACADIA 


125 


peace.  Under  this  surprise  and  compulsion  Fort  La  Tour  surrendered,  as 
did  also  Port  Royal  and  Penobscot.  Cromwell  quite  approved  of  this  deft 
sleight-of-hand  performance. 

But  La  Tour  was  full  of  resources.  He  hastened  to  England  and 
pressed  his  claim  under  the  grant  of  Sir  William  Alexander  with  great  suc- 
cess. In  connection  with  Thomas  Temple  and  William  Crowne,  and  for  a 
small  annual  rental  of  beaver  skins,  he  secured  a  grant  and  government  of 
all  the  coasts  with  one  hundred  leagues  inland  from  the  present  Lunenburg 
in  Nova  Scotia  to  the  river  St.  George  in  Maine.  La  Tour  did  not  wait 
for  another  turn  in  fortune's  wheel,  but  sold  out  his  share  to  Temple  and 
Crowne,  himself  retiring  to  a  comfortable  private  life  still  within  his 
beloved  Acadia,  where  he  enjoyed  a  decade  or  more  of  prosperous  tran- 
quillity, dying  in  1666  at  the  age  of  seventy-two. 


MRS.    MARTHA   J.    LAMB 
By   Daniel   Van   Pelt 

Literary  circles  of  New  York  have  sustained  a  severe  loss  in  the 
decease  of  Mrs.  Lamb.  Many  tributes  of  respect  and  appreciation  have 
already  appeared  in  the  contemporary  press,  and  many  more  may  be 
looked  for.  It  is  eminently  fitting  that  a  leading  part  in  these  testimo- 
nials to  the  worth  of  the  departed  should  be  taken  by  the  periodical  which 
owed  so  much  of  its  success  to  her  signal  ability  and  her  indefatigable 
industry,  and  which  had  come  to  be  so  closely  identified  with  her  name. 

The  simple  story  of  her  life  is  quickly  told.  She  was  born  at  Plain- 
field,  Massachusetts,  on  August  13,  1829.  Her  maiden  name  indicates  more 
than  one  suggestive  line  of  ancestry.  Martha  Joanna  Reade  Nash  was  the 
daughter  of  Arvin  Nash  and  Lucinda  Vinton.  Thus,  on  the  mother's 
side  a  strain  of  the  mercurial  Gallic  blood  would  be  apt  to  lend  enthusiasm 
to  the  nature,  and  warmth  and  brilliancy  to  the  literary  style.  Her  pater- 
nal grandparents  were  Jacob  Nash  and  Joanna  Reade.  Jacob  Nash  was 
a  soldier  of  the  Revolution,  and  traced  his  pedigree  to  the  company  who 
came  over  in  the  Mayflower.  Her  grandmother's  family  embraced  within 
its  English  branch  one.  whose  name  has  become  a  household  word  in 
literature — Charles  Reade  the  novelist.  The  laws  of  heredity  would 
determine  at  the  outset  that  a  person  thus  descended  would  develop  a 
love  for  her  country  and  its  history,  as  well  as  incline  to  a  literary  expres- 
sion of  that  penchant. 

In  her  early  girlhood  Mrs.  Lamb  spent  much  of  her  time  in  Goshen, 
Massachusetts.  Her  school-days  brought  her  to  Northampton  and  East- 
hampton.  People  acquainted  with  her  in  those  days  speak  of  her  as  bright, 
healthy,  and  wholesome,  energetic  to  a  degree,  and  with  great  confidence  in 
her  ability  to  accomplish  difficult  tasks.  Her  fondness  for  books  made  her 
father's  library  a  place  of  delight  to  her  at  a  very  tender  age.  In  a  paper 
read  before  a  historical  society  some  years  ago,  the  writer  gives  a  pleasant 
glimpse  of  Mrs.  Lamb's  initiation  to  her  career  as  historian:  "  She  herself 
tells  with  charming  simplicity  of  her  introduction  to  history,  wondering 
with  a  child's  eagerness  if  the  Scottish  Chiefs  were  true,  and  rummaging 
until  she  found  an  old  musty  history  of  Scotland.  It  was  a  yellow-paged 
volume,  printed  in  the  ancient  style  which  reveled  in  long  s's  and  other 
eccentricities  ;   but,  with   a  child's  confidence,  she  was  undismayed  at  the 


MRS.    MARTHA    J.    LAMH  12J 

unattractive  appearance  of  the  book,  and  seating  herself  on  the  floor  read 
steadily  from  beginning  to  end  *  to  find  about  William  Wallace.'  After 
this  beginning  she  read  all  the  historical  works  in  her  father's  library,  and 
scandalized  Ker  family  and  amused  her  friends  by  innocently  trying  to 
borrow  precious  volumes  from  the  neighbors."  But  besides  this  part  of 
her  mental  equipment,  upon  which  rests  her  reputation  to-day,  it  is  not  so 
well  known  that  she  had  remarkable  mathematical  talents.  Before  her 
marriage  she  was  a  teacher  in  a  polytechnic  institute,  and  had  undertaken 
the  revising  and  editing  of  some  text-books  on  mathematics  for  the  higher 
classes  of  such  schools.  This  aptitude,  too,  enabled  her  to  prepare  a  pop- 
ular work  explaining  the  Coast  Survey  to  lay  readers,  a  treatise  published  by 
the  Harpers  ;  while  her  studies  in  this  connection  naturally  led  her,  again, 
to  write  the  excellent  paper  on   "  The  American  Life-Saving  Service." 

In  1852,  when  she  had  attained  the  age  of  twenty-three,  she  was  married 
to  Mr.  Charles  A.  Lamb  of  Ohio,  who  moved  with  her  to  the  city  of 
Chicago.  Here  another  side  of  her  character  found  a  scope  for  develop- 
ment. During  her  residence  of  eight  years  in  Chicago,  she  started  a 
movement  in  practical  and  much-needed  benevolence,  which  resulted  in 
the  founding  of  the  Home  for  the  Friendless  and  Half-Orphan  Asylum, 
which  is  still  in  flourishing  condition  to-day.  In  1863,  in  the  dark  days 
of  civil  war,  she  acted  as  secretary  of  the  first  Sanitary  Fair;  and  its  suc- 
cess was  largely  ascribed  to  her  enthusiasm  in  the  cause,  and  her  well- 
directed  efforts  in  promoting  the  enterprise. 

In  1866  Mrs.  Lamb  came  to  take  up  her  residence  permanently  in  New 
York.  It  had  now  become  expedient  that  she  engage  in  literary  work, 
and,  like  so  many  others  who  have  such  labors  in  view,  she  was  inevitably 
drawn  toward  the  metropolis.  She  began  immediately  to  prepare  for 
writing  the  work  which  has  more  than  anything  else  established  her  fame. 
At  the  same  time  her  industrious  pen  and  versatile  mind  turned  to  other 
and  lighter  fields  of  literature.  In  a  space  of  less  than  two  years  (1869- 
1870)  she  put  forth  no  less  than  eight  books  for  children.  In  1873  she 
ventured  upon  fiction  and  produced  Spicy,  a  novel  which  attained  some 
note  ;  and  about  fifty  shorter  stories  attest  that  this  was  a  vein  which  Mrs. 
Lamb  could  work  with  remarkable  ease.  An  illustrated  volume  was  pub- 
lished by  the  Appletons  in  1879,  °f  which  the  text  was  written  by  Mrs. 
Lamb  ;  the  very  title — Historic  Homes  of  America — being  abundantly  sug- 
gestive of  the  interesting  contents  as  regards  its  products  both  of  the 
pencil  and  of  the  pen.  In  1881  and  1882  she  was  induced  to  lend  her 
powers  as  a  graceful  writer  to.  enhance  the  Christmas  cheer  in  American 
homes,   and    there    appeared    successively    The    Christmas   Owl  and    The 


128  MRS.    MARTHA   J.    LAMB 

Christmas  Basket.  In  1883  sne  published  her  Wall  Street  in  History,  which 
attracted  attention,  and  her  position  as  an  authority  on  the  history  of 
the  metropolis  was  so  well  recognized  that  she  was  invited  to  prepare 
the  historical  sketch  of  New  York  city  for  the  tenth  census.  A  Memo- 
rial of  Dr.  J.  D.  Russ,  Snow  and  Sunshine,  and  about  one  hundred  magazine 
articles  on  historical  and  other  subjects,  indicate  not  only  the  industry  but 
the  versatility  of  her  pen,  which  seems  never  to  have  rested  since  she 
entered  upon  her  distinctively  literary  career. 

But  in  the  midst  of  all  these  various  literary  labors,  the  History  of  Nezv 
York  City  was  growing  under  her  hands  during  a  period  of  fifteen  years  of 
stud\-  and  investigation.  Up  to  this  time  no  history  of  the  metropolis 
upon  such  a  scale,  commensurate  with  the  greatness  of  its  subject,  had 
been  undertaken.  There  were  a  few  antiquated  treatises  ;  one  by  Chief 
Justice  Smith,  carrying  events  to  the  year  1756,  continued  to  a  somewhat 
later  period  by  his  son,  and  republished  as  thus  extended  in  1830.  There 
was  William  Dunlap  the  actor's  history,  useful  in  its  way  but  not  very 
scholarly,  and  leaving  our  information  suspended  somewhere  among  the 
early  years  of  this  century.  A  number  of  minor  attempts,  more  or  less 
fragmentary,  had  also  been  made  to  record  the  story  of  our  city.  Finally, 
a  few  years  before  the  war,  was  issued  a  book  that  could  at  all  compare, 
in  exhaustive  study  and  attractive  style,  with  Mrs.  Lamb's  later  effort,  and 
this,  too,  was  from  a  woman's  hand,  Miss  Mary  L.  Booth.  But  even  this 
left  free  scope  for  such  an  undertaking  as  was  contemplated  and  finally 
executed  by  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  With  every  added  year  materials 
for  a  history  of  our  city  were  accumulating  ;  the  methods  of  studying 
and  writing  history  were  improved,  while  its  requirements  were  more 
exacting.  And,  above  all,  it  was  after  the  war  especially  that  our  great 
city  took  ever  more  gigantic  strides  in  the  way  of  commercial  devel- 
opment, material  growth,  and  literary  importance.  There  was  a  place  for 
a  new  history  to  be  written  under  such  conditions  ;  it  but  required  suffi- 
cient courage  and  ability  to  carry  out  the  work.  Neither  of  these  neces- 
sary qualities  was  lacking  in  Mrs.  Lamb. 

The  History  of  the  City  of  Nezv  York  was  published  in  two  volumes, 
in  the  year  1881.  "  It  is  not  so  much,"  said  one  competent  critic,  "that 
Mrs.  Lamb  has  written  a  history  of  the  largest  city  in  the  western  hemi- 
sphere, but  that  she  has  executed  her  task  with  such  fidelity,  accuracy, 
excellence,  and  signal  success."  It  is  true  that  one  who  is  familiar  with 
the  ground  she  covers,  as  the  result  of  special  studies  on  similar  topics, 
will  occasionally  find  little  slips  in  statement,  some  facts  unreported,  and 
others  not  quite  correctly  reported.     But  it  would  be  exceedingly  unfair 


MRS.    MARTHA    J.    LAMB  120, 

to  press  such  minutice  as  vitiating  the  record  as  a  whole.  It  must  not  be 
forgotten  that  she  alone  and  personally  covered  the  whole  field,  while  her 
cavilers  may  have  but  fixed  their  attention  upon  parts  of  it.  As  what 
she  wrote  was  honestly  her  own  composition,  in  the  heat  and  labor  of 
composing  some  unessential  details  may  have  escaped  her  eye,  or  may 
have  worn  a  different  look  from  what  they  possessed  upon  the  unimpas- 
sioned  note-book.  Another  fault  may  be  said  to  be  an  inclination  to  dis- 
cursiveness. We  are  occasionally  carried  far  away  from  our  city,  to  scale 
the  Heights  of  Abraham  with  Wolfe  ;  to  traverse  the  Jerseys  with  Wash- 
ington as  he  retires  before  Cornwallis  ;  and  we  fight  one  or  two  battles 
under  his  magnificent  leadership,  which  were  not  fought  on  either  Long 
Island  or  Manhattan  Island.  But  then  we  almost  forget  how  far  we  are 
away  from  our  subject  in  the  charm  of  the  style  and  the  vividness  of  the 
narrative  which  delight  and  beguile  us.  Perhaps  not  least  among  the 
merits  of  this  history  is  that  it  does  not  forbid  but  rather  invites  the  con- 
tinuance of  effort  in  the  same  direction.  Other  histories  of  New  York 
city  have  sprung  up  in  the  wake  of  it,  stimulated  thereto  doubtless  by 
having  seen  how  interestingly  such  a  story  could  be  told.  And  as  scholar- 
ship too  finds  with  every  advancing  decade  more  materials  to  be  worked 
into  readable  history  and  valuable  information,  it  is  not  surprising  that 
the  present  decade  has  seen  initiated  a  history  of  New  York  city  on  a 
very  much  larger  scale  than  even  Mrs.  Lamb's,  but  conducted  by  several 
investigators  at  the  same  time.  Many  tokens  of  appreciation  of  a  flatter- 
ing nature  came  to  Mrs.  Lamb  as  the  result  of  her  achievement. 

At  the  time  of  her  death  she  was  a  member  of  many  learned  societies, 
two  among  which  she  prized  peculiarly — the  American  Historical  Associa- 
tion, of  which  she  was  a  life  member,  and  the  Clarendon  Historical  Society 
of  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  of  which  she  was  made  a  fellow. 

In  1883,  two  years  after  completing  her  history,  Mrs.  Lamb  purchased 
the  Magazine  of  American  History,  and  assumed  the  editorial  direc- 
tion of  it  herself.  Although  it  had  then  been  issued  a  few  years,  this 
periodical  felt  at  once  the  stimulus  of  a  new  life  when  Mrs.  Lamb  assumed 
the  editorship.  Her  name  alone  gave  it  prestige,  but  the  nature  of  the 
contents  kept  on  augmenting  its  reputation,  and  ere  long  it  held  easily 
the  foremost  rank  amid  publications  of  this  kind.  No  cultured  home  could 
afford  to  be  without  its  valuable  and  unique  information,  illuminating  alike 
topics  of  a  larger  and  of  a  minor  or  more  local  historical  interest.  Its 
scope  allowed  it  to  give  an  entree  to  papers  and  discussions  which  the 
popular  magazines  barred  out  as  too  "  dry,"  but  which,  somehow,  took 
color  and  new  interest  when  placed  before  the  people  in  these  pages.     The 

Vol.  XXIX.— No.  2.-9 


130 


MRS.    MARTHA    T-    LAMB 


conduct  of  the  magazine  has  tended  to  withdraw  Mrs.  Lamb  from  literary- 
activity  in  other  directions,  so  that  her  life  has  become  identified  with  its 
life,  and  at  her  death  it  remains  a  monument  to  her  uninterrupted  devotion 
to  historical  studies  even  when  old  age  was  coming  on  apace.  To  within 
a  few  days  of  her  death  her  time  and  thought  were  given  to  it.  Warned 
to  take  heed  to  herself  as  the  inclemency  of  the  weather  increased,  she 
stiil  persisted  in  her  daily  visits  to  the  office.  She  contracted  a  severe 
cold,  resulting  in  pneumonia.  As  the  old  year  passed  away  and  the  new 
year  came  in,  she  was  trembling  on  the  brink  of  the  grave;  and  early  on 
the  morning  of  Monday,  January  2,  1893,  her  useful  and  industrious  career 
was  terminated  by  a  peaceful  death. 


A   NORTH    CAROLINA    MONASTERY1 

By  J.  S.  Bassett 

Early  in  the  sixth  century  persecution  in  Rome  drove  Benedict  of 
Nursia  into  exile.  After  some  wandering  he  settled  at  Monte  Casino, 
and  drew  around  him  a  school  composed  of  a  few  associates  of  pious  inclina- 
tion, severe  habits,  and  unhesitating  devotion  to  duty.  His  fame  spread 
till  he  found  that  his  school  had  grown  to  large  numbers,  and  had  attracted 
students  from  all  Christendom.  Out  of  this  school  grew  the  monastery  of 
Monte  Casino,  and  out  of  the  monastery  developed  the  order  of  Bene- 
dictine monks.  To  estimate  the  influence  of  this  order  would  be  difficult. 
Speaking  broadly,  it  educated  Europe.  Whenever  a  colony  of  Benedict- 
ines went  out  among  the  barbarians,  it  became  a  centre  from  which  were 
spread  the  forces  of  enlightenment,  morality,  and  improved  economic  con- 
ditions. In  conducting  their  enterprises  their  spirits  were  heroic.  Win- 
ter blast,  sterile  soils,  and  rude  society,  did  not  deter  them.  To  the 
vicissitudes  of  nature  they  opposed  courage  and  industry;  to  the  rude- 
ness of  men  they  opposed  a  calm,  persevering,  Christ-like  spirit.  They 
were  well  suited  for  the  conditions  they  encountered.  They  strengthened 
the  cause  of  right,  protected  the  weak,  opposed  feudal  robbery,  and  in 
short,  during  the  six  centuries  following  the  establishing  of  the  order,  they 
exerted  a  generally  equalizing  influence  over  the  social  surface  of  Europe. 

They  fitted  so  well  into  the  past  that  we  are  accustomed  to  imagine 
that  they  belonged  there.  Unless  we  actually  stumble  on  their  long  black 
habits  we  forget  that  the  Benedictines  are  still  active  and  true  to  the  pur- 
poses of  their  teacher,  are  continually  sending  out  parties  to  found  new  col- 
leges or  new  abbeys.  The  writer  realized  this  not  long  ago,  when  he  had 
his  attention  called  to  the  Mary  Help  abbey,  near  Belmont,  North  Carolina. 

Perhaps  the  conditions  of  such  an  attempt  long  ago  would  be  repro- 
duced no  more  exactly  in  any  state  of  the  Union  than,  in  North  Carolina. 
This  is  without  doubt  the  most  non-Catholic  state  in  America.  Gaston 
county,  in  which  Belmont  is  situated,  is  perhaps  the  most  non-Catholic 
county  in  the  state.  It  lies  in  the  district  of  the  Cape  Fear  and  Catawba 
valleys,  within  which  the  Scotch  colonies  settled  in  the  eighteenth  century, 
and  the  inhabitants  are  mostly  Presbyterians.  At  the  time  the  enterprise 
began   there  were  only  eighteen   hundred    Catholics   in    the   whole  state. 

1  A  paper  read  before  the  Historical  Seminary  of  Johns  Hopkins  University,  December  16,  1892. 


1 32  A   NORTH    CAROLINA   MONASTERY 

Agriculture  in  the  south,  conducted  for  the  most  part  by  negro  labor,  is 
careless  and  superficial.  Society  has  not  entirely  emerged  from  the  semi- 
feudal  conditions  of  ante-bellum  days.  Taken  all  in  all,  it  seemed  that 
here  was  an  experiment,  an  investigation  of  which  would  be  of  interest 
both  to  the  historian  and  to  the  sociologist.  Through  the  kindness  of  the 
monks,  materials  were  easily  attainable,  and  it  was  comparatively  a  simple 
task  to  write  this  sketch  of  the  past  history  and  present  life  of  the  abbey. 

Since  the  days  of  Spanish  colonization  there  have  been  Benedictine 
foundations  in  South  and  Central  America;  but  not  till  1842  was  there 
one  in  the  United  States.  In  that  year  Arch-abbot  Wimmer  of  Munich, 
Bavaria,  founded  St.  Vincent's  abbey  in  Westmoreland  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania. This  is  the  parent  of  all  the  Benedictine  abbeys  now  in  this 
country.  Among  the  largely  Catholic  population  of  the  north  and  the 
west,  the  order  has  had  great  success  ;  but  for  a  time  the  south  remained 
to  them  an  unfallowed  field. 

In  the  year  1876  Rev.  Dr.  J.  J.  O'Connell  gave  for  establishing  a  colony 
a  plantation  of  five  hundred  acres,  situated  near  a  station  on  the  R.  &  D. 
R.R.,  then  known  as  Garibaldi,  but  since  changed  to  Belmont. 

So  far  as  the  natural  conditions  of  the  site  are  concerned,  they  could 
hardly  have  been  better  in  the  state.  The  climate  is  a  happy  medium 
between  the  cold  winters  of  the  mountains,  lying  fifty  or  more  miles  to  the 
west,  and  the  semi-tropical  seasons  of  the  Atlantic  coasts  just  below  Wil- 
mington. The  soil,  of  red  clay  mixed  with  sand,  is  capable  of  being  made 
very  fertile.  It  produces  cotton,  tobacco,  and  all  the  cereals.  Without 
cultivation  the  farmer  may  reap  enough  native  hay  for  his  stock.  Red 
clover  grows  to  great  advantage.  All  kinds  of  fruits  abound,  the  section 
being  the  home  of  the  Catawba  grape.  The  location  is  very  healthful. 
The  people  are,  perhaps,  more  intelligent  than  average  southern  farmers ; 
and  as  to  liquor  drinking,  they  boast  that  they  are  the  most  temperate  in 
North  Carolina.  Briefly,  the  spot  is  well  suited  for  intelligent,  diversified 
farming,  and  the  people  are  good  neighbors. 

The  design  of  the  Benedictines,  when  they  accepted  Dr.  O'Connell's 
gift,  was  to  erect  a  college  to  educate  priests  for  the  southern  work. 
Accordingly,  during  the  same  year,  Rev.  Dr.  Herman  Wolfe  led  out  the 
first  colony,  which  found  shelter  for  a  while  in  Dr.  O'Connell's  house.  The 
quiet  sons  of  the  Covenanters  were  surprised  at  the  sight  of  the  black-robed 
figures  about  their  old  neighbor's  premises.  Monks  !  They  had  never 
before  seen  one.  About  all  they  knew  of  such  beings  they  had  gotten 
from  the  impressive  pictures  of  Fox's  Book  of  Martyrs,  and  from  the  milk- 
and-water  stuff   that   is   usually  doled   out  to  children   by  Sunday-school 


A   NORTH    CAROLINA    MONASTERY  1 33 

libraries.  North  Carolina  is  such  a  strongly  dissenting  state,  that  in 
many  rural  districts  even  a  surpliced  Episcopal  clergyman  is  an  object  of 
interest.  Imagine,  then,  the  feelings  of  these  good  people  when  they  found 
themselves  face  to  face  with  real,  living  monks. 

The  Benedictines,  however,  settled  down  to  their  work  at  once.  With 
seven  or  eight  boys,  whom  they  gathered  with  much  effort,  the  teachers 
began  the  routine  work  of  what  had  been  called  "  Saint  Mary's  college." 
The  lay  brothers  went  to  their  tasks  in  kitchen,  workshop,  and  field,  and 
wherever  the  care  of  the  farm  took  them.  The  neighbors  found  them 
affable,  self-contained,  industrious,  and  strictly  honest  in  business  affairs. 
If  there  was  but  little  communication,  there  was  respect  and  no  ill-will  on 
either  side. 

The  first  work  of  Dr.  Wolfe  was  erecting  a  college  building.  He  soon 
had  ready  a  two-story  frame  house.  Four  years  later  a  three-story  brick 
building,  seventy-five  by  thirty-five  feet,  was  constructed  for  the  college, 
and  the  monks  used  the  wooden  structure  for  their  quarters. 

Nine  years  passed,  and  the  number  of  students  increased  from  eight  to 
sixteen  or  twenty.  The  mother  abbey  had  such  demands  from  the  north 
and  the  west  that  the  work  in  North  Carolina  was  not  pushed  very  ener- 
getically. Brothers  looked  on  Saint  Mary's  as  almost  a  place  of  exile. 
Failure  stared  the  young  college  in  the  face.  Arch-abbot  Wimmer,  realiz- 
ing that  something  must  be  done  to  prevent  dissolution,  applied  to  Rome 
to  have  Saint  Mary's  erected  into  an  independent  abbey.  The  request 
was  granted,  and  the  new  abbey  was  called  Mary  Help. 

After  much  effort  a  small  band  of  volunteers  was  secured,  who  agreed 
to  go  south  and  take  the  new  work  in  hand.  On  July  14,  1885,  these 
assembled  in  the  chapter  house  of  Saint  Vincent's  to  elect  an  abbot. 
This  election  must  be  held  in  strict  accord  with  canon  law,  and  the  utmost 
secrecy  must  be  observed.  The  unanimous  choice  fell  on  Rev.  Leo  Haid, 
secretary,  chaplain,  and  professor  at  Saint  Vincent's.  A  better  man  for  the 
place  it  would  have  been  hard  to  find,  He  is  well  known  in  Catholic  circles 
as  an  orator,  and  his  success  with  Mary  Help  abbey  has  been  remarkable. 

By  the  fall  opening  the  sixteen  students  had  increased  to  forty-five. 
To-day,  seven  years  later,  it  is  over  a  hundred.  Plans  were  made  for  a  new 
college  building  to  be  erected  in  parts.  In  1887  the  east  wing,  seventy-five 
by  sixty  feet,  was  completed.  It  is  of  brick,  three  stories  high,  with  a  base- 
ment. In  1888  the  central  building,  fifty-four  by  sixty  feet,  was  put  up. 
The  west  wing,  of  the  same  size  as  the  east  wing,  remains  to  be  built. 
In  1891  they  added  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  to  the  old  college  build- 
ing, and  now  use  it  for  an  abbey.     At  the  present  time  they  are  building 


154  A   NORTH   CAROLINA    MONASTERY 

an  abbey  church.  It  is  to  be  a  handsome  Gothic  structure,  one  hundred 
and  fifteen  by  fifty-four  feet. 

Besides.  Mary  Help  has  become  a  mother  abbey.  In  1887  Abbot 
Haid  erected  a  high  school  in  Richmond,  Virginia.  In  1891  he  opened 
Saint  Leo's  military  college  at  Clear  Lake,  Florida.  The  buildings  of  the 
latter  are  ample,  and  the  institution  is  said  to  be  in  a  flourishing  condition. 

In  18S8  Abbot  Haid  was  consecrated  bishop  of  Messene  and  vicar 
apostolic  of  North  Carolina.  He  refused  to  resign  his  abbatial  position, 
and  by  a  special  arrangement,  common  in  ancient  times,  but  never  before 
employed  in  the  United  States,  he  was  allowred  to  fulfill  his  new  duties 
and  still  to  retain  his  office  as  abbot. 

In  casting  up  the  general  statistics  of  the  abbey  at  the  end  of  the 
seventh  year  of  its  existence,  it  is  seen  that  the  membership  has  increased 
from  four  priests,  four  sub-deacons,  two  clerics,  and  four  lay  brothers  in 
1885,  to  seventeen  priests,  two  deacons,  six  clerics,  three  novices,  twenty- 
two  lay  brothers,  and  eighteen  lay  novices  and  candidates  in  1892  ;  that 
is  to  say,  a  growth  from  fourteen  to  sixty-eight.  Moreover,  two  hundred 
and  fourteen  acres  of  land  have  been  added  to  the  original  farm,  thus 
making  seven  hundred  and  fourteen  acres  in  one  tract. 

The  condition  of  the  farm  is  much  better  than  it  was  originally.  Land 
has  been  improved  by  careful  and  studied  cultivation,  and  blooded  stock 
has  been  gradually  introduced.  All  supplies  needed  have  been  raised  by 
the  monks.  In  the  winter  of  1885-86,  with  four  cows  and  two  horses  to 
keep,  the  abbot  had  to  buy  hay  ;  now  he  has  feed  in  abundance  for  his 
thirty  head  of  cattle  and  seven  horses.  The  system  of  agriculture  is  the 
most  modern,  and  the  farm  has  become  a  model  for  the  neighbors.  A 
large  orchard  furnishes  fruit  for  home  consumption,  with  a  small  amount 
for  sale,  while  the  abbey  vineyard  furnishes  wine  for  table  use  and  for 
sacramental  purposes.  Incidentally,  it  may  be  remarked  that  land  in  the 
immediate  vicinity  has  increased  in  value  during  the  last  eight  years  from 
eight  or  ten  dollars  to  twenty-five  or  thirty  dollars  an  acre. 

It  is  undoubtedly  a  fact  that  the  abbey  is  becoming  very  wealthy.  It 
is  equally  true,  I  am  informed,  that  it  is  all  through  the  efforts  of  the 
monks  themselves.  They  have  received  no  outside  aid.  While  individ- 
ual farmers  have  become  poor,  they  have  become  wealthy ;  and  this  while 
educating  without  charge  their  own  candidates  and  many  other  students. 

The  cause  lies  in  two  facts:  (1)  The  organization  of  the  labor  forces 
of  the  abbey,  and  (2)  the  manner  of  life  of  the  monks  themselves. 

Monasticism  is  the  purest  type  of  communism.  All  property  is  held 
in  common.      A  monk  can  neither  give  nor  receive  anything  without  the 


A   NORTH  CAROLINA    MONASTERY  I  35 

consent  of  the  abbot.  Whatever  he  produces,  goes  into  the  common 
store  ;  whatever  he  needs  for  his  simple  wants  he  gets  from  this  store 
through  the  procurator.  The  saving  is  great.  The  abbot  has  control  of 
all  expenditure.  He  also  directs  the  entire  life  of  the  members  of  the 
order.  He  assigns  each  one  his  work  according  to  what  he  thinks  is  his 
most  profitable  adaptability.  The  member  must  submit.  If  he  thinks 
his  task  is  impossible,  he  may  tell  his  superior  so  in  a  spirit  of  gentleness 
and  patience;  but  if  the  abbot  still  thinks  that  he  should  do  the  work, 
then  the  disciple  must  yield,  and  no  more  objection  is  allowed. 

Although  the  abbot  is  elected  as  in  a  perfect  democracy,  he  holds 
power  almost  as  if  he  were  an  autocrat.  He  is  largely  independent  of 
higher  authority,  and  to  him  every  monk  is  responsible  for  the  correct  per- 
formance of  his  duty.  He  is  head  farmer,  head  teacher — supreme  over 
each  department.  He  thinks  out  the  plans  of  the  monastery;  he  directs 
their  execution.  Bishop  Haid  is  professor  of  moral  theology  in  the  col- 
lege, and  works  as  the  other  teachers.  He  may  often,  when  other  duties 
allow,  be  seen  in  the  fields  working  with  the  lay  brothers. 

The  routine  life  of  the  monks,  just  as  it  was  a  dozen  or  more  centuries 
ago,  is  severe  and  simple.  They  arise  at  3.45  o'clock,  at  the  summons  of 
the  abbey  bell,  spend  two  hours  in  prayer  and  meditation,  partake  of  a 
slight  breakfast,  and  then  go  about  their  daily  tasks.  Study,  rest,  and  rec- 
reation are  duly  provided  for.  At  9  o'clock  in  the  evening  all  retire.  The 
religious  motive  drives  away  rivalry  and  discontent.  Each  one  works 
from  a  sense  of  religious  duty.  The  abbot  says  they  do  not  need  watch- 
ing ;  he  always  knows  they  are  doing  their  duty. 

The  health  of  the  community  is  excellent.  If  we  except  attendance 
due  to  accidents  from  the  use  of  machinery,  the  physicians'  fees  do  not 
reach  ten  dollars  a  year.  There  are  some  persons  at  hard  work  at  the 
advanced  age  of  seventy- five  or  seventy-eight  years.  From  the  monks' 
standpoint  the  abbey  is  represented  as  a  delightful  place  to  live  in. 

Monasticism  as  compared  with  communism  has  one  decided  advantage: 
No  man  is  born  a  monk.  It  has  been  the  fate  of  the  attempts  in  the  past 
to  establish  societies  on  the  communistic  basis,  that  as  soon  as  the  origi- 
nal members  have  been  replaced  by  a  younger.generation,  their  own  chil- 
dren for  the  most  part,  the  project  has  failed.  Taking  the  vows  of  monastic 
life  is  a  thing  of  choice,  and  is  backed  by  the  strongest  religious  motives. 
Monasticism  looks  to  earnest  conviction  for  its  continued  existence  ;  com- 
munism must  rely  on  the  fortuitous  circumstances  of  birth. 


BAYARD    TAYLOR 
By  The  Editor 

Many  interesting'  and  pleasant  memories  are  associated  with  the  name 
oi  one  who  has  a  just  claim  to  what  Halleck  happily  called 

"  That  frailer  thing-  than  leaf  or  flower, 
A  poet's  immortality  ;  " 


— whose  brief  and  brilliant  career,  "the  truly  American  story  of  a  grand, 
cheerful,  active,  self-developing,  self-sustaining  life,  remains  as  an  enduring 
inheritance  for  all  coming  generations." 

Bayard  Taylor,  journalist,  traveler,  poet,  critic,  novelist,  and  lecturer, 
was  born  in  Kermett  Square,  the  name  of  a  pleasant  and  pretty  rural  vil- 
lage in  Chester  county,  Pennsylvania,  Jan- 
uary ii,  1825.  He  was  descended  from  a 
Quaker  family,  and  breathed  from  the 
first  a  moral  atmosphere  as  pure  and 
healthful  as  the  mountain  air  in  which 
his  infancy  was  cradled.  His  entrance 
upon  active  life  was  as  an  apprentice  in  a 
printing  office,  where  he  began  to  learn 
the  trade  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  receiv- 
ing a  new  impulse  to  his  imperfect  studies, 
and  in  some  sense  supplying  the  defects 
of  his  early  education.  In  GraJiam  s 
Magazine  for  May,  1843,  there  is  a  poem 
of  his,  entitled  "  Modern  Greece,"  signed 
J.  B.  Taylor,  and  another  in  August, 
1844,  called  "The  Nameless  Bird."  In 
the  following  year  he  ceased  to  use  his 
r  /  first  name  of  James,  and  began  to  call 
himself  J.  Bayard  Taylor,  which  he  had 
seldom  done  before,  and  under  that  arrangement  of  his  patronymic  ap- 
peared in  the  same  magazine  as  the  author  of  "  Night  on  the  Deep  "  and 
"  The  Poet's  Ambition."  By  this  time  the  promise  of  his  life  had  been 
recognized  by  several  Philadelphians,  who  kindly  advanced  the  young 
writer  the   necessary  means  to  enable  him  to  visit   Europe,  and  he  com- 


£U 


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Jci^o/o^ 


BAYARD    TAYLOR  I  37 

mcnced  his  adventurous  journey  with  knapsack  and  pilgrim  staff.  On 
the  eve  of  departure  for  the  Old  World  he  published  a  volume  entitled 
Ximcna  and  Other  Poems,  a  brochure  almost  as  rare  as  George  Bancroft's 
poems,  or  the  little  volume  of  Judge  Story's  called  Reason  and  Other 
Poems,  all  of  which  are  now  lying  on  my  library  table. 

Soon  after  his  return  to  his  native  land  Taylor  published  the  fruits  of 
his  foreign  travel  and  study  in  Views  Afoot,  a  volume  which  has  always 
been  a  favorite  with  the  public,  as  it  was  with  its  author.  After  a  brief 
course  of  literary  activity  in  Pennsylvania  he  shook  off  the  dust  of  rural 
life  from  his  feet,  and  early  in  1848  appeared  in  New  York.  Here  he 
became  attached  to  the  staff  of  the  Tribune — a  connection  which  continued 
for  three  decades.  A  year  later  he  made  a  journey  to  California,  return- 
ing by  way  of  Mexico.  Before  his  departure,  in  185  1,  on  a  protracted  tour 
in  the  East,  he  had  made  the  acquaintance  of  Longfellow,  Whittier,  and 
Holmes,  and  of  the  New  York  literati  Bryant,  Halleck,  Willis,  Poe,  Mor- 
ris, Park  Benjamin,  and  the  brothers  Duyckinck,  and  had  published  two 
additional  volumes  of  poems,  also  Eldorado;  or,  Adventures  in  the  Path 
of  Empire — a  peculiarly  popular  book. 

A  few  days  after  his  return  from  his  third  tour,  Taylor  told  me  that  he 
had  traveled  fifty  thousand  miles.  His  letters  describing  the  journey 
appeared  from  time  to  time  in  the  Tribune,  and  later  in  a  series  of  uniform 
volumes.  During  all  this  period  Taylor  was  becoming  a  proficient  in  many 
modern  languages,  of  which  the  German  was  a  favorite  as  early  as  his 
twenty-first  year;  and  he  had  become  a  most  popular  lecturer,  appearing 
in  all  the  principal  cities  and  towns  of  the  northern,  middle,  and  western 
states.  He  made  a  fourth  tour  in  1856-58,  and  in  1862-63  was  Secretary 
of  Legation  at  St.  Petersburg,  acting  for  a  time  as  charge  d' affaires.  In 
1874  the  poet-traveler  revisited  Egypt,  attended  the  millennial  celebration 
in  Iceland,  and  on  his  return,  during  the  same  year,  published  an  interest- 
ing account  of  his  journeys  to  those  distant  lands.  His  latest  and  most 
ambitious  poetical  work,  entitled  Prince  Deukalion,  appeared  but  a  few 
days  before  his  death. 

Taylor's  accurate  knowledge  of  foreign  countries  was  utilized  by  Amer- 
ican publishers,  who  employed  him  to  edit  at  one  time  a  Cyclopcedia  of 
Modern  Travel,  at  another  an  Illustrated  Library  of  Travel  in  eight  vol- 
umes. He  edited,  with  George  Ripley,  a  Handbook  of  Literature  and  Fine 
Arts,  and  was  the  author  of  numerous  novels  and  short  stories,  perhaps 
the  best  of  which  is  called  Can  a  Life  Hide  Itself  ?  The  most  ambitious 
attempt  of  Taylor's  authorship  was  his  admirable  metrical  translation  of 
Faust,  issued  in  1870-71.     It  is  not  speaking  too  strongly  to  pronounce  it 


I38  BAYARD    TAYLOR 

a  marvel  of  poetic  diction,  and  the  best  annotated  edition  of  the  greatest 
German  poem  yet  written.  Had  he  been  spared  a  few  years  longer  to  the 
world,  he  would  have  enriched  it  with  a  life  of  Goethe— a  task  for  which 
he  was  perhaps  of  all  men  best  fitted.     But,  alas  !  the  book  is  unwritten. 

In  his  ever-active,  busy  career  as  a  professional  literary  man  Taylor  pro- 
duced, edited,  and  translated,  between  the  years  1844  and  1878,  no  less 
than  fifty-two  volumes,  a  harvest  surpassed  by  few  whose  labors  have 
covered  much  longer  periods.  Added  to  all  this,  there  was  much  good 
work  of  various  kinds  in  the  New  York  Tribune,  with  which  he  was  so 
lone  identified,  in  contributions  to  the  North  American  Review  and  to  the 
Atlantic,  Harper 's,  and  Scribners  monthlies,  and  in  the  numerous  lectures 
and  addresses  delivered  during  nearly  three  decades.  His  last  published 
writing,  and  also,  I  believe,  his  latest  composition,  was  the  poem  tribu- 
tary to  Bryant,  "  Epicedium,"  which  first  appeared  a  few  days  after  Tay- 
lor's death.  What  could  more  touchingly  herald  the  tidings  of  Taylor's 
obsequies  in  a  foreign  land  than  this  fifth  stanza  of  his  own  "  Epicedium  " 
for  the  venerable  poet  who  preceded  him  but  so  short  a  time  on  the  last 
journey  to  that  land  from  whence  no  returning  envoy  comes? 

"  And  last,  ye  Forms,  with  shrouded  face, 

Hiding  the  features  of  your  woe, 
That  on  the  fresh  sod  of  his  buriai-place 

Your  myrtle,  oak,  and  laurel  throw — 

Who  are  ye  ? — whence  your  silent  sorrow  ? 
Strange  is  your  aspect,  alien  your  attire  : 

Shall  we,  who  knew  him,  borrow 
Your  unknown  speech  for  Grief's  august  desire  ? 

Lo  !  one,  with  lifted  brow 
Says  :   '  Nay,  he  knew  and  loved  me  :  I  am  Spain  !  ' 

Another  :   '  I  am  Germany, 

Drawn  sadly  nearer  now 
By  songs  of  his  and  mine  that  make  one  strain, 
Though  parted  by  the  world-dividing  sea  !  ' 

And  from  the  hills  of  Greece  there  blew 
A  wind  that  shook  the  olives  of  Peru, 

Till  all  the  world  that  knew, 
Or,  knowing  not,  shall  yet  awake  to  know 
The  sweet  humanity  that  fused  his  song, 

The  haughty  challenge  unto  Wrong, 
And  for  the  trampled  Truth  his  fearless  blow, 

Acknowledged  his  exalted  mood 
Of  faith  achieved  in  song-born  solitude, 

And  give  him  high  acclaim, 
With  those  who  followed  Good,  and  found  it  Fame  !  " 


BAYARD    TAYLOR  1 39 

Notwithstanding  the  enormous  amount  of  his  intellectual  labor,  it  was 
all  well  done,  and  in  the  highest  degree  of  perfection  of  which  he  was 
capable.  I  spoke  to  him  once  of  his  literary  tasks,  and  remarked  that  it 
was  often  so  urgent  and  hastily  executed  that  I  supposed  he  grew  careless 
and  indifferent  about  its  quality  ;  but  he  answered  in  strangely  strong  terms, 
"No;  in  all  this  various  work  that  you  allude  to,  I  am  always  as  much  in 
earnest  to  do  my  best  as  if  salvation  for  all  time  depended  upon  it." 

"  This  is  not  the  place,"  remarks  the  Tribune,  "  tor  a  critical  estimate  of  his  writings, 
but  there  is  one  conspicuous  quality  in  them  which  shone  so  brightly  also  in  his  personal 
character  that  we  cannot  pass  it  over  here  in  silence.  That  quality  is  honesty.  It  is  seen 
in  the  frank  simplicity  of  his  style,  the  thoroughness  of  his  workmanship,  the  clearness  of 
his  opinions,  the  fidelity  with  which  he  held  through  life  to  his  chosen  work,  sparing  no 
pains  to  produce  the  very  best  of  which  he  was  capable,  however  small  the  subject  or 
trivial  the  reward.  Nobody  could  read  one  of  his  books  without  feeling  the  influence  of 
this  virtue.  Nobody  could  know  him  without  perceiving  that  this  high  literary  merit  was 
a  reflex  of  an  earnest  and  simple  nature.  If  there  is  a  long  remembrance  for  honest  men, 
there  is  no  less  a  long  life  for  honest  books.  It  is  a  golden  lesson  for  authors  and  jour- 
nalists, that  in  this  instance  literary  honesty  and  personal  uprightness  have  secured  a 
brilliant  success  in  life,  and  an  enduring  reputation." 

The  American  government  has  during  the  present  century  appointed 
many  men  of  letters  to  represent  the  republic  as  ambassadors  and  consuls, 
who  have  shown  that  an  accomplished  man  of  letters  may  also  be  a  skillful 
diplomat  and  thorough  man  of  business — may,  in  fact,  be  the  "  Perfect 
Ambassador  "  of  the  old  Spanish  treatise.  Beginning  in  1810  with  Barlow, 
the  United  States  has  since  been  represented  abroad  by  Wheaton,  Ban- 
croft, Irving,  Hawthorne,  Motley,  Marsh,  Theodore  S.  Fay,  Bigelow, 
Boker,  Lowell,  Howells,  Bret  Harte,  and  John  Hay ;  but  it  may  be 
questioned  whether  any  one  of  these  were  better  fitted  to  represent  our 
country  at  the  post  to  which  he  was  accredited  than  was  Bayard  Taylor 
when  appointed  by  President  Hayes  to  the  court  of  Berlin — an  appointment 
which  met  with  the  unanimous  approval  of  the  press  and  people.  The 
poet  departed  for  his  new  field  of  labor  in  April,  1878,  and  ere  the  close  of 
the  year  came  the  startling  and  unlooked-for  intelligence  of  his  death,  on 
Thursday  afternoon,  December  19.  His  funeral  services  were  celebrated 
in  Berlin  on  the  Sunday  following,  Dr.  Joseph  P.  Thompson,  formerly  of 
New  York,  and  Berthold  Auerbach,  the  German  poet,  making  appropriate 
and  impressive  addresses  in  the  presence  of  an  immense  concourse  of  people. 

Many  meetings  in  honor  of  the  poet's  memory  were  held  in  New  York 
and  elsewhere.  At  one  of  these  gatherings,  which  occurred  in  Tremont 
temple,  Boston,  on  the  evening  of  January  15,  1879,  a  rare  combination  was 


[40  HA YARD    TAYLOR 

witnessed,  which  no  one  who  had  the  good  fortune  to  be  present  will  ever 
forget — namely,  the  following  poem,  written  for  the  occasion  by  Henry  W. 
Longfellow,   and   read   by  Oliver  Wendell   Holmes,  who  prefaced  it  with 

these  well-chosen  words  : 

"  I  can  hardly  ask  your  attention  to  the  lines  which  -Mr.  Longfellow  has  written  and 
done  me  the  honor  of  asking  me  to  read,  without  a  few  words  of  introduction.  The  poem 
should  have  flowed  from  his  own  lips,  in  those  winning  accents,  too  rarely  heard  in  any 
assembly,  and  never  forgotten  by  those  who  have  listened  to  them.  But  its  tenderness 
and  sweetness  are  such  that  no  imperfection  of  utterance  can  quite  spoil  its  harmonies. 
There  are  tones  in  the  contralto  of  our  beloved  poet's  melodious  song  that  were  born  with 
it,  and  must  die  with  it  when  its  music  is  silenced.  A  tribute  from  such  a  singer  would 
honor  the  obsequies  of  the  proudest  sovereign,  would  add  freshness  to  the  laurels  of  the  might- 
iest conqueror;  but  he  who  this  evening  has  this  tribute  laid  upon  his  head  wore  no  crown 
save  that  which  the  sisterhood  of  the  Muses  wove  for  him.  His  victories  were  all  peaceful 
ones,  and  there  was  no  heartache  after  any  one  of  them.  His  life  was  a  journey  through 
many  lands  of  men,  through  realms  of  knowledge.  He  left  his  humble  door  in  boyhood, 
poor,  untrained,  unknown,  unheralded,  unattended.  He  found  himself  onceat  least — as  I 
well  remember  his  telling  me — hungry  and  well-nigh  penniless  in  the  streets  of  a  European 
city,  feasting  his  eyes  at  a  baker's  window  and  tightening  his  girdle  in  place  of  a  repast. 

"Once  more  he  left  his  native  land,  now  in  the  strength  of  manhood,  known  and  hon- 
ored throughout  the  world  of  letters,  the  sovereignty  of  the  nation  investing  him  with  its 
mantle  of  dignity,  the  laws  of  civilization  surrounding  him  with  the  halo  of  their  inviolable 
sanctity  ;  the  boy  who  went  forth  to  view  the  world  afoot  on  equal  footing  with  the  poten- 
tates and  princes  who  by  right  of  birth  or  by  right  of  intellect  swayed  the  destinies  of 
great  empires.  He  returns  to  us  no  more  as  we  remember  him  ;  but  his  career,  his 
example,  the  truly  American  story  of  a  grand,  cheerful,  active,  self-developing,  self-sus- 
taining life,  remains  as  an  enduring  inheritance  for  all  coming  generations." 

"  Dead  he  lay  among  his  books, 
The  peace  of  God  was  in  his  looks. 
As  the  statues  in  the  gloom 
Watch  o'er  Maximilian's  tomb, 
So  these  volumes,  from  their  shelves. 
Watch  him,  silent  as  themselves. 
Ah  !  his  hand  will  nevermore 
Turn  their  storied  pages  o'er! 
Nevermore  his  lips  repeat 
Songs  of  theirs,  however  sweet  ! 
Let  the  lifeless  body  rest, 
He  is  gone  who  was  its  guest. 
Gone,  as  travelers  haste  to  leave 
An  inn,  nor  tarry  until  eve. 
Traveler,  in  what  realms  afar  ; 
In  what  planet,  in  what  star; 
In  what  vast  aerial  space, 
Shines  the  light  upon  thy  face  ? 


BAYARD    TAYLOR  141 

In  what  gardens  of  delight 
Rest  thy  weary  feet  to-night  ? 
Poet  !  thou  whose  latest  verse 
Was  a  garland  on  thy  hearse— 
Thou  hast  sung  with  organ  tone, 
In  Deukalion 's  life  thine  own. 
On  the  ruins  of  the  past 
Blooms  the  perfect  flower  at  last. 
Friend  !  but  yesterday  the  bells 
Rang  for  thee  their  loud  farewells  ; 
And  to-day  they  toll  for  thee, 
Lying  dead  beyond  the  sea  : 
Lying  dead  among  thy  books, 
The  peace  of  God  in  all  thy  looks." 

Memory  recalls  to  me  that  I  was  a  schoolboy  on  College  Hill,  Pough- 
keepsie,  when  Taylor  first  lectured  in  that  town,  and  when  I  first  saw  him 
at  a  supper-party  under  my  father's  hospitable  roof.  He  possessed  what 
old  Fuller  quaintly  called  a  "  handsome  man-case,"  and  was,  I  think,  the 
tallest  of  American  poets,  standing  over  six  feet.  Later  in  life  he  came  to 
resemble  a  Teuton  in  look  and  bearing,  and  was  greatly  changed  from  my 
early  recollections,  when  he  possessed  a  slight  figure  and  something  of  the 
Grecian  type  in  head  and  face,  as  represented  in  an  early  portrait  of  him, 
seated  on  the  roof  of  a  house  in  Damascus,  painted  by  Thomas  Hicks. 
There  comes  back  to  me  the  remembrance  of  many  delightful  meetings 
with  Bayard  Taylor  during  a  period  of  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century. 
One  of  the  earliest  occurred  in  a  western  city.  He  appointed  a  rendez- 
vous, and,  escaping  from  his  lecture  committee,  he  came  to  the  trysting- 
place,  bringing  Maurice  Strakosch,  and  introducing  him  as  a  friend  and  the 
composer  of  music  to  one  of  his  (Taylor's)  earliest  poems.  How  many 
hours  we  sat  and  smoked  and  sang  and  told  stories  and  talked  music  and 
art  and  poetry  over  our  good  Rhenish  wine,  I  will  not  venture  to  say.  I 
was  then  fresh  from  my  first  visit  to  Europe,  and  was  brimful  of  Mario, 
Grisi,  and  Lablache,  of  famous  pictures  and  of  literary  celebrities,  and  so 
found  great  delight  in  the  conversation  of  my  companions  and  seniors. 
Some  years  later  we  had  another  joyous  evening,  dining  together  in  com- 
pany with  Halleck.  Taylor  told  us,  referring  to  the  short  berths  in  the 
sleeping-cars,  that  his  legs  were  too  long  for  a  lecturer,  and  that  he  should 
stop  that  business  as  soon  as  "  Cedarcroft  "  was  finished  and  paid  for.  If 
my  memory  serves  me,  he  said  that  it  was  entirely  built  with  the  proceeds 
of  his  lecturing.  Taylor  related  a  little  incident  of  railway  travel  in  Ger- 
many.    During  his  conversation  with  a  fellow-passenger  it  soon  became 


14-  BAYARD  TAYLOR 

evident  that  they  were  both  great  travelers.  At  length,  on  inquiring 
each  other's  names,  the  fact  was  developed  that  each  was  well  known  to 
the  other  by  reputation.  They  had  some  junketing  together,  and  after- 
wards became  warm  friends,  and,  I  believe,  correspondents.  Taylor's  com- 
panion was  Ferdinand  von  Hockselter,  the  well-known  German  traveler 
and  geologist,  who  died  in  Vienna  in  July,  1884,  and  whose  writings  have 
made  his  name  as  well  known  throughout  the  scientific  world  as  that  of 
Bayard  Taylor  is  in  the  field  of  belles-lettres.  This  is  the  incident  that 
gave  rise  to  the  story  of  a  similar  meeting  with  Humboldt,  of  whom  it  was 
untruthfully  and  maliciously  asserted  that  he  said,  "  Bayard  Taylor  has 
traveled  more  and  seen  less  than  any  man  I  ever  met!" 

The  last  time  Mr.  Taylor  was  in  my  house  was  in  May,  1877,  when  he 
came  to  meet  the  divers  dignitaries  who  honored  the  unveiling  of  the  statue 
of  Fitz-Greene  Halleck  in  the  Central  Park,  Bryant  and  Boker  and  Curtis 
being  among  the  other  authors  present,  while  the  late  President  Hayes 
and  his  cabinet,  with  the  general  of  the  army  and  the  vice-admiral  of  the 
navy,  assembled  to  do  especial  grace  to  the  memory  of  that  poet.  And 
the  last  time  that  I  met  him  was  at  the  Goethe  Club  reception  given  at  Del- 
monico's,  on  the  eve  of  his  departure  for  Germany.  The  same  society  that 
gave  him  such  a  brilliant  send-off  held  a  meeting  in  honor  of  his  memory. 
Said  one  of  the  speakers  :  "  The  circles  of  our  felicities  make  short  arches ! 
Who  shall  question  the  wise  axiom  of  Sir  Thomas  Browne,  the  stout  old 
knight  of  Norwich,  when  he  thinks  upon  the  bright  sunshine  of  the  meet- 
ing of  this  club  but  a  few  short  months  ago,  and  the  sombre  shadows  which 
hang  over  us  here  to-night?  Then,  with  song  and  dance  and  wine,  we 
wished  '  God-speed  '  to  the  prosperous  poet  on  his  way  to  an  honorable 
post  in  a  distant  land  ;  this  evening  we  meet  together  again  to  mourn  over 
his  untimely  death — the  important  literary  undertaking  of  his  life,  as  he 
deemed  it,  and  of  which  he  had  so  long  dreamed  as  likely  to  forever  link 
his  name  with  that  of  Germany's  greatest  poet — the  life  of  Goethe,  his 
magnum  opus,  unfinished,  if  indeed  begun.  Full  of  honors  if  not  of  years, 
he  passed  to  his  rest  ;  and  he  is  properly  entitled  to  a  place  among  the 
Dii  minores  of  modern  poetry!  "  It  may  be  added  that  a  few  months  later 
his  mortal  remains  were  brought  back  from  Berlin,  and  on  Saturday,  March 
15,  1879,  were  buried  with  suitable  honors  in  Longwood  Cemetery  in  his 
native  county. 

"  Such  graves  as  his  are  pilgrim  shrines, 
Shrines  to  no  code  or  creed  confined — 
The  Delphian  vales,  the  Palestines, 
The  Meccas  of  the  mind." 


BAYARD    TAYLOR 


143 


The  aged  parents  of  the  poet  survived  him,  and  lived  to  celebrate  the 
sixty-sixth  anniversary  of  their  marriage,  which  took  place  in  the  year 
1 81 8.  Joseph  Taylor,  his  venerable  father,  who  was  born  at  Kennett 
Square  in  1795,  and  had  always  resided  there,  died  June  23,  1885,  and  two 
days  later  was  buried  by  the  side  of  his  sons  Bayard  and  Frederick — the 
latter  the  Benjamin  of  the  flock,  who  fell  on  the  field  of  Gettysburg.  His 
mother,  Rebecca,  lived  to  the  age  of  ninety-three,  dying  at  Kennett  Square, 
February  18,  1891. 

Among  the  many  portraits  of  Mr.  Taylor  is  an  interesting  and  admira- 
ble photograph  taken  in  1869  by  Brady  at  the  time  of  the  unveiling  of  the 
bust  of  Alexander  von  Humboldt  in  the  Central  Park.  Around  a  table, 
on  which  stands  a  model  of  the  bust,  are  seated  Mr.  Bryant,  Mr.  Bancroft, 
and  Mr.  Taylor,  while  leaning  on  the  back  of  Mr.  Bancroft's  chair  stands 
George  H.  Boker.  The  lapse  of  a  few  years  made  striking  changes  in  the 
appearance  of  all  these  authors.  Mr.  Bryant  wore  his  hair  much  shorter 
then  than  was  usual  during  his  later  years.  The  upper  lip  was  shaven, 
and  the  whole  expression  was  less  venerable,  while  more  practical  and 
severe.  Mr.  Bancroft  looked  like  a  rather  thin  and  well-preserved  English- 
man, with  white  side-whiskers  and  smoothly  shaven  chin  and  lips.  Boker 
and  Taylor  were  both  without  gray  hairs,  and  the  former  especially  had 
the  look  of  an  alert,  active,  handsome  man  of  thirty-five  or  forty  at  the 
most.  Mr.  Taylor  shows  in  the  picture  at  his  very  best — strong,  earnest, 
and  in  the  full  prime  of  manly  vigor. 

From  Taylor's  letters  and  notes  and  manuscript  poems,  of  which  I  have 
in  my  garner  a  goodly  sheaf,  including  the  original  of  his  admirable  address 
delivered  at  the  unveiling  of  the  Halleck  monument  at  Guilford  on  the 
seventy-ninth  anniversary  of  the  poet's  birth,  I  take  a  few  extracts.  The 
earliest  is  a  boyish  epistle  addressed  to  the  poet  Halleck,  dated  West 
Chester,  Pa.,  August  16,  1842.      He  writes: 

"Wishing  to  make  a  collection  of  the  autographs  of  distinguished  American  authors, 
I  have  taken  the  liberty  of  requesting  yours,  trusting  that  my  admiration  of  your  poems 
may  serve  as  an  excuse  for  my  boldness.  I  have  obtained  the  autographs  of  Irving,  Whit- 
tier,  and  some  others,  and  hope  to  be  able  to  obtain  yours.  By  sending  it  with  the  bearer 
you  will  confer  a  lasting  favor  on  yours  truly,  J.  Bayard  Taylor." 

Writing  to  a  friend  from  Switzerland  in  1856,  the  poet  says: 

"Sitting  by  the  blue  rushing  waters  of  the  arrowy  Rhone,  with  a  vile  Swiss  cigar  in 
my  mouth,  I  think  of  you  and  of  that  precious  box  whose  contents  have  long  since  van- 
ished into  thin  air.  I  smoked  some  of  them  in  Stratford,  and  before  Anne  Hathaway 's 
cottage.     I  gave  a  few  to  Thackeray,  to  puff  off  the  first  chapters  of  his  new  novel  ;  one 


144  BAYARD    TAYLOR 

of  them  made  a  fast  friend  of  a  Gascon  coachman  in  the  Bois  de  Boulogne;  I  flung-  the 
stump  of  another  into  the  Rhine  at  the  feet  of  the  Loreley  ;  and  the  last  were  consumed  in 
my  own  beechen  arbors  in  Germany,  beside  my  fountain  and  my  laughing  fauns.  The 
memory  of  those  blue  clouds  brings  tears  into  my  eyes  and  sorrow  into  my  soul." 

In  a  letter  dated  Cedarcroft,  near  Kennett  Square,  Pa.,  November  5, 
1  $60,  Mr.  Taylor  writes: 

"  I  have  a  new  book  of  poems  coming  out  in  a  month  or  so — v  The  Poet's  Journal ' — 
some  two  hundred  pages  of  new  material.  I  have  been  spending  the  summer  in  this 
Arcadian  retreat  ;  "  and  adds,  "Yours,  about  to  vote  for  Lincoln." 

The  most  laconic  note  I  ever  received  or  saw  was  an  acceptance  from 
Taylor  of  an  invitation  to  meet  a  few  friends  at  dinner  in  November,  i860. 
It  consisted  of  the  single  word  "  Coming,"  written  under  a  neatly  executed 
pen-and-ink  drawing  of  the  dial  of  a  clock,  with  the  hands  pointing  to  the 
appointed  hour  of  seven.  To  this,  as  I  remember,  was  nothing  more 
added  but  "  Bayard  Taylor."  A  beautiful  woman  wanted  it,  and  I  weakly 
parted  with  the  interesting  artistic  souvenir  of  my  friend. 

Writing  from  Gotha  in  June,  1861,  the  poet  says  : 

"  \Ye  are  all  in  good  health  and  spirits,  and  greatly  cheered  by  the  good  news  from 
home.  Nothing  reconciles  me  to  the  absence  at  such  a  time,  but  the  knowledge  that 
everything  is  going  on  for  the  best,  and  that  the  Republic  is  more  firmly  established  than 
ever.  There  was  great  rejoicing  here  all  winter  among  the  royalists  at  the  prospect  of 
our  dissolution  ;  but  now  they  don't  say  much,  while  the  liberals  rejoice.  I  am  proud  to 
be  an  American  at  this  time." 


Eight  years  later,  writing  from  his  Arcadian  retreat  near  Kennett 
Square,  the  poet  says  : 

"  I  was  in  New  York  on  Friday,  and  just  as  I  was  leaving  the  city  your  invitation 
reached  me  through  Mr.  Putnam.  The  time  is  short,  and  other  engagements  already 
undertaken  still  further  curtail  it  ;  but  I  would  like  to  render  whatever  honor  I  may  to 
Halleck's  memory,  and  do  not  feel  justified  in  declining  the  invitation — at  least  before 
learning  precisely  what  will  be  expected  of  me.  I  will  say,  then,  that  I  could  make  an 
address  of  from  twenty  to  thirty  minutes  in  length,  if  that  will  suffice  :  that  I  should  like 
to  know  in  advance  whether  it  is  the  corner-stone  of  the  monument  that  is  to  be  laid,  or 
the  monument  itself  to  be  dedicated.  This  you  do  not  state.  Having,  as  you  know,  been 
out  of  the  country,  1  am  ignorant  of  what  has  already  been  done  in  the  matter.  Also 
tell  me,  is  not  this  the  first  instance  of  a  monument  being  erected  to  an  American  poet  ? 
If  you  can  give  me  a  sketch  in  advance  of  the  nature  of  the  commemoration,  and  the  com- 
mittee will  be  satisfied  with  an  address  of  half  an  hour  in  length,  I  will  do  my  best  to 
share  in  honoring  the  poet's  memory." 


BAYARD    TAYLOR  145 

In  a  letter  dated  June  18,  1869,  after  thanking  me  for  a  book  which  I 
had  sent  him,  he  says  : 

"  I  have  been  so  busy  with  my  '  Faust'  here  in  the  quiet  of  the  country,  that  I  have 
fallen  behind  the  pace  of  contemporary  literature,  and  have  not  before  had  an  opportu- 
nity of  reading  the  very  entertaining  volume.  ...  I  prefer  to  make  a  short  address, 
not  only  because  the  time  is  brief,  but  because  I  think  long-winded  orations — however 
excellent  the  theme — have  become  an  American  vice.  I  can  say  everything  needful  in 
half  an  hour,  and  an  audience  cannot  keep  freshly  attentive  and  receptive  longer  than 
that.  ...  I  think  I  shall  go  to  New  York  on  the  evening  of  the  7th  and  thence  to 
Guilford  on  the  morning  of  the  8th,  so  that  we  can  probably  go  in  company,  if  that  is  also 
your  plan." 

Writing  from  his  country-seat  May  10,  1870,  Mr.  Taylor  remarks  : 

"  I  was  absent  at  Cornell  University  when  your  letter  arrived,  and  now  reply  at  the 
earliest  leisure.  I  am  quite  willing  to  contribute  to  the  proposed  statue  [of  Halleck,  in 
the  Central  Park,  New  York],  just  as  soon  as  I  shall  possess  a  small  sum  which  is  not 
appropriated  in  advance  of  my  receiving  it.  Since  I  am  not  independent  of  my  copy- 
rights, and  all  American  books  have  such  an  unsatisfactory  sale,  except  the  kind  which  I 
should  not  write  at  any  price,  that  I  must  consider  my  living  household  first  and  the  dead 
afterwards.  I  do  not  possess  a  dollar  that  was  not  earned  by  my  own  personal  labor; 
and  you  will  therefore  kindly  allow  me  to  wait  a  few  months,  until  I  ascertain  how  much 
I  may  conscientiously  spare." 


In  May,  1872,  he  incidentally  mentions: 

"I  have  never  met  either  Bulwer  or  Carlyle.  Tennyson  I  know — perhaps  I  should 
say  have  known  ;  but  something  has  occurred  since  I  last  saw  him  which  makes  my 
relations  towards  him  very  delicate.  It  is  a  purely  private  matter,  but  of  such  a  nature 
that  when  I  go  to  England  this  year  I  shall  not  visit  Tennyson  unless  I  first  receive  an 
intimation  that  he  will  be  glad  to  see  me." 


I  find  also  two  pleasant  little  scraps  which  show  how,  in  spite  of  jour- 
nalistic labors  at  home  and  preparations  for  his  honored  duties  abroad,  he 
lectured  to  the  last,  how  occupied  he  was  with  social  and  other  engage- 
ments, and  how — it  gives  me  pleasure  to  remember — our  friendly  inter- 
course was  maintained  to  the  end  : 

"  Many  thanks  for  your  kind  invitation,"  Taylor  writes  in  November,  1877,  "but  as 
I  am  giving  a  course  of  Lowell  Institute  lectures  in  Boston  on  Wednesdays  and  Satur- 
days, and  must  be  in  Portland  next  Thursday,  I  must  count  the  dinner  among  my  lost 
pleasures." 

Vol.  XXIX.-No.  2.— 10 


I46  BAYARD    TAYLOR 

In  the  following  March  (he  went  to  his  German  mission  in  April)  he 
writes  from  Kennett  Square: 


TU,.         h^y       ^U^r~       &*4<*-^         ^LoZ^^^6 


o^l  ^^Ay 


Having  written  to  Taylor  during  the  siege  of  Vicksburg  that  one  of  his 
compositions  was  a  great  favorite  in  our  camp,  and  was  often  declaimed 
and  sung  by  the  men  of  my  regiment,  he  expressed  his  pleasure,  and  sent 
me  a  copy  of  his  spirited  lyric,  which  presents  a  striking  contrast  to  the 
grave  and  high  strain  of  his  later  poetical  work.  Taylor's  "  Song  of  the 
Camp  "  is  a  fitting  companion  for  Hoffman's  "  Monterey  "  and  Halleck's 
"  Bozzaris,"  which  are  also  contained  in  my  manuscript  collection. 

Cowper  used  to  say  that  he  never  knew  a  poet  that  was  not  thriftless. 
Certainly  this  is  not  true  of  Taylor,  nor  of  any  of  his  literary  brothers 
and  contemporaries  (nor,  so  far  as  I  am  aware,  of  any  prominent  Ameri- 
can poet)  except  Poe.  It  is  thought  that  the  many-sided  man  injured 
himself  by  late  hours  and  overwork,  believing  that  his  strong  consti- 
tution was  incapable  of  being  injured  by  either,  or  by  both  combined. 
Certain  it  is  that  his  writings  are  a  monument  of  unflinching  toil  and 
industry,  and  many  of  them   full  of  the  "  best  thoughts  in  the  best  Ian- 


BAYARD    TAYLOR  1 4; 

guage."  No  man  knew  better  than  Bayard  Taylor  that  "  nothing  would 
come  to  him  in  his  sleep,"  to  borrow  the  words  of  Goethe  ;  and  it  is  possi- 
ble that  he  frequently  deprived  himself  of  necessary  rest.  From  year  to 
year  he  toiled  and  sang  unceasingly,  overcoming  all  obstacles  and  receiv- 
ing no  honors  or  rewards  to  which  downright  hard  work  did  not  fully 
entitle  him. 

"  He  could  do  more,  I  think,"  says  his  friend  Hay,  "  in  a  short  space  of  time  than  any 
other  man  I  ever  knew.  He  would,  if  required,  write  a  whole  page  of  The  Tribune  in  a 
single  day.  His  review  of  Dr.  Schliemann's  first  book,  written  from  advanced  sheets,  was 
remarkably  full,  and  gave  such  a  good  idea  of  the  work  that  it  was  almost  unnecessary 
to  read  the  book  itself.  He  had  a  peculiar  gift  at  condensing  matter  and  still  retaining 
every  point  which  the  author  made.  Perhaps  his  greatest  feat  in  this  line  was  achieved 
upon  Victor  Hugo's  poems.  They  arrived  in  New  York  on  a  certain  morning,  and  the 
next  morning  he  published  nearly  a  page  review  of  the  work,  with  several  columns  of 
metrical  translation,  done  so  finely  that  all  the  original  vigor  and  spirit  was  retained." 

There  was  nothing  of  the  genus  irritabile  vatum  about  Taylor,  or  what 
an  English  writer  has  described  in  still  more  forcible  words, 

"The jealous,  waspish,  wrong-head,  rhyming  race." 

On  the  contrary,  he  was  a  simple-hearted,  generous,  and  genial  gentleman, 
with  troops  of  friends  at  home  and  abroad.  The  grasp  of  his  strong  hand 
was  warm  and  true,  with  a  gentle  manner  and  sweet  smile  which  was  very 
winning.  Five  years  after  his  death  his  name  and  his  fame  were  fre- 
quently and  appreciatively  mentioned  to  me  in  England,  in  all  of  whose 
great  libraries  I  found  some  of  his  writings,  and  always  his  Faust. 
Throughout  Germany  I  met  with  many  of  his  admirers,  and  not  a  few  of 
his  works  both  in  the  originals  and  in  translations.  The  old  librarian  of 
the  valuable  Weimar  collection,  who  knew  Goethe  and  whose  father  was 
intimate  with  Schiller,  brought  out  many  volumes  once  the  property  of 
those  famous  men,  and  then  showed  me  a  copy  of  Taylor's  Faust,  pre- 
sented by  the  translator  to  his  friend  the  Grand  Duke  of  Saxe-Weimar, 
accompanied  by  many  kindly  words  of  commendation  of  the  good  work  of 
the  American  poet,  whom  he  knew  personally,  and  whose  untimely  death 
he  deeply  lamented. 

In  Berlin  I  heard  many  words  of  kindness  spoken  of  Taylor  by  both 
high  and  low,  and  learned  many  incidents  of  his  too  brief  official  career 
there.  The  aged  emperor,  who  was  at  Waterloo,  warmly  thanked  him 
for  making  his  presentation  address  in  German  instead  of  the  conventional 
French  (or,  as  it  sometimes  happens  with  our  ambassadors,  in  poor  Eng- 
lish). Bismarck  received  the  poet  in  the  garden  of  his  palace  on  the 
Wilhelmstrasse,  and  walked  with  him  under  the  grand  old  oaks  and  elms 


[48  BAYARD    TAYLOR 

and  lindens,  talking  on  literary  topics,  and  showing  a  surprising  intimacy 
with  the  new  minister's  own  productions.  No  less  delighted  was  Taylor 
on  meeting  Disraeli  during  the  congress  which  brought  so  many  celebrities 
to  Berlin.  Taking  him  warmly  by  the  hand,  the  illustrious  Englishman 
said,  "  Taylor,  Bayard  Taylor — how  glad  I  am  to  see  the  man  I  have  so 
long  known." 

Of  opinions  froiri  the  living  I  will  not  speak,  but  simply  allude  to  two 
venerable  writers  who  thought  very  highly  of  Bayard  Taylor's  literary  at- 
tainments— my  old  friends  Captain  Trelawney,  the  biographer  of  Byron  and 
Shelley,  and  the  poet  Richard  Henry  Home,  the  contemporary  of  Keats, 
Southey,  and  Sir  Walter  Scott,  and   the  author  of  the  well-known  line, 

"  Tis  always  morning  somewhere  in  the  world," 

inscribed  on  the  sun-dial  at  the  head  of  the  famous  Brighton  Pier,  and  so 
made  familiar  to  many  thousands  who  never  read  his  writings. 
Says  a  London  literary  journal  : 

"  Aside  from  his  official  relations,  Bayard  Taylor  was  accredited  in  a  peculiar  degree 
to  the  German  people.  In  this  sense  he  was  a  worthy  successor  of  Mr.  Bancroft.  If  the 
historian  belonged  rather  to  the  scholars  and  professors,  Mr.  Taylor  had  long  been 
adopted  into  the  fraternity  of  poets  and  wits  and  purely  literary  people  of  Germany,  and 
they  welcomed  him  hither  in  his  new  character  as  one  of  themselves.  The  minister's 
knowledge  of  the  language  was  exact  and  flexible.  He  had  not  learned  it  like  a  philolo- 
gist, and  perhaps  never  took  a  German  grammar  in  his  hands  ;  but  he  had  a  literary 
acquaintance,  learned  through  the  study  of  all  the  masters,  and  a  practical  familiarity 
acquired  through  years  of  life  in  the  country,  and  the  most  intimate  intercourse  with  the 
best  people.  He  spoke  German  fluently  on  the  platform  without  preparation,  and  suc- 
cessfully wooed  the  German  muse  with  his  pen.  And  he  had  such  a  cornplete  conscious- 
ness of  his  power  over  the  language,  that  he  never  needed  to  display  it,  but  would  cheer- 
fully submit  to  be  bored  by  those  ambitious  Teutons  who  essayed  their  mysterious  English 
in  his  presence." 

In  September,  1884,  there  appeared  from  the  loving  pen  of  his  widow 
an  admirable  memoir  of  Bayard  Taylor,  in  which  the  progressive  story  of 
his  busy  literary  life  is  exceedingly  well  and  wisely  told.  But  it  does  not 
leave  the  impression  of  a  happy  half-century  of  existence — rather  the 
reverse.  The  reason,  as  shown  in  the  biography,1  is  twofold — his  lofty 
ambition  as  a  poet,  which  was  not  gratified  by  the  consciousness  of  ade- 
quate recognition,  and  the  necessity  of  keeping  the  pot  boiling,  as  he  once 
said  to  the  writer,  by  incessant  literary  drudgery  with  his  pen.      "  What 

1  Life  and  Letters  of  Bayard  Taylor,  edited  by  Marie  Hansen  Taylor  and  Horace  E.  Scudder. 

2  vols..  i2mo.      Boston,  1884. 


BAYARD    TAYLOR  1 49 

we  all  need,"  he  wrote — and  the  words  in  their  application  to  himself   are 

full  of  pathos — "  is  not  to  live  without  work,  but  to   be  free   from  worry." 

Writing  in  1873  from  Gotha,  to  a  friend  who'had  congratulated  him  on 

his  success  in  life,  the  poet  replied,  in  the  saddest  letter  that  he  ever  wrote  : 

"  You  exaggerate  what  you  consider  my  successes.  .  .  .  From  1854  to  1862  or  there- 
abouts, I  had' a  good  deal  of  popularity  of  a  cheap  ephemeral  sort.  It  began  to  decline 
at  the  time  when  I  began  to  see  the  better  and  truer  work  in  store  for  me,  and  I  let  it  go, 
feeling  that  I  must  begin  anew  and  acquire  a  second  reputation  of  a  different  kind.  For 
the  last  five  years  I  have  been  engaged  in  this  struggle,  which  is  not  yet  over.  ...  I 
am  giving  the  best  blood  of  my  life  to  my  labors,  seeing  them  gradually  recognized  by 
the  few  and  the  best,  it  is  true,  but  they  are  still  unknown  to  the  public,  and  my  new 
claims  are  fiercely  resisted  by  the  majority  of  the  newspaper  writers  in  the  United 
States.  .  .  .  Lars'  is  the  first  poem  of  mine  ever  published  in  England,  and  I  hoped 
for  some  impartial  recognition  there.  Well,  the  sale  is  just  one  hundred  and  eight  copies  ! 
My  translation  of  '  Faust'  is  at  last  accepted  in  England,  Germany,  and  America  as  much 
the  best.  It  cost  me  years  of  the  severest  labor,  and  has  not  yet  returned  me  five  hundred 
dollars.  The  '  Masque  of  the  Gods '  has  not  paid  expenses.  The  sale  of  my  former  volumes 
of  travel  has  fallen  almost  to  nothing.  .  .  .  For  two  years  past  I  have  had  no  income 
of  any  sort  from  property  or  copyright,  and  am  living  partly  on  my  capital  and  partly 
mechanical  labor  of  the  mind.  ...  I  am  weary,  indeed,  completely  fagged  out,  and 
to  read  what  you  say  of  my  success  sounds  almost  like  irony." 

When  it  was  announced  to  Taylor  that  he  was  to  be  sent  as  minister  to 
Germany  he  rejoiced  exceedingly  in  the  appointment  for  many  reasons, 
but  chiefly  because  it  was  made  in  acknowledgment,  not  of  political  ser- 
vices, but  of  his  literary  attainments  and  position. 

"  It  is  something  so  amazing,"  he  wrote  to  the  poet  Paul  H.  Hayne,  "  that  I  am  more 
bewildered  and  embarrassed  than  proud  of  my  honors.  If  you  knew  how  many  years  I 
have  steadily  worked,  devoted  to  a  high  ideal,  which  no  one  seemed  to  recognize,  and 
sneered  at  by  cheap  critics  as  a  mere  interloper  in  literature,  you  would  understand  how 
incredible  this  change  seems  to  me.  The  great  comfort  is  this  :  I  was  right  in  my 
instinct.  The  world  does  appreciate  earnest  endeavor,  in  the  end.  I  have  always  had 
faith,  and  I  have  learned  to  overlook  opposition,  disparagement,  misconception  of  my  best 
work,  believing  that  the  day  of  justification  would  come.  But  what  now  comes  to  me 
seems  too  much.  I  can  only  accept  it  as  a  balance  against  me,  to  be  met  by  still  better 
work  in  the  future." 

In  that  last  line  rings  the  true  metal  of  Bayard  Taylor,  who  believed 
in  the  words  of  the  inspiring  Goethe,  "  Wir  heissen  ench  hoffen,"  and  that, 
as  brave  old  Sam  Johnson  said,  "  Useful  diligence  will  at  last  prevail." 


OUR    LEADING    LIBRARIES 

NO.    I.    THE   ASTOR    LIBRARY,    NEW   YORK 
By  Frederick  Saunders,  Chief  Librarian 

Sir  Thomas  Bodley — who,  toward  the  close  of  his  life,  founded  the 
great  library  which  bears  his  name — once  remarked  concerning  the 
renowned  city  of  colleges,  that  it  had  everything  but  an  adequate  library. 
With  some  modifications,  this  observation  might  have  been  considered 
applicable  to  this  metropolis — the  city  of  Mr.  Astor's  adoption — when  he 
founded  the  library  that  bears  his  name. 

John  Jacob  Astor  was  born  at  Waldorf,  near  Heidelberg,  Germany,  in 
the  year  1763.  When  only  sixteen,  he  left  his  father's  farm,  setting  out, 
on  foot,  for  the  Rhine  ;  and  when  resting  under  a  tree,  he  is  said  to  have 
made  these  three  resolves — "  to  be  honest,  industrious,  and  never  gam- 
ble "  ;  and  it  is  added  that  he  adhered  to  them  throughout  his  long  life. 
He  went  to  his  elder  brother,  at  London,  and  engaged  with  him  in  busi- 
ness some  three  years,  after  which  he  came  to  New  York.  This  was  in 
1783  ;  subsequently,  he  embarked  in  the  fur  trade,  which  he  prosecuted 
with  such  energy  and  success  that  in  ten  years  his  establishment  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Columbia  river,  known  as  Astoria,  had  its  agencies  in  Eng- 
land, Germany,  France,  and  indeed  in  all  parts  of  the  civilized  world.  At 
the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  he  shrewdly  invested  in  the  real 
estate  of  the  then  young  city  of  New  York  to  such  an  extent  that  his 
property  continued  to  augment  so  largely  as  to  constitute  him  the  most 
opulent  merchant  in  the  United  States,  if  not  in  America. 

Although  the  Astor  library  may  not  claim  precedence  over  other  public 
libraries  of  New  York  city  in  the  order  of  time,  yet  in  respect  of  its  dis- 
tinctive character  as  a  cosmopolitan  library  of  reference  for  scholars,  its 
claim  to  priority  will  not  be  disputed.  As  to  the  origin  of  the  institution, 
it  may  suffice  to  cite  the  words  of  its  first  librarian,  Dr.  Joseph  G.  Cogs- 
well, which  are  the  following:  "  For  the  existence  of  this  library,  the 
community  are  indebted  to  the  generosity  of  the  late  John  Jacob  Astor. 
It  was  a  kind  impulse  of  his  own  heart  which  prompted  him  to  do  this 
noble  act.  He  wished,  as  he  said,  by  some  permanent  and  valuable 
memorial  to  testify  his  grateful  feelings  toward  the  city  in  which  he  had 
so   long   lived    and   prospered.     When  he  consulted  with  his  friends  as  to 


OUR    LEADING    LIBRARIES 


I5r 


the  object  to  which  his  intended  liberality  should  be  applied,  the  plan  of 
founding  a  public  library  was  most  approved,  and  his  decision  was  promptly 
taken  in  favor  of  it.  Nor  was  it  owing  to  any  misgiving  or  wavering  in 
opinion  that  the  accomplishment  of  the  purpose  was  not  effected  in  his 
lifetime."  In  a  subsequent  letter,  Dr.  Cogswell  wrote,  under  date  of  July 
20,  1838,  the  following:  "  Early  in  January,  Mr.  Astor  consulted  me  about 
an  appropriation  of  some  three  or  four  hundred  thousand  dollars,  which  he 
intended  to  leave  for  public  purposes,  and  I  urged  him  to  give  it  for  a 
library,  which  I  finally  brought  him  to  agree  to  do;  and  I  have  been  at 


THE    ASTOR    LIBRARY. 


work  ever  since  settling  all  the  points  which  have  arisen  in  the  progress 
of  the  affair."  1  Washington  Irving  and  Fitz-Greene  Halleck  cordially 
indorsed  the  proposition  of  the  establishment  of  a  public  library  ;  and  yet 
the  matter  was  kept  in  abeyance  until  March,  1842,  when  Dr.  Cogswell 
received  the  appointment  of  librarian,  and  measures  were  put  into  opera- 
tion for  the  erection  of  the  library  building.  Meanwhile,  Dr.  Cogswell 
commenced  the  (to  him)  congenial  service  of  book-hunting  at  home  and 
abroad — an  office  for  which  his  eminent  bibliographical  and  critical  scholar- 

1  Cogswell's  Life  and  Letters. 


K2  OUR   LEADING   LIBRARIES 

ship  so  signally  qualified  him.  The  board  of  trustees  therefore  author- 
ized him  to  visit  the  literal')'  centres  of  the  old  world,  for  the  purpose  of 
obtaining  the  rare  foundation  works  in  the  several  departments  of  learning 
adapted  to  the  higher  order  of  study  in  all  branches  of  art,  science,  and 
literature.  It  so  happened  that  he  was  singularly  opportune  in  his  earlier 
visits  to  the  great  book-marts  of  Europe.  In  its  several  capitals — London, 
Paris,  Leipzig,  Rome,  Stockholm,  and  elsewhere — his  purchases  were  a 
great  success  ;  and  at  the  auction  sale  of  the  celebrated  library  of  the 
Duke  of  Buckingham  he  secured  many  very  rare  and  choice  works  of  art 
and  of  renown.  It  having  been  the  original  design  to  form  a  library  that 
should  be  adequate  to  meet  the  demands  of  advanced  students,  the  selec- 
tion of  its  books  has  been  uniformly  governed  by  a  recognition  of  that  fact. 
In  a  republic  of  such  free  political  institutions  as  ours,  intellectual 
culture  is  a  necessity,  since  it  affords  a  guaranty  of  our  national  greatness, 
if  not,  indeed,  of  our  national  existence.  The  leading  capitals  of  the  old 
world  have  long  since  proved  the  vast  importance  of  such  beneficent  insti- 
tutions ;  and  it  may  justly  be  deemed  a  matter  of  gratulation  and  national 
honor  that  the  metropolitan  city  of  the  new  world  should  thus  emulate 
their  example.  Yet,  not  in  New  York  only  is  this  the  case ;  the  like 
liberal  endowments  have  since  become  conspicuous  in  the  principal  cities 
of  the  United  States.  Thus,  our  public  libraries  may  be  said  to  unite  with 
our  colleges  and  schools,  harmoniously  combining  their  aid  for  the  uni- 
versal elevation  of  the  people — the  one  supplementing  the  other.  As 
pioneer  in  this  important  work,  the  Astor  library  may  thus  prove  to 
America  what  the  library  of  the  British  Museum  has  so  long  been  to  Great 
Britain — "  The  Scholars'  Court  of  Appeals."  Differing  from  the  popular 
circulating  libraries,  the  Astor  is  a  consulting  or  reference  library,  its  books 
being  freely  accessible  to  all  visitors.  It  is  a  literary  laboratory,  where  are 
engendered  those  mental  forces  that  propel  the  industrial  achievements  of 
the  age ;  where  may  be  seen  many  an  earnest  worker  who, 

with  calm,  inquiring  looks, 

Has  culled  the  ore  of  wisdom  from  his  books — 

Cleared  it,  sublimed  it,  till  it  flowed  refined 

From  his  alembic  crucible  of  mind. 

Thus  public  libraries  present  many  claims  upon  our  grateful  regard, 
since  they  not  only  educate  and  elevate  society,  but  also  conserve  and  per- 
petuate the  intellectual  treasures  of  past  ages.  It  has  been  well  said  that 
"  moral  and  intellectual  light  is  all-pervading:  it  cannot  be  diffused  among 
one  class  of  society  without  its  influence  being  felt  by  the  whole  com- 
munity." 


OUR   LEADING    LIBRARIES  1 53 

But  to  resume  the  sketch  of  the  library.  On  the  death  of  Mr.  Astor, 
in  March,  1848,  and  by  virtue  of  his  will,  the  munificent  sum  at  that  time, 
of  four  hundred  thousand  dollars,  for  the  founding  of  a  public  library  in 
New  York,  was  conveyed  to  a  board  of  trustees,  selected  by  the  testator. 
An  act  of  incorporation  was  granted  by  the  state  legislature  on  the  follow- 
ing January,  and  active  operations  were  commenced  for  the  carrying  out 
of  the  requisitions  of  the  founder.  On  January  9,  1854,  the  Astor  library 
building,  with  its  eighty  thousand  volumes,  comprising  an  assemblage  of 
costly  works  of  art,  and  the  accepted  authorities  in  the  several  depart- 
ments of  human  lore,  was  formally  opened  to  public  inspection.  The 
novelty  of  its  grand  display  of  the  great  national  art-productions  of  Europe 
— such  as  the  stately  volumes  of  the  Musee  Francais  and  Raphael's  Vati- 
can— together  with  the  prestige  of  the  founder,  naturally  gave  fclat  to  the 
occasion.  The  exhibition  was  continued  several  successive  days,  and  after- 
ward the  institution  was  rendered  available  for  students. 

During  the  early  years  of  its  history,  the  library  was  honored  by  the 
visits  of  many  distinguished  personages,  among  them  His  Royal  Highness 
the  Prince  of  Wales,  with  his  suite,  to  whom  a  private  reception  was 
tendered  by  the  Astor  family  and  Dr.  Cogswell,  with  his  aids.  Afterward 
came  another  notable  visitor,  Prince  Napoleon,  who  was  said  to  bear  such 
close  resemblance  to  the  great  emperor.  Then,  some  years  later,  came  the 
Japanese  commissioners,  who,  when  shown  some  of  the  portraits,  in  books, 
of  their  historic  men,  greatly  marveled.  After  their  visit  the  Chinese 
ambassadors  came  in  great  state,  arrayed  in  their  courtly  costumes  ;  their 
deportment  so  indicative  of  culture  and  refinement  that  it  occasioned  gen- 
eral remark.  The  Emperor  of  Brazil,  Dom  Pedro,  was  the  next  distin- 
guished visitor ;  he  seemed  much  interested  in  the  library  and  in  popular 
education. 

Among  the  host  of  literary  characters  who  have  at  various  times  visited 
the  institution,  it  must  suffice  simply  to  mention  the  names  of  the  more 
distinguished  :  Washington  Irving  (who  was  a  frequent  visitor),  George 
Bancroft,  Edward  Everett,  Fitz-Greene  Halleck,  S.  F.  B.  Morse,  G.  P.  R. 
James,  Thackeray,  Dickens,  Longfellow,  Emerson,  Saxe,  Willis,  Holmes, 
Motley,  Hawthorne,  Cobden,  Sparks,  Gould,  Greeley,  and  Dean  Stanley. 
Lovers  of  learning,  and  men  eminent  in  the  various  departments  of  art, 
science,  and  literature,  have  always  been  cordial  in  their  commendation  of 
the  library.  From  a  great  number  of  such  testimonials,  one  only  is  cited, 
as  indicative  of  the  others.  Charles  Sumner  wrote  on  one  occasion  to  his 
friend  Theodore  Parker:  "  I  range  daily  in  the  alcoves  of  the  Astor:  more 
charming  than  the  gardens  of   Boccaccio,  and  each  hour  a  Decameron." 


154  OUR    LEADING   LIBRARIES 

The  Astor  library  soon  became  widely  known  abroad,  as  an  evidence  of 
which,  numerous  donations  of  important  works  have  been  made  from  time 
to  time  by  the  governments  of  Great  Britain,  France,  Germany,  Russia, 
Spain,  Italy,  Sweden,  Denmark,  Australia,  China,  and  Japan  ;  as  well  as  by 
the  Czar  of  Russia,  the  King  of  Italy,  the  Duke  of  Northumberland,  and 
other  distinguished  personages. 

The  year  1859  was  memorable  in  the  annals  of  the  library,  on  account 
of  the  lamented  death  of  Washington  Irving,  its  first  and  honored  president. 
In  this  sad  event  the  institution,  in  common  with  the  world  of  letters, 
suffered  severe  loss.  Among  the  numerous  loving  tributes  to  his  memory, 
Tuckerman  has  voiced  for  us  one  of  the  best :  "  No  one  ever  lived  a  more 
beautiful  life  ;  no  one  ever  left  less  to  regret  in  life  ;  no  one  ever  carried 
with  him  to  the  grave  a  more  universal  affection,  respect,  and  sorrow."  ! 
In  September,  1859,  William  B.  Astor,  eldest  son  of  the  founder  of  the 
library,  presented  to  the  trustees  the  second  library  building,  with  the 
ground  upon  which  it  stands.  This  second  hall,  of  the  same  dimensions 
and  style  as  the  first,  afforded  the  required  facilities  for  the  increasing 
accessions  to  the  library.  Upon  the  decease  of  Mr.  Irving,  William  B. 
Astor  was  elected  president  of  the  board  of  trustees,  which  office  he  filled 
till  his  death.  During  his  life  he  extended  to  the  institution  his  fostering 
care,  liberally  augmenting  its  financial  resources, — having  by  special  gifts 
and  bequests  enriched  its  treasury  to  the  extent  of  five  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars.     The  library  lost  a  generous  patron  in  his  death. 

In  the  year  1864  Dr.  Cogswell  completed  his  first  catalogue  of  the 
library,  which  then  comprised  about  one  hundred  thousand  volumes.  This 
herculean  and  self-imposed  work — which,  however,  to  him  was  a  labor  of 
love — he  achieved  while  superintending  the  daily  administration  of  the 
library.  A  lasting  debt  of  gratitude  is  due  to  this  devoted  service  from 
students  who  consult  the  library  ;  since  without  the  assistance  of  such  a 
key  to  unlock  its  treasures,  they  would  prove,  to  a  great  extent,  unavail- 
able. The  board  of  trustees  readily  recognized  this  fact,  and  acknowledged 
the  doctor's  essential  service  by  their  recorded  vote  of  thanks.  Not  long 
after  the  completion  of  this  catalogue,  forming  four  large  octavo  volumes, 
and  a  supplementary  volume,  bringing  the  record  down  to  the  year  1866, 
and  including  a  subject-index,  Dr.  Cogswell  tendered  his  resignation  as 
superintendent,  and  soon  after  resigned  his  membership  in  the  board  of 
trustees,  his  impaired  health  demanding  this  action. 

1  It  has  been  claimed  that  it  was  honor  enough  to  be  known  as  "the  friend  of  Sir  Philip  Sid- 
ney "  ;  a  like  honor  may  be  accorded  to  the  writer  of  the  present  sketch,  in  respect  to  the  illustrious 
author  Washington  Irving. 


OUR    LEADING    LIBRARIES  1 55 

Few  men  of  letters  could  have  evinced  more  of  the  suaviter  in  modo 
amid  the  varied  conditions  incident  to  the  arduous  duties  of  his  profession 
than  Dr.  Cogswell,  and  none  could  have  surpassed  him  in  his  unremitting 
labors  in  the  formation  and  the  interests  of  the  institution  he  served  so 
long  and  so  well.  After  his  retirement  from  his  official  connection  with 
the  library*,  the  board  elected  as  superintendent  Francis  Schroeder,  ex- 
minister  to  Sweden,  who  resigned  in  1870;  E.  R.  Straznicky  then  became 
the  incumbent  until  1875,  when  the  trustees  installed  one  of  their  number, 
James  Carson  Brevoort,  who  continued  in  office  until  1878,  when  the 
present  incumbent,  Robbins  Little,  was  installed.  In  the  year  1877  Alex- 
ander Hamilton  was  elected  president  of  the  trustees,  and  this  office  he 
held  until  his  death.  The  gentlemen  who  now  compose  the  board  of 
trustees  are  the  mayor  of  the  city  of  New  York,  ex  officio;  Hamilton  Fish  ; 
Dr.  Thomas  M.  Markoe,  president;  Professor  Henry  Drisler,  secretary ; 
John  Lambert  Cadwalader,  Right  Rev.  Henry  Codman  Potter,  Stephen 
Van  Rensselaer  Cruger ;  Robbins  Little,  superintendent  ;  Stephen  Henry 
Olin  ;   Edward  King,  treasurer  ;  and  Charles  Howland  Russell. 

In  October,  1881,  the  late  John  Jacob  Astor,  the  grandson  of  the 
founder,  erected  a  third  building  adjoining  the  other  two,  of  corresponding 
style  and  dimensions,  which,  with  the  ground,  he  presented  to  the  trustees. 
The  entire  structure  now  has  a  frontage  of  about  two  hundred  feet,  with  a 
depth  of  one  hundred  feet.  It  is  built  of  brown-stone  and  brick,  and  is  in 
the  Byzantine  order  of  architecture.  The  main  floor  of  the  library,  which 
is  twenty  feet  above  the  street  level,  is  reached  by  marble  steps  from  the 
vestibule,  or  main  entrance.  This  entrance  hall  is  richly  frescoed  and 
paneled  ;  around  it  are  twenty-four  classic  busts  of  heroes  and  poets  in 
Italian  marble,  by  a  Florentine  artist,  from  antiques.  These  busts,  with 
the  colored  marble  pedestals  upon  which  they  are  placed,  were  presented 
to  the  library  by  Mrs.  Franklin  Delano,  a  sister  of  the  late  John  J.  Astor. 

At  the  delivery  desk,  at  which  readers  apply  for  books,  are  the  printed 
slips  upon  which  the  title  of  the  book  desired  is  written,  together  with  the 
name  and  address  of  the  applicant.  In  close  proximity  are  the  two  printed 
catalogues,  which  now  form  eight  large  volumes.  These  bring  the  record 
of  the  collections  down  to  the  close  of  1880,  and  are  supplemented  by  the 
card  catalogue,  which  includes  all  accessions  after  that  date.  The  second 
printed  catalogue,  which  connects  with  Dr.  Cogswell's,  costing  about  forty 
thousand  dollars,  was  the  gift  of  the  late  John  J.  Astor,  whose  combined 
gifts  and  bequests  exceeded  eight  hundred  thousand  dollars.  In  the  cen- 
tral hall,  westward,  are  glass  show-cases  of  rare  manuscripts  and  brilliant 
missals  :  one  manuscript  in  golden  letters  on  purple  vellum  is  over  twelve 


156  OUR   LEADING   LIBRARIES 

hundred  years  old,  being  A.D.  870 ;  also  rare  specimens  of  early  typography, 
and  many  choice  literary  relics — in  all  estimated  to  be  worth  about  one 
hundred  thousand  dollars.  The  central  as  well  as  the  south  and  north 
halls,  which  are  connected  by  arched  passages,  are  uniformly  walled  around 
with  alcoves  devoted  to  some  specific  classification  of  subject.  The  same 
arrangement  is  continued  in  the  galleries  of  the  three  halls.  The  north 
hall  is  devoted  to  histories  of  all  nations,  and  the  south  hall  to  all  branches 
of  science  and  art.  The  middle  or  central  hall,  at  the  west  end,  is  devoted 
to  the  patents  of  all  nations — the  British  patents  alone  forming  some  five 
thousand  volumes.  The  entire  capacity  of  the  library,  thus  enlarged, 
would  now  afford  space  for  half  a  million  of  volumes,  which  is  about 
double  the  extent  of  its  accumulations,  exclusive  of  about  twelve  thousand 
pamphlets.  The  total  number  of  volumes  on  its  shelves  on  January  1, 
1893,  was  two  hundred  and  forty-five  thousand  three  hundred  and  forty- 
nine.  The  library  may  be  said  to  be  especially  rich  in  some  departments, 
such  as  the  fine  arts,  architecture,  archaeology,  Orientalia,  history,  the  clas- 
sics, dramatic  literature,  scientific  serials,  mathematics,  political  economy, 
and  bibliography.  It  has  also  a  very  extensive  collection  of  the  transac- 
tions of  the  scientific  and  literary  societies  of  Europe  and  America. 

It  would  be  impossible,  within  the  restricted  limits  of  this  sketch,  to 
present  even  an  epitome  of  the  numerous  noteworthy  productions  that 
grace  the  alcoves  of  the  library.  With  its  advancing  growth  will  inevitably 
come  the  evidences  of  its  ever-increasing  utility  and  appreciation.  Like 
our  Colossus  of  Liberty,  with  uplifted  torch  guiding  the  toilers  of  the  seas 
to  the  shelter  of  our  hospitable  shores,  so  this  monumental  library,  as  an 
intellectual  lighthouse,  attracts  literary  toilers  to  its  ever-accessible  treas- 
ury of  mental  wealth.  In  the  halls  of  the  library  are  marble  busts  of  its 
founder  ;  of  Washington  Irving,  its  first  president  ;  and  of  Dr.  Cogswell,  its 
first  superintendent ;  also  life-size  portraits  of  William  B.  Astor,  Alexander 
Hamilton,  the  late  president  ;  Fitz-Greene  Halleck  ;  and  Daniel  Lord,  its 
first  treasurer.  Subsequent  to  the  death  of  the  late  John  Jacob  Astor,  the 
library  became  enriched  by  the  gift  of  his  rare  collection  of  paintings — 
costing  originally  seventy-five  thousand  dollars-— presented  by  his  son, 
William  Waldorf  Astor.  These  beautiful  art-productions,  by  eminent 
foreign  artists,  are  freely  accessible  to  visitors  on  Wednesdays,  during 
library  hours,  from  nine  A.M.  until  five  P.M.,  except  during  the  three  winter 
months,  when  the  hours  are  from  nine  A.M.  until  four  P.M.  The  adminis- 
tration of  the  library  is  under  the  direction  of  the  board  of  trustees,  the 
several  departments  of  its  routine  service  being  assigned  to  the  superin- 
tendent and  four  librarians,  with  their  numerous  assistants. 


JOHN    ARCHDALE,   AND    SOME    OF    HIS   DESCENDANTS 

By  Stephen  B.  Weeks 

Joljn  Archdale  was  appointed  governor-general  of  Carolina,  August  31, 
1694.1  Of  his  early  history  we  know  nothing.  He  was  the  son  of 
Thomas  Archdale  of  Loaks,  in  Chipping  Wycomb,  Bucks  county,  Eng- 
land. In  1664  he  came  to  New  England  as  the  agent  of  his  brother-in- 
law,  Governor  Gorges  of  Maine. 

The  name  Archdale  first  appears  in  the  list  of  proprietors  of  Carolina 
on  July  13,  1681.2  This  was  Thomas  Archdale  as  future  entries  show,3 
and  not  John  Archdale  as  Dr.  Hawks  states.4  Dr.  Hawks  says,  further, 
that  in  1684  John  Archdale  purchased  the  share  of  the  late  Sir  William 
Berkeley,  "  who  did  not  die  until  1682."  He  is  again  in  error ;  the  share 
of  William  Berkeley  passed,  after  his  death  in  1677,5  into  the  hands  of 
his  widow.  She  married  Colonel  Philip  Ludwell,  who  was  himself  ap- 
pointed governor  of  "that  part  of  our  province  of  Carolina  that  lies  north 
and  east  of  Cape  Fear,"  December  5,  1689,6  and  governor  of  Carolina, 
November  2,  1691.7  On  December  14,  1683,  the  proprietors  "  approved 
of  the  bargain  made  by  Sir  Peter  Colleton  with  Col.  Philip  Ludwell  in 
behalf  of  the  Lords  Proprietors  for  my  Lady  Berkeley's  right  to  the  pro- 
prietorship that  was  Sir  William  Berkeley's  for  ^300."  This  purchase 
was  made  by  Colleton  for  the  Duke  of  Albemarle,  Earl  Craven,  Lord 
Carteret,  and  himself,  and  this  proprietorship  was  afterwards  "  conveyed 
in  trust  to  Thomas  Amy,  Esq're,  for  the  above-named  four  Lords 
Proprietors."8  From  the  materials  before  me  I  conclude  that  the 
share  which  came  into  the  possession  of  Thomas  Archdale  in  168 1  was 
that  of  Sir  John  Berkeley,  who  died  in  1678,  for  the  shares  of  Craven, 
Shaftesbury,  Colleton,  Albemarle,  and  Carteret  were  still  in  the  original 
families  ;  Sothel  had  purchased  the  share  of  Earl  Clarendon,9  Amy  pur- 
chased that  of  William  Berkeley,  and  only  that  of  Sir  John  Berkeley  could 
have  then  been  on  the  market.10 

1  Colonial  Records  of  North  Carolina,  i.  389.  2  Ibid. ,  i.  338.        *  Ibid.,  360,  361,  363  sea. 

4  Hawks,  ii.  49.  5  He  was  buried  July  13,  1677.  6  Colonial  Records,  i.  360. 

7  Colonial  Records,  i.  373.  8  Ibid.,  i.  347.  9  Ibid.,  i.  339. 

10  Ibid. ,  i.  345,  May  25,  1681,  a  letter  was  sent  to  the  governor  and  council  of  Ashley  river,  in 
which  it  is  said  Mr.  Archdale  had  bought  "  Lady  Berkeley's  share."  (South  Carolina  Hist.  Soc. 
Colls.,  i.  106). 


i;S  JOHN    ARCHDALE,  AND    SOME    OF    HIS   DESCENDANTS 

Archdale  had  become  a  Friend,  convinced  and  separated  from  his 
father's  house,  as  he  tells  us,  by  the  preaching  of  George  Fox.1  But  this 
conversion  does  not  seem  to  have  been  of  very  serious  consequence  as  far 
as  the  management  of  their  share  of  Carolina  is  concerned.  His  name 
appears  in  all  the  proceedings  of  the  proprietors  as  the  representative  of 
his  father,  and  we  know,  from  instructions  sent  to  Governor  Sothel,  that 
an  Archdale,  doubtless  John,  was  in  Albemarle  on  December  14,  1683: 
"  And  that  he  [Sothel]  do  forthwith  with  the  advice  of  Mr.  Archdale 
choose  four  of  the  discreetest  honest  men  of  the  county  &c."2  Again,  in 
February,  1685,  the  proprietors  write  Sothel,  and  insist  that  he  "with  the 
advice  of  Mr.  Archdale  " 3  fill  certain  blanks  with  names  of  men  who  were 
to  serve  as  lords  proprietors'  deputies.  From  the  letter  quoted  above, 
we  know  that  he  was  in  North  Carolina  in  March,  1686.4  It  is  probable, 
then,  that  he  came  out  to  Carolina  in  a  year  or  two  after  his  father  became 
a  proprietor  to  look  after  their  common  interests,  and  while  there  his 
co-religionists,  the  Quakers,  were  not  allowed  to  feel  the  need  of  any  help 
he  was  able  to  give  them.  His  presence  did  much,  no  doubt,  to  give  them 
prestige  in  the  colony,  to  protect  them  from  persecution  should  such  be 
attempted,  and  to  increase  their  numbers.  During  the  temporary  absence 
of  Sothel  in  1685  and  1686,  Archdale  acted  as  governor  of  the  colony, 
whether  by  the  special  appointment  of  that  infamous  dignitary,  or  because 
of  his  position  as  a  virtual  proprietor,  or  as  the  commissioned  deputy 
of  his  father,  we  do  not  know.  That  Archdale  purposed  settling  a  part  of 
his  family  in  North  Carolina  is  probable;  we  know  that  his  daughter  Ann 
married  Emmanuel  Lowe,  a  Quaker  of  some  prominence  in  the  colony.5 

In  1687-88  Archdale  was  a  commissioner  for  Governor  Gorges  in  Maine. 
When  made  regularly  governor  of  the  whole  of  Carolina,  he  was  not  a 
proprietor,  for  his  name  is  not  on  the  list  of  "  the  true  and  absolute  Lords 
and  Proprietors,"  and  we  learn  from  a  communication  to  the  commissioners 
of  customs,  dated  November  10,  1696,  that  he  was  administering  the  share 
of  the  proprietorship  for  his  own  son,  who  was  a  minor.6  It  seems  prob- 
able that  Thomas  Archdale,  dying  in  the  meantime,  had  willed  his  share 
of  Carolina  to  his  grandson,  and  that  John  Archdale,  although  administer- 
ing it,  was  not  himself  a  proprietor.  He  came  into  this  dignity  a  few  years 
later,  probably  by  the  death  of  the  son. 

1  Letter  to  Fox  in  Hawks's  History  of  North  Carolina,  ii.  378. 

2  Colonial  Records,  i.  346.  3  Ibid.,  i.  350. 
*  Not  January,  as  Dr.  Hawks  states,  ii.  499. 

6  Wheeler  (i,  32)  says  this  marriage  took  place  in  July,  1688  ;  Dr.  Hawks  says  in  1668  (ii.499). 
6  Colonial  Records,  i.  467,  545. 


JOHN    ARCHDALE,  AND   SOME   OF   HIS    DESCENDANTS  159 

Archdale  was  appointed  governor  of  Carolina  with  the  express  hope 
that  he  would  be  able  to  heal  the  disturbances  in  South  Carolina.  This 
trouble  had  arisen  through  the  popular  ferment  about  the  tenure  of  lands, 
the  payment  of  quit-rents,  the  naturalization  of  Huguenots,  and  the  recent 
annulment  by  the  proprietors  of  the  laws  of  Ludwell's  parliament  relating 
to  juries  and  the  election  of  representatives.1  At  last,  Governor  Smith 
wrote  in  despair  to  the  proprietors  that  "  it  was  impossible  to  settle  the 
country,  except  a  proprietor  himself  was  sent  over  with  full  power  to 
heal  their  grievances."2  Lord  Ashley,  grandson  of  Shaftesbury,  was  first 
chosen  for  this  duty,  but  he  declined,  and  the  proprietors  chose  Archdale 
in  his  place,  with  almost  unlimited  powers.  He  could  sell,  let,  or  escheat 
lands,  appoint  deputy  governors  in  both  provinces,  make  and  alter  laws. 
He  sailed  for  America  in  January,  1695,  and  reached  Virginia  in  June.3 
He  visited  North  Carolina  at  once,  and  found  Thomas  Harvey  acting  as 
deputy  governor.  He  had  been  fulfilling  this  office  since  September  24, 
1694,4  at  least,  and  was  now  established  in  his  office  by  Archdale,  who 
then  passed  on  to  South  Carolina,  took  up  his  residence  in  Charleston,  and 
assumed  the  government,  August  17,  1695.5  His  administration  of  South 
Carolina  was,  as  it  had  been  formerly  in  North  Carolina,  wise,  prudent,  and 
moderate.  He  found  a  keen  spirit  of  hostility  to  the  French  refugees, 
and  thought  best  to  summon  his  first  assembly  from  the  English  inhabi- 
tants only.  The  difficulties  were  settled  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  except 
the  French.  The  price  of  lands  and  the  form  of  conveyance  were  fixed 
bylaw.  Three  years'  rent  was  remitted  to  those  who  held  lands  by  grant, 
and  four  to  those  who  held  by  survey,  without  grant.  Arrears  of  quit- 
rents  were  to  be  paid  in  money  or  commodities,  as  was  most  convenient. 

Archdale  held  a  middle  position  between  the  extremes  of  the  church 
party,  and  at  the  same  time  had  a  care  for  his  co-religionists.  He  enforced 
a  military  law,  but  exempted  them  from  its  provisions.  He  established  a 
special  board  for  deciding  contests  between  white  men  and  Indians,  and 
in  this  way  won  the  friendship  of  the  latter.  The  hostility  to  the  French 
began  to  abate  by  degrees,  and  in  1696  they  obtained  the  privilege  of 
becoming  citizens.     Under  this  beneficent  rule  the  colony  regained  a  tem- 

1  Rivers,  History  of  South  Carolina,  171.  2  Description  of  Carolina,  101. 

3  South  Carolina  Hist.  Soc.  Colls.,  i.  138,  139. 

4  Archdale  succeeded  Thomas  Smith  as  governor  in  South  Carolina.  Ludwell  had  been  made 
governor-general,  November  2,  1691,  but  he  seems  to  have  been  acting  as  governor  of  North 
Carolina  as  late  as  May  1,  1694  {Col.  Rec,  i.  391).  I  have  been  unable  to  conclude  from  the 
records  whether  he  continued  to  act  as  the  executive  in  North  Carolina  after  this,  or  appointed  a 
deputy  ;  if  the  latter,  who  was   it  ?     Alexander  Sellington,  as  is  commonly  said  ? 

5  Desaiption  of  Carolina. 


l6o  JOHN   ARCHDALE,  AND    SOME   OF   HIS   DESCENDANTS 

penary  repose.  It  was  increasing  in  wealth,  and  toward  the  close  of  1696, 
after  having  held  sway  for  a  little  .over  a  year,  Archdale  set  out  for  Eng- 
land, appointing  Joseph  Blake  deputy  governor  of  South  Carolina.  He 
again  visited  North  Carolina,  probably  traveled  through  the  province  with 
Dickinson,  the  Quaker  missionary,  was  present  at  a  Palatine's  court  held 
there,  December  9,  1696,  and  again  confirmed  the  rule  of  Thomas  Harvey.1 

It  is  likely  that  Archdale  never  returned  to  America.  In  1698  he  was 
elected  to  parliament  from  Chipping  Wycomb,  but  his  conscientious 
scruples  in  regard  to  taking  the  prescribed  oaths  prevented  him  from  tak- 
ing his  seat.  He  was  a  proprietor,  probably  by  the  death  of  his  son,  at 
the  time  his  Description  of  Carolina  was  written,  which  a  reference  to  the 
religious  troubles  under  Johnson  fixes  at  a  date  later  than  1704.  His 
share  of  Carolina  was  transferred  to  his  son-in-law,  John  Dawson,  Decem- 
ber 2,  1708,2  and  from  this  time  little  is  seen  of  Archdale  in  the  annals  of 
the  province  of  Carolina.3 

In  1707  Archdale  published  in  London  A  New  Description  of  that 
Fertile  and  Pleasant  Province  of  Carolina;  with  a  Brief  Account  of  its 
Discovery  and  Settling,  and  tlie  Government  thereof  to  this  time.  With 
several  Remarkable  Passages  of  Divine  Providence  during  my  time*  This 
brochure  deals  almost  exclusively  with  South  Carolina  affairs  and  does  not 
expressly  state  that  he  had  ever  visited  North  Carolina.  It  is  hardly  a 
description  at  all ;  it  is  rather  a  memoir,  rambling,  discursive,  defensive, 
recounting  his  personal  experience  and  work  as  governor  in  Carolina. 
But  in  it  he  makes  a  strong  plea  for  liberality  and  religious  freedom. 
"  Cannot  dissenters  kill  wolves  and  bears,  &c,  as  well  as  churchmen  ;  as 
also  fell  trees  and  clear  ground  for  plantations,  and  be  as  capable  of  de- 
fending the  same,  generally,  as  well  as  the  other?" 

Archdale  deeded  to  his  grandson,  Nevil  Lowe,  a  tract  of  land  lying  in 
Pasquotank  county,  North  Carolina,  on  February  2,  1712  [1713].  This 
deed  was  acknowledged  October  19,   171 5,  which  indicates  that    he  was 

1  Col.  Rec,  i.  405,  546  ;   South  Carolina  Hist.  Soc.  Colls.,  i.  212. 

'-'  South  Carolina  Hist.  Soc.  Colls.,  i.  177. 

3  The  usual  statement  that  Archdale  introduced  the  culture  of  rice  into  South  Carolina  by 
distributing  a  bag  of  the  seed  brought  by  a  sea  captain  from  Madagascar  is  an  error.  Rivers 
quotes  an  act  of  assembly  for  September  26,  1691,  by  which  a  reward  was  conferred  on  Jacob 
Peter  Guerard  for  the  invention  of  a  "  pendulum  engine  "  for  husking  rice,  which  was  superior  to 
any  machine  previously  used  in  the  colony. 

*  Quarto,  pp.  40.  Reprinted  in  Charleston,  1822,  and  included  in  Carroll's  Historical  Collec- 
tions of  South  Carolina,  ii.  85,  120  (New  York,  1836).  Doyle,  in  his  English  in  America,  p.  437, 
calls  it  "confused  and  rambling,"  and  such  it  certainly  is,  but  Grahame  touches  it  more  gener- 
ously on  its  human  side,  and  says  it  is  full  of  good  sense,  benevolence,  and  piety.  Cf.  also 
Winsor's  Narrative  and  Critical  History  of  America,  vol.  v.,  chap.  v. 


JOHN    ARCHDALE,  AND   SOME    OF    HIS    DESCENDANTS  l6l 

then  still  living,  and,  possibly,  in  North  Carolina.  This  is  the  last  notice 
we  have  of  the  governor.  This  grandson  was  old  enough  to  take  part 
in  the  "  Cary  Rebellion,"  1 707-171 1.  He  was  one  of  the  leaders  in  the 
movement,  and  was  arrested  by  Governor  Spotswood.  He  seems  to  have 
been  a  man  of  attainments  and  culture,  for  we  find  that  a  commission  was 
issued  him  "as  Secretary  of  North  Carolina,  January  31,  171 1,  and  this  at 
the  very  time  when  the  aristocratic  or  church  party  was  again  coming 
into  power,  under  the  leadership  of  Governor  Hyde.1  He  died  before 
June  17,  1717.  His  father,  Emmanuel  Lowe,  was  a  leader  in  the  "  Cary 
Rebellion."  In  fact,  this  uprising  seems  to  have  been  a  sort  of  family 
affair,  for  Cary  was  also  a  son-in-law  of  Archdale,  having  married  his 
daughter,  probably  in  South  Carolina.2  Emmanuel  Lowe  died  June  11, 
1727,  and  his  wife  on  June  3,  173 1.  The  descent  from  this  couple  seems 
to  be,  as  far  as  I  can  restore  it  from  the  Quaker  records,  as  follows :  Their 
daughter,  Anne,  married  Thomas  Pendleton.  They  had  a  child,  named 
Anna  Letitia ;  she  was  born  October  24,  1733,  and  died  April  20,  1791. 
In  September,  1750,  she  and  Demsey  Conner  declared  their  purpose  of 
marriage.  They  had  one  son,  at  least  ;  his  name  was  also  Demsey,  and  he 
was  at  school  in  Hillsborough,  N.  C,  in  1774.  His  mother  married,  for  her 
second  husband,  John  Lancaster,  of  Pasquotank,  who  had  his  seat  at  New 
Abbey,  near  Nixonton.  He  was  a  prominent  man  in  the  section,  sided 
with  the  British,  returned  to  England,  leaving  his  family  in  North  Caro- 
lina, broke  a  blood-vessel  when  he  heard  of  the  treaty  of  peace,  and  so 
expired.  He  was  a  man  of  so  much  influence  that  the  general  assembly 
in  1782  thought  it  proper  to  confiscate  his  property.  The  wife  of  the 
second  Demsey  Conner  (died,  1790)  was  named  Ann,  and  to  them  were 
born  three  children  :  George  Archdale  Lowe  Conner,  who  died  November 
10,  1807;  John  Lancaster  Conner,  who  was  at  the  University  of  North 
Carolina  in  1805-06,  and  died  young,  probably  prior  to  18 10.  There  was 
one  daughter,   Frances   Clark   Pollock   Conner,  who   first   married   (1808) 

1  South  Carolina  Hist.  Soc.  Colls.,  i.  160,  182.  The  fact  of  his  being  appointed  to  such  an 
important  office  would  indicate  that  he  had  attained  a  more  mature  age  than  twenty-two,  which 
would  not  have  been  the  case  had  his  parents  been  married  in  1688,  as  Wheeler  states.  It  is 
refreshing  to  find  a  Quaker  and  a  rebel  occupying  such  a  responsible  position  after  all  the  claims 
set  up,  then  and  now,  by  the  church  party.  We  may  also  add  that  on  November  30,  1710,  the 
proprietors  agreed  to  appoint  Emmanuel  Lowe  himself,  the  arch  rebel,  to  the  secretaryship,  and 
this  under  Hyde.     Ibid.,  i.  181. 

2  South  Carolina  Hist.  Soc.  Colls.,  i.  142.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  is  the  same  man. 
Archdale  appointed  Thomas  Cary,  his  son-in-law,  receiver-general,  or  treasurer.  Williamson 
{History  of  North  Carolina,  i.  170)  says  this  had  been  the  business  of  the  rebel.  This  relation- 
ship was  not  known  to  me  when  I  published  my  Religious  Development  in  the  Province  of  North 
Carolina.     Colonel  Cary  died  prior  to  1720. 

Vol.  XXIX.- No.  2.-11 


1 62  JOHN   ARCH  DALE,  AND    SOME    OF   HIS   DESCENDANTS 

Joseph  Blount  (1785-1822),  and,  secondly  (1834),  William  Hill,  secretary 
of  state  for  North  Carolina.  The  sons  died  without  issue.  Mrs.  Hill  had 
one  son  by  her  first  husband,  who  was  called  for  his  father.  He  died 
unmarried,  and,  so  far  as  the  writer  knows,  the  line  of  John  Archdale  is 
extinct.1 

The  administration  of  Archdale  in  North  Carolina  was  short,  but  it 
seems  to  have  been,  on  the  whole,  a  successful  one.  The  colony  had  been 
torn  by  political  dissensions,  and  plundered  by  ignorant  proprietors  and 
villainous  governors;  but  from  the  coming  of  Archdale  until  the  struggle 
for  a  church  establishment  in  1 701,  North  Carolina  was  quiet  and  pros- 
perous. 

There  is  little  in  North  Carolina  to-day  to  recall  the  name  of  the  Quaker 
governor.  A  precinct  of  Bath  county  was  called  Archdale  in  the  early 
years  of  the  eighteenth  century,  but  the  name  has  long  since  given  place 
to  that  of  Beaufort.  One  of  the  halls  of  Guilford  college,  a  Quaker  insti- 
tution, and  a  small  manufacturing  village  in  the  Quaker  settlement  in  Ran- 
dolph county,  are  all  that  to-day  recall  the  name  and  the  virtues  of  the 
peace-loving  Friend. 

1  Perhaps  the  earliest  picture  of  student  life  at  the  University  of  North  Carolina  in  existence 
is  to  be  found  in  letters  written  from  that  institution  in  1805  by  John  L.  Conner,  which  are  now  in 
possession  of  the  writer. 


A  VALUABLE  REVOLUTIONARY  DOCUMENT 

Account  of  monies  furnished  by  Lewis  Pintard  to  the  following  Ai 
can  officers,  prisoners  of  war,  on  Long  Island,  viz.  : 


James  Abbott 

Abraham  Allen 

William  Allison 

James  Anderson 

Richard  Andrews 

William  Andrews 

John  Wm.  Annis 

Edward  Antill 

Thomas  Armstrong  . .  . 
Thomas  Armstrong  . . . 

Richard  Bacon 

Andrew  Barns 

Henry  Bedinger 

William  Bell 

Mathew  Bennet 

Russell  Bissel 

John  Blackleach 

Gabriel  Blakeney 

George  Blewer 

Theodore  Bliss 

James  Bradford 

Robert  Bradford 

Joshua  Brainerd 

Henry  Brewster 

Thomas  Brickell 

Joseph  Britton 

Robert  Brown 

James  Bruyn 

Jonathan  Bryan,  Esq. . 

Edward  Bulkley 

Moses  Butler 

Nehemiah  Carpenter  .  . 

Ebenezer  Carson 

Asher  Carter 

Robert  Chesley 

Aaron  Chew 

Charles  Clark   

John  Clark 

Henry  Clayton 

George  Combs 

John  Connelly 

Jesse  Cook 

Thomas  Cook 

Peter  Coonrad 

Jacob  Covenhoven  .... 


msign. 


Colonel  . . . 
Lieutenant 


Lieut. -Colonel . 

Captain 

Lieutenant 
Servant  to  Col. 

Lieutenant 


Ensign.  .  .  . 
Lieutenant 


Captain 

D.  C.  Musician. 

Ensign   

Lieutenant 


Volunteer  . 
Lieutenant 


Lieut. -Colonel 
Inhabitant  .  .  . 

Captain 

Lieutenant  .  .  . 
Quartermaster 
Lieutenant  . . . 


Captain  .  . . 
Lieutenant 


Captain  . .    . 


Connecticut 
New  Jersey 
New  York. . 


North  Carolina 
Massachusetts  . 
Pennsylvania  .  . 


North  Carolina 
Pennsylvania  .  . 

Webb 

New  Jersey.  .  .  . 

Virginia     

Pennsylvania  .  . 

Connecticut  . .  . 


Pennsylvania 


Connecticut 

New  York. . 
Virginia  .  . . 


Pennsylvania 
New  York . . . 

Georgia 

Connecticut  . 


New  York . .  . 
Pennsylvania 

Maryland  . .  . 
West  Jersey. 
Pennsylvania 
Virginia  .... 
Pennsylvania 
New  York. . . 
Pennsylvania 
Connecticut  . 
New  Jersey  . 
Pennsylvania 
New  Jersey. . 


Ely's 

Dye's  Militia 

Militia 

Hazen's 

2d  Battalion 

Crane's  Artillery. 
Militia  Artillery  , 

Hazen's , 

2d  Battalion 

E win's  Battalion, 


Gloster  Militia. . . 

Rawlings's 

Clotz's 

Baxter's 

Enos's 

Bradley's 

Watt's 

4th 

Lamb's  Artillery. 


Cook's, 


Allison's 

Nansimond  county  . 

Guest's 

Baxter's 

Dubois's 


S.  B.  Webb's 

Sloop  Ranger 

Dubois's 

ioth 

Mcllvain's  Militia. . 

2d 

Militia 

2d  Northern  Militia 

8th 

Swoope's 

Drake's  Militia 


Bradley's 

Forman's 

5th  Northumberland 
ist  Horse 


£"3 

45 

I3i 

113 

36 

47 

43 

340 

36 

112 

21 

43 

150 

150 

156 

74 

149 

150 

132 

47 
129 

137 
140 
114 
26 
101 
150 
146 
296 

83 
29 

113 
119 
112 
116 
no 

112 
112 

31 

36 

26 

148 

I46 

112 

46 


6 

12 

6 
19 

9 

5 
15 
19 
12 

5 

13 
15 
15 
19 
11 
n 
13 

4  4 

5 

14  2 

15  11 

8  11 

8  4 
5 

13  10 
8  4 

19 

18 
18  6 

15  3 

6  10 

8  10 

14  9 
4  5 

14  1 

9  10 
12  3 
10 

10  10 
5 


Carried  forward £\. 803  1 5  1 


1 04 


A   VALUABLE    REVOLUTIONARY    DOCUMENT 


OFFICERS. 


rht   forward 


Thomas  Coverly 

Joseph  Cox 

John  Cozens 

John  Craig   

Joseph  Crane 

Isaac  Crane 

John  Crawford 

William  Crawford 

Charles  M.  Croxall 

John  Cndner 

Samuel  Culver 

Samuel  Culverson 

John  Cunningham 

Nathaniel  Darby 

William  Darke 

Robert  Darlington 

Hezekiah  Davis 

Benjamin  Davis 

Rezin  Davis 

Peter  Decker 

Samuel  Dodge 

Andrew  Dover 

Ephraim  Douglass 

Lebbeus  Drew 

Baron  D'Uertrizt 

John  Duguid 

Nathaniel  Edwards 

Samuel  Eldred 

William  Ellis 

John  Ely 

John  Erwin 

Abner  Everit 

Moore  Fauntleroy 

Ephraim  Fenno 

William  Ferguson 

Reuben  Field 

John  Finley 

Samuel  Finley 

Samuel   Fisher 

Peregrine  Fitzhugh 

Nathaniel  Fitz  Randolph 

Robert  Foster 

John  Furman 

Nathaniel  Gait 

Mark  Garret 

William  George 

Gasper  Geyer 

Samuel  Gilbert 

Adam  Gilchrist 

George  Gilchrist 

Aquilla  Giles 

Erasmus  Gill 

Oliver  Glean 

I  lenry  Godwin 

Nathan  Goodale    

Richard  Grace    


Ensign  .  .  . 
Lieutenant 
Captain  . .  . 
Lieutenant 
Captain  . . . 
Adjutant  .  . 
Lieutenant 


Ensign.  .  .  . 
Captain  .  .  . 
Lieutenant 
Ensign.  .  .  . 
Major 
Lieutenant 


Captain 

Lieutenant  .  .  . 

Quartermaster 
Lieutenant  .  .  . 

Captain 

Lieutenant  .  .  . 


Major 

Colonel  .... 
Lieutenant  . 


Virginia  .... 
Pennsylvania 
New  Jersey.  . 
Pennsylvania 
New  York.  .  . 


Captain  .  .  . 
Lieutenant 


Captain 

Cornet 

Captain 

Ensign 

Lieutenant 

Captain 

Forage  Master. 

Lieutenant 

Sub-Lieutenant 

Captain 

As.  Com.  Forage 

Captain 

Major 

Lieutenant    .  .  . 
Quartermaster  . 


Pennsvb 


Maryland 
New  York.  .  . 
Conn.  Militia 
Pennsylvania 


Virginia 
Pennsylvania 


Maryland  . .  . 
Pennsylvania 
New  York.  . 
Pennsylvania 


Massachusetts 
Pennsylvania  . 


Connecticut 

Massachusetts  .  .  . 
N.  Jersey  Militia. 
Connecticut  .... 
Pennsylvania 


Maryland  .  .  . 

New  York .  .  . 

Pennsylvania 

Virginia   .... 

Pennsylvania 

Virginia 

Pennsylvania 


New  Jersey.  . 
Virginia  .... 
New  York .  .  . 
Pennsylvania 


Virginia  

Philadelphia. . 
Massachusetts 


Virginia 


New  York. 


.Captain 


Lieutenant  .  . 


Massachusetts 
'Maryland  .  .  .  . 


9th 

6th 

Gloster,  1st 

Baxter's 

Volunteer  Company 

Field's 

Watt's 

5th..... 

Hartley's 

Drake's  Militia     .  .  . 
Hooker's  Regiment. 
Montgomery's 
2d  Lan.  Militia  .  .  .  . 

gth 

8th 

Watt's 

Montgomery's 

Swoope's 

Rawlings's 

5th  Battalion 

Dubois's 

5th 

8th 

Shepherd's 

Armand's 

3d  • 

Bradley's 

1st  .  .  .' 

Ellis's  Regiment.  .  . 

2d 

Baxter's 


Light  Dragoons,  4th 
Lamb's  Artillery  .  .  . 

Proctor's 

8th 

5th.. 

Rawlings's 

Murray's  Militia  .  .  . 
3d  Light  Dragoons. 

Militia 

15th 

Dubois's 

Navy 


Rawlings's 


Prescot's 


gth  Regiment. 


4th  Light  Dragoon: 


Dubois's  . 
Putnam's 
Price's.  .  . 


Carried  forward. 


AMOUNT. 

^4-803 

15 

1 

112 

14 

9 

121 

2 

6 

37 

18 

4 

150 

15 

7 

100 

7 

7 

135 

1 

7 

150 

15 

7 

157 

10 

112 

14 

8 

26 

9 

2 

26 

5 

3i 

10 

112 

12 

5 

112 

12 

4 

119 

11 

8 

3i 

10 

150 

10 

8 

3i 

10 

150 

15 

7 

3i 

10 

96 

8 

5 

162 

10 

9 

139 

19 

5 

122 

4 

9 

115 

19 

5 

154 

2 

7 

150 

13 

112 

12 

4 

31 

10 

125 

19 

7 

189 

15 

5 

150 

T5 

5 

114 

10 

.1 

132 

17 

10 

139 

19 

6 

112 

9 

5 

150 

18 

2 

150 

13 

47 

9 

2 

136 

0 

4 

112 

2 

8 

130 

19 

6 

118 

9 

10 

107 

18 

9 

150 

15 

5 

43 

13 

36 

2 

5 

100 

O 

3 

3i 

10 

153 

13 

4 

31 

IO 

114 

8 

6 

127 

3 

10 

141 

8 

2 

161 

1 

11 

£10,805 

18 

8 

A  VALUABLE    REVOLUTIONARY   DOCUMENT 


l65 


Brought  forward 


Thomas  Granbery   . . . 

Jesse  Grant 

John  Green   .  .• 

Francis  Grice 

Jacob  Groul 

Peter  Harkenburgh. . , 

Nathan  Hale 

Edward  Hall 

Elihu  Hall 

Benjamin  Halstead. .  . 
Henry  Hambright   . .  . 
Henry  Hardman. 
John  Harper  ........ 

John  Haviland 

Nicholas  Haussegger. 

John  Hays 

Edward  Heston 

Robert  Higgins 

Philip  Hill 

Rignal  Hilliary 

Thomas  Hobby. 

Robert  Hodgson. 

John  Holiday 

Jonathan  Holmes 

Samuel  Holmes 

Israel  Honeywell 

Elisha  Hopkins 

James   Humphrey.  . .  . 

Ephraim  Hunter 

John  Hunter 

John  Hutchin 

John  V.  Hyatt 

Charles  Jackson 

Pattin  Jackson 

Daniel  Jamison 

Thomas  Janney 

John  Johnson 

James  Jones 

Levin  Joynes 

James  Irvine 

Isaac  Theeler , 

John  Ther 

John  Thilty 

Hugh  Thing , 

James  Thronkhytt.  . .  , 

N.  Laurence 

Asa  Lay , 

Andrew  Lee 

Abraham  Legget. . .    . 

John  Levacher 

Rufus   Lincoln 

Samuel  Lindsay 
James  M.  C.  Lingan  . 
Theophilus  Little 

Thomas  Little 

Bateman  Lloyd 


Volunteer  . 
Lieutenant 
Ensign.  .  .  . 
Captain  .  .  . 
Surgeon . . . 
Ensign.  .  .  . 
Colonel  .  .  . 
Lieutenant 


Captain 


Major 

Lieutenant  . 
Colonel  .... 
Captain  .... 


Lieutenant  .  .  . 

Ensign 

Lieut. -Colonel 

Major 

Lieutenant  . . . 


Captain 


Adjutant . . 
Captain  .  .  . 
Lieutenant 


A.  D.  Q.  Gen. 

Lieutenant  .  .  , 


Adjutant .... 
Lieutenant  .  . 

Major 

Brig.-General 
Lieutenant  .  . 


Cornet.  . .  . 
Lieutenant 
Captain  .  .  . 
Lieutenant 


Ensign   .... 
Lieutenant  . 


Connecticut  . 
Pennsylvania 


New  Hampshire 
Maryland 


New  York. .  . 
Pennsylvania 
Maryland  .  .  . 
Pennsylvania 
New  Jersey  . 


Virginia 
Pennsylvania 
Virginia     .  .  . 
Maryland  .  .  . 


Connecticut  .... 

Delaware 

Pennsylvania  .  . . 
New  Jersey  .  .  . 
New  Hampshire 

New  York 

Connecticut  .... 

New  York 

Pennsylvania  .  .  . 

New  York 

New  Jersey  .... 
Delaware 


New  York   . . 
Pennsylvania 


Virginia 


New  York. .    . 
Pennsylvania  . 


Pennsylvania  .  . 

New  York 

North  Carolina 
Connecticut  . .  . 


New  York .... 
Maryland  .... 

Massachusetts 
Pennsylvania  . 
Maryland  .... 
New  Jersey. . . 


Webb's 

Buck's  Co.  Militia 

Navy    

Lutz's 

Baxter's 

2d   

Late  Forman's.  .  . 


1st 

Allison's 

Clotz's 

Griffith's 

Humphrys's.  . . 
Jaque's  Militia. 


9th. 


8th 

2d 

1st 

Bradley's 

5th 

Watt's 

Martin's 

Knolton's 
Drake's   .  .    .  . 
S.  B.  Webb's . 
McClaughry's. 

Watt's 

McClaughry's. 
Shreeve's 
Hall's 


Dubois's , 

Baxter's , 

5th 

Baxter's 

8th  Chester  County, 
gth 


Drake's  Militia  . 
8th  Cumberland. 

Baylor's 

McCallister's  . .  . 

Drake's 

2d  Battalion 

Meigs' 

Hazen's , 

Dubois's 

2d 

Bradford's  .... 
Montgomery's  .  . 

Rawlings's 

Holmes's 

Hendrickson's. . 
Martin's 


£10,805 

26 

131 
112 

125 
31 
3i 
63 

84 

135 
116 

3i 

42 

148 

26 

103 

112 

43 
112 
182 
115 
165 

43 
150 
150 

44 

26 

174 

115 
150 
119 
112 
112 

26 
116 

3i 
152 
150 
112 
117 
223 

26 
112 
no 

3i 

26 

36 

91 

144 

60 

126 

112 

157 

150 

52 

113 

112 


18  8 


13  3 

2  4 

11  7 
10 

19  6 


16  5 

12  3 

10  6 

11  10 

T9  8 

16  1 

13 

10  8 
11 

12  7 
9  2 

n  n 

17  1 
n  2 

2 
9 
5 


Carried  forward. £16,349  o  9 


1 66 


A    VALUABLE    REVOLUTIONARY    DOCUMENT 


Brought  forward. 

Samuel  Logan 

Thomas  H.  Lucket. 

Henry  Lvler . 

Robert  Magaw , 

Luke  Marbury 

Daniel  Marlin , 

Joseph   Martin. 

Thomas  Martin , 

William  Martin 

John  Massey 

George  Mathews 

Monsr.  de  Mauleon 
Alexander  McArthur  .  . . 
Alexander  McCashey. .  . 

James  McClaughry 

John  McClaughry 

John  McDonald 

Samuel  McClellan 

Samuel  McFarland 

Samuel  McHatton  .    .  . 

Michael  McKnight 

John  Meals 

John  Mercer 

Thomas  Millard 

James  Moor   

James  Morris 

Joseph  Morrisson 

Ebenezer  Mott 

Jacob  Moyen 

Jacob  Mumme 

Henry  Murfit   

Francis  Murray 

God  fry  Myer 

Sands  Niles 

Christopher  Omdorff  . . . 

Thomas  Parker 

Abraham  Parsons 

Robert  Patton 

James  Paul 

Henry  Pawling 

Thomas  Payne   

Joseph  Payne 

Nathaniel  Pendleton  .  .  . 

Solomon  Pendleton 

Tobias  Polhemus 

David  Poor 

David  Potter 

John  Poulson 

William  Preston 

Nathaniel  Ramsey 

Robert  Randolph 

Thomas  Reid   

Isaac  Requaw 

Thomas  Reynolds  

Nathaniel  Reynolds 
Abijah   Richardson 


Major 
Lieutenant 

Colonel  .  .  . 


Captain  .  .  . 
Lieutenant 


Colonel 


Lieutenant  .  .  . 
D.  Com.  For  . 
Lieut. -Colonel 

Ensign 

Captain 

Lieutenant  . . . 


Ensign. 
Captain 


Lieutenant 


Captain  . . . 
Lieutenant 


Ensign. 


Lieutenant 
Major  . . . 
Lieutenant 
Ensign.  .  .  . 
Lieutenant 


Ensign.  .  .  . 
Lieutenant 


Ensign.  .  .  . 
Lieutenant 


New  York , 
Maryland  . 


Pennsylvania  .  . 

New  York ...    . 
Pennsylvania  .  . 

Virginia 

Pennsylvania  . . 

Maryland 

Virginia 


New  York. 


New  York 


Pennsylvania 


Colonel 

Captain 

Lieutenant 
Lieut. -Colonel  . 
Lieutenant 

Ensign    

Adjutant 

Lieut. -Colonel  . 
Lieutenant  . .  . 
Surgeon's  Mate. 


New  Jersey 

Pennsylvania 

N.  Jersey  Militia. 

Virginia 

New  Jersey 

Philadelphia. 

Delaware 

Connecticut 
Pennsylvania 

New  York 

Pennsylvania 


Connecticut  . 
Maryland  .  .  . 
Virginia 
New  Jersey  . 
Pennsylvania 
New  Jersey  . 
New  York  .  . 
Virginia  .... 


Dubois's  .  .  . 
Rawlings's  . 

3d 

6th 

nth  Militia 
Graham's  . 
Baxter's.  .  .  . 

9th 

Proctor's .  . . 
26th  Militia 
9th 


Dubois's 


New  York  .  ,  . 
New  Jersey  .  . 
Massachusetts 
New  Jersey  . . 

Virginia 

Pennsylvania  . 
Maryland 


Pennsylvania  . 
New  York  .  .  . 
New  Jersey  . . 
New  York  .  . . 
Massachusetts 


2d  Militia 

Dubois's 

Swoope's.- 

Montgomery's 
1st  Gloster  County 

Watt's 

3d  Regiment 

Spotsylv.   Militia.  . 

Ogden's 

Militia 

Hall's  . 

Bradley's 

McCallister's 

Dubois's 

Swoope's   

Baxter's 

5th  Militia 

13th. 

Baxter's 

Ely's 


9th 

2d  Militia  . . . 
Swoope's. .  .  . 
2d  Regiment 
Dubois's  .  .  . 
gth 


Rawlings's 

Dubois's 

1st  Monmouth 

Hutchison's , 

2d  Cumberland  Mil 

9th 

Knox's  Artillery. . . 

3d 

3d  Light  Dragoons. 

McAllester's 

Drake's  Militia  . . . 


Drake's  Militia 
Greaton's 


£16,349  o  9 

132  4  2 
150  13 
116  2 

123  6  10 
128  9  10 

5i  4  5 
150  15 
112  14 

106  6 

112  12 
164  6 

29  8 

120  n  10 

107  14 
131  12  1 

115  12  3 
31  10 

31  10 
107  7  3 
150  10  8 

34  15 
26  9 

113  11 
9  11 

112  14 

112  12 
150  15 

124  9 
31  10 

150  15 

133  18 
100  3 
150  15 

113  4 
174  10 
118  12 
112  9 
157  12 

79  o 

116  13  10 
112  12  3 
112  12  3 
150  12  10 

121  18  5 
127  10 

147  17  TO 

98  IO 

112  12 

112  14 

316  18 

[5 


163 
31  IO 

86  12 


26 
26 
68 


Carried  forward. 


£22,465 


A   VALUABLE    REVOLUTIONARY    DOCUMENT 


67 


Brought  forward 

Josiah  Riddick 

John   Riley   

William  Robertson. .  .  . 

John  Robins 

Andrew  Robinson 

William  Rogers 

Thomas  Rowse 

John  Rudolph 

Samuel  Rutherford.    .  . 

Robert  Sample 

John  Scarborough 

James  Semmes   

Lemuel  Sherman 

Isaac  Shimer 

Zacharias  Shugart 

Joseph  Shurtleff , 

G.  Selleck  Silliman. . . . 

William  Silliman 

Edward  Smith 

Jonathan  Smith 

James  Smith 

John  Smock   , 

Charles  Snead 

Smith  Snead , 

Silas  Snow , 

Jacob  Sommer 

William  Standley 

Roger  Stayner 

Lord  Stirling    , 

Charles  Stockley 

John  Stotsbury 

Abraham  Stout , 

Aaron  Stratton , 

John  Swan , 

Cornelius  Swartwout  . .  . 

Henry  Swartwout 

Michael  Swoope 

Thomas  Tanner 

Severn  Teackle 

James  Teller 

John  Thatcher 

Tnomas  Thomas 

William  Thompson  .  . . 

Andrew  Thompson 

Thomas  Thweatt 

Edward  Tillard 

Oliver  Towles 

Charles  Turnbull 

Leonard  Van  Bueren  . . . 

Jacob  Van  Tassel 

G.  H.  Van  Wagennen., 

Robert  Walker 

Benjamin  Wallace 

Bernard   Ward 

Joseph  Ward 

Thomas  Warman 


Volunteer  . 
Lieutenant 
Adjutant .  . 
Ensign  .  .  . 
Lieutenant 


Ensign 

Lieutenant  . . . 

Ensign 

Captain 

Ensign 

Lieutenant     . . 
Master  of  Galley 
Lieutenant  . . 


A.D.Q.M.  Gen, 
Brig. -General. . 

Major 

Lieutenant 

Ensign 

Lieutenant 
Lieut. -Colonel  . 
Lieutenant 

Captain 

Lieutenant 

Ensign 

Lieutenant 

Captain 

Major-General . 

Ensign 

Captain 

Lieutenant    .  .  . 


Captain  .  .  . 
Lieutenant 
Ensign 
Colonel  . . . 
Lieutenant 

Captain  . .  . 


Colonel 

Brig  .-General 

Ensign 

Captain 

Major 


Lieutenant  . . 


Lieutenant  .  . . 
D.  Com.  Pris. 
Lieutenant  . . . 
Captain 


Com.  of  Musters 
Lieutenant  .... 


Virginia  .  .  . 
Connecticut 
Virginia  .  .  . 


Pennsylvania 
Virginia  .... 
Maryland  .  . . 
Pennsylvania 


Virginia  .... 
Maryland  . . . 
Washington  . 
Pennsylvania 


Connecticut 
Virginia  . . . 


Pennsylvania 
New  Jersey  . 
Virginia 


Delaware 

Philadelphia  Co. 


Nansimond  county 

S.  B.  Webb's 

9th 


Swoope's 

4th 

Price's . . . 

5th 

Clotz's. . . 

ioth 

gth 

ist 


Baxter's.  . 
Swoope's. 


Silliman's  . 
Rawlings's 

8th 

Proctor's.  . 
ist  Militia 
9th 


4th  Militia 

Militia 

5th 

2d 


Virginia 

Pennsylvania  . 
New  Jersey  . . 
Massachusetts 


'gth. 
nth 
2d  . 


New  York 


Pennsylvania 
Connecticut  . 
Virginia 
New  York  . . 
Connecticut  . 
New  York  .  . 


New  Jersey  . 
Virginia  . .  . 
Maryland  . . . 
Virginia  . .  . 
Pennsylvania 
New  York  . . 


Massachusetts 
Pennsylvania  . 


Virginia 


3d  Light  Dragoons. 
Lamb's  Artillery. .  . 
Dubois's 


Bradley's 

9th 

Drake's 

Swift's   

West.  Ches.  Militia. 


ioth  Regiment 
6th 


Proctor's 


Hammond's  Milit 


Brewer's 

Montgomery's 
Atlee's 


Rawlings's 


£22,465 

26 

134 
112 
112 
192 
101 
116 
150 
3i 
103 
112 

IOI 

33 

147 

150 

100 

89 

26 

154 
112 

47 

44 

112 

112 

43 

43 

150 

112 

20 

112 

79 
112 
150 
170 
116 
113 

5i 
150 
112 

26 

115 

46 

119 

84 

78 

182 

116 

139 

V 

35 

9 

112 

3i 
155 

89 
152 


5 
18  9 

9  10 
14  8 

9  1 
13  11 
2 

15 
10 

19 
12 
n 
16 
3 


7 

9 

9 
12 
12  3 

5 
14  7 

5 
9  10 

13 


13  10 
6  8 


12  n 

17  4 

17  10 

10  9 

6  5 

8  2 

0  2 

3  4 

4  4 
16 

12  5 
10 

1  5 

2  10 

10  3 


Carried  forward £27,962  12  5 


1 68 


A   VALUABLE    REVOLUTIONARY    DOCUMENT 


OFFICERS. 

RANK. 

STATE. 

CORPS. 

AMOUNT. 

B  rou  gh  t  f orw  a  rd . 

^27,962    12       5 

I05        O        4 
3D     15 

303     7     5 

112  14     7 

113  4     4 

79  11      1 
134   18     9 
113     6     9 

91     6     7 
148     5    10 

80  18   10 
115    17     2 

83  7  2 
133  11  10 
112   12     4 

43  5  9 
150  15  4 
150  15     4 

David  Waterbury 

Brig.-General  .  . 

Mason  Wattles 

Samuel  B    Webb 

Lieutenant  .... 
Colonel 

Massachusetts  .  .  . 

5th  Battalion 

John  Weidman 

Ensign 

Ebenezer  West 

Adjutant 

Lieutenant  .... 

Captain 

Connecticut 

Pennsylvania  .... 

New  York 

New  Jersey 

New  York  ...... 

Ely's 

Joel  Westcoat 

3d 

Samuel  Whiting 

James  Whitlock 

Daniel  Williams 

Lamb's  Artillery. . . 
Scudder's 

Graham's 

John  Willis 

Lieutenant  .... 

Major 

Lieutenant  .... 

Major 

Lieutenant  .... 

Virginia  

Connecticut 

Maryland 

Virginia  

Pennsylvania  .... 

2d  Regiment 

Webb's 

James  Winchester 

Era^tus  WTolcott 

Tarlton  Woodson 

Hazen's. 

9th 

George  Wright 

Thomas  Wynn    

William  Young 

Montgomery's 

McCallester's 

Total ;£ 30,072     6  10 


AN  AUTOGRAPH    MANUSCRIPT   OF   AMERICUS  VESPUCIUS 


By  Walter  Sibbald  Wilson 

There  has  just  been  found  at  the  Riccardiana  Library,  in  Florence,  a 
manuscript  volume  of  Americus  Vespucius,  which  has  hitherto  escaped 
the  notice  of  those  who  have  interested  themselves  in  the  life  of  the  great 
Florentine  navigator.  It  is  entitled  Vespucci  Amerigo,  Dettati  da  mettere 
in  latino,  and  is  a  small  volume,  five  and  two-thirds  by  four  and  one-fifth 


'V-lTTUt- 


fr* 


ACftu-fru 


tu   cdi'  ic<  lenttfrr  k*  inttrnAe" 

Pcert-'X&AvuiXA  rnvlta  trUto ixrmw 
Utrumc  %,  asrudnonra/  *rn4sAj\el\c>ru> 
*ff<*\  tjiutriio  \eleg>o  #.*n£U<x 

bo*  to    ICbbt    AXTVUVU0  'YVCtVUltf 

£U<*  toct-rttrMfJ?^  duaUb  frutto 
accod!?  u>  truc%nA  tnte- da/tu*?e-* 
uc[t+~  duAlo  teflrx?  AdfrMMr 


evrrvbCX  VTvUt   or 


1*4*- 


m    ftmtie^  ornAwi  htrrrvnzcj  &rolm' 


I 


eftg, 

ruput  w<-  hoc  fu^  f\vtdiu 

t  re'  aXi< 


****** 


uf 


teem     tru 


1 


wi"  etc  *it 


inches,  containing  one  hundred  and  eighty-eight  leaves.  It  is  executed 
in  the  beautiful  round  handwriting  of  the  fifteenth  century,  and  is  bound 
in  parchment.  The  title  is  not  contemporaneous  with  the  manuscript, 
but  was  given  to  it  by  Lami.  Vespucius  was  born  in  Florence  on  March 
9,  145 1  ;    at  the  age  of  twenty-seven  he  visited  Paris  with  a  distant  rela- 


i  ;o 


AN    AUTOGRAPH    MANUSCRIPT   OF   AMERICUS   VESPUCIUS 


tive,  returning  to  his  native  city  in  1480.  Ten  years  later  he  set  out  for 
Spain,  and  it  was  during  the  years  just  previous  to  this  departure  that  he 
is  supposed  to  have  written  the  manuscript  volume  under  consideration. 
The  book  contains  a  series  of  exercises  in  grammar,  but  of  a  peculiar  char- 
acter. Yespucius  had  experienced  a  strong  desire  to  master  the  Latin 
language  thoroughly,  and  with  this  object  in  view  he  wrote  sentences  in 
Italian,  to  which  he  could  apply  a  given  grammatical  rule,  and  afterwards 
translated   them  into  Latin.     On   each   right-hand    page  there  is  a  subject 

which  fills  it  entirely, 


^ 


and  which  is  the  devel- 
opment of  a  single 
main  idea ;  and  at  the 
top,  on  the  margin  of 
the  leaf,  are  found  cer- 
tain rules  indicated, 
the  application  of 
which  is  necessary  to 
translate  the  subject 
into  Latin.  But  in- 
stead of  writing  "  fool- 
ish and  puerile  propo- 
sitions similar  to  those 
a  /v'f«:£-  found  m  many  01  our 
1  •.  '  7"f«7.  modern  grammars, 
such  as,  '  the  cat  ot  my 
uncle'sbrotheris  much 
pleased  with  the  dog 
of  my  cousin's  aunt,' 
he  wrote,  in  Italian, 
sentences  having  in 
general  a  deep  purport, 
and  this  purport  was 
suggested  to  him  by  the  atmosphere  of  Florence  in  which  he  lived,  and 
then  ruled  by  Lorenzo  the  Magnificent.  This  opinion  seems  to  me  con- 
firmed by  reading  the  whole  manuscript."  1 

In  the  accompanying  photographs  are  shown  ;  first,  the  reverse  side  of 
the  first  leaf  (page  2  of  the  book),  with  the  Italian  composition  written 
in  a  firm,  exquisite  hand;  and  on  the  second  leaf  (page  3  of  the  book) 
is  shown  the  Latin  translation  of  the  opposite  page.     The  range  of  subjects 

1  G.  Uzielli,  in   Toscanelli  for  January,  1893. 


4      'iT'Uv>v '      /jfl-ar^rV' 


<£w>#' 


v^ 


7 


9**&*j'i,P  ( 


-^.\    u   i>ul 


AN    AUTOGRAPH    MANUSCRIPT   OF   AM  ERIC  US    VESPUCIUS  171 

covered  is  wide;  they  are  of  a  philosophical  character,  and  give  evidence 
of  a  thoughtful  mind.  In  one,  Vespucius,  who  did  not  believe  that 
theology  could  explain  natural  phenomena,  such  as  meteoric  displays,  and 
showers  of  blood,  etc.,  addresses  the  following  ironical  inquiry  to  the 
believers :  "  Oh  !  priest,  from  whom  counsel  has  been  so  often  sought  in 
the  times  when  it  has  thundered,  or  the  lightnings  have  flashed,  when  the 
thunderbolt  has  fallen,  or  when  the  hail  has  destroyed,  when  it  has  rained 
or  snowed  in  an  extraordinary  manner,  as  if  the  nations  truly  believed  thee 
to  be  the  god  Apollo,  who,  as  the  poets  imagine,  possesses  a  knowledge  of 
future  things  as  well  as  things  present  and  past !  what  advice  would'st 
thou  give  to  this  people  if  it  rained  stones,  or  blood,  or  flesh,  as  one  reads 
in  the  old  chronicles?"1 

In  another  "  exercise  "  he  lays  down  the  fundamental  problem  of  the 
science  of  the  emotions;  and  in  a  third  he  enunciates  a  precept  of  hy- 
giene and  of  morality.  Leaf  188,  also  shown  in  the  photograph,  and 
which  is  the  last  in  the  book,  contains  at  the  top  the  following  decla- 
ration: "  Amerigo  de  Ser  Anastagio  Vespucci  wrote  this  little  book." 
Under  these  words  there  are  some  scrawls  and  several  lines  of  writing, 
in  part  from  the  hand  of  Vespucius,  in  part  made  by  other  persons,  as 
may  be  seen  in  the  photograph  herewith.  There  can  be  read  two  Greek 
words,  with  their  pronunciation  :  "  akolitos,"  "  exorkist  "  ;  the  Latin  words 
(<non  prohibitus,"  "  abjuro  juramento  expello";  some  names  repeated 
several  times,  such  as  Antonius,  Simone.  Upon  examination  it  appears 
that  although  Vespucius  had  written  all  the  Italian  composition  in  his 
book  of  exercises,  he  had  only  translated  six  pages  into  Latin.  This 
may  readily  be  accounted  for  from  the  fact  that,  at  that  period,  it  was 
unsafe  for  any  one  to  write  his  opinions  in  too  free  and  open  a  manner. 
Lorenzo  the  Magnificent  was  in  power,  and  he  was  an  unscrupulous  ruler. 
"  Possessed  of  high  ability,  great  in  the  policy  of  trifling  expedients,  but 
extravagant  to  excess,  the  slave  of  his  passions  and  incapable  in  business 
matters,  Lorenzo  did  not  hesitate  to  use  the  public  treasure  for  his  own 
needs,  and  to  lay  hands  on  the  dowers  deposited  in  the  banks  of  the 
Republic,  and  which  belonged  to  the  young  daughters  of  Florence."  This 
little  manuscript  volume  will  prove  a  valuable  addition  to  the  literature  in 
existence  referring  to  Americus  Vespucius. 

1  Toscanelli  for  January,  1893. 


THE    CATHEDRAL    OF    ST.    JOHN   THE    DIVINE 

By  Allan  Grant 

On  a  bitter  cold  afternoon  at  the  close  of  the  year  1892,  the  anniver- 
sary of  St.  John  the  Evangelist's  Day,  December  27,  the  corner-stone  of 
the  Cathedral  Church  of  St.  John  the  Divine  was  laid  with  solemn  and 
appropriate  ceremonies.     The  site  of  this  cathedral,  destined  when  com- 


CATHEDRAL    OF    ST.    JOHN    THE    DIVINE. 

pleted  to  rival  the  grandest  ecclesiastical  edifices  of  Europe,  extends  from 
One  Hundred  and  Tenth  to  One  Hundred  and  Thirteenth  streets, and  from 
Morningside  to  Tenth  avenues,  New  York.  It  is  at  present  occupied  by 
the  buildings  of  the  Leake  and  Watts  Orphan  Asylum.  A  point  just  east 
of   the   asylum,  and   overlooking  the  broad  valley  below,  was  selected  for 


THE   CATHEDRAL   OF   ST.    JOHN   THE   DIVINE  1 73 

laying  the  corner-stone,  a  polished  block  of  Quincy  granite,  four  feet  four 
inches  square  by  two  feet  four  and  a  half  inches  deep.  Owing  to  the 
season  of  the  year  a  temporary  wooden  structure  of  cruciform  shape,  cov- 
ered by  a  canvas  roof,  steam  heated,  and  capable  of  seating  comfortably  a 
thousand  persons,  had  been  provided. 

In  the  centre  of  the  building  was  seen  the  stone,  around  which  a  plat- 
form with  a  lectern  in  one  corner  had  been  erected,  and  at  each  angle  was 
displayed  the  American  flag.  The  floors  of  the  whole  building,  as  well  as 
of  the  platform,  were  carpeted.  Necessarily  only  a  limited  number  (eleven 
hundred)  of  admission  tickets  were  sent  out,  and  to  the  holders  of  these 
were  assigned  seats  in  the  nave.  The  chancel  was  set  apart  for  the  clergy, 
the  left  transept  for  the  various  church  societies,  and  the  right  transept 
for  the  choir  and  the  students  of  the  General  Theological  Seminary.  The 
clergy,  students,  and  choristers  assembled  in  the  asylum,  and  at  three 
o'clock  the  procession  entered,  led  by  the  marshal  carrying  a  silver  mace. 
He  was  followed  by  the  musicians,  and  behind  them  came  seventy  mem- 
bers of  the  Church  Choral  Society,  and  the  students  of  the  General  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  all  of  whom  took  seats  in  the  south  transept.  The 
trustees  of  Columbia  College  and  of  St.  Luke's  Hospital  were  next  in 
order,  and  sat  in  the  north  transept.  The  clergy  came  next,  walking  two 
by  two,  and  separating  at  the  corner-stone  to  meet  and  sit  together  in  the 
chancel.  The  line  extended  from  the  tent  to  the  asylum,  and  numbered 
about  two  hundred  and  fifty  persons  in  all.  Following  the  clergy  were  the 
architect  and  the  builder.  The  trustees  of  the  cathedral,  wearing  purple 
sashes,  were  next  in  order,  and  were  seated  on  the  left  side  of  the  plat- 
form. Then  came  the  bishops.  As  the  clergy  entered  the  building  they 
read  with  Bishop  Potter,  responsively,  the  processional  psalms,  "  Lord, 
who  shall  dwell  in  Thy  tabernacle  ?  "  and  "  I  was  glad  when  they  said 
unto  me."  When  the  clergy  had  taken  their  places  in  the  chancel  the 
sight  was  most  impressive.  The  white  robes,  the  colored  stoles  and  hoods 
of  many  hues,  contrasted  with  the  darkly  dressed  congregation,  made  a 
pleasing  picture.     The  bishops  sat  in  the  midst  of  the  chancel. 

The  services  were  conducted  by  Bishop  Potter  and  Drs.  Dix  and  Hunt- 
ington, Chief  Justice  Fuller  taking  part  in  the  programme.  Bishop  Doane 
delivered  the  address.  The  following  articles  were  deposited  beneath  the 
stone  : 

The  Holy  Bible. 

The  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  according  to  the  Standard  of  1892. 

The  Hymnal  of  the  Church. 

Journals  of  the  convention  of  the  diocese  of  New  York,  1882-92. 


1 74  THE    CATHEDRAL   OF   ST.    JOHN   THE   DIVINE 

Journals  oi  the  General  Convention  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  the  United 
States,  1889-92. 

General  James  Grant  Wilson's  Centennial  History  of  the  Diocese  of  New  York,  1886. 

Spirit  of  Missions,  December,  1892. 

Church  papers — The  Churchman,  Standard,  and  Living  Church. 

Daily  newspapers  of  December  27,  1892. 

The  Church  Almanac,  Whittaker  s  Almanac,  Living  Church  Quarterly ,  and  Tri- 
bune Almanac,  1893. 

Catalogue  of  the  General  Theological  Seminary,  1892-93. 

Catalogue  of  St.  Stephen's  College,  1892-93. 

Form  of  the  office  of  the  cathedral  corner-stone  laying. 

Names  of  the  trustees  of  the  cathedral. 

Charges  and  addresses  delivered  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Henry  C.  Potter  on  "Law  and  Loy- 
alty in  the  Church  "  before  the  one  hundred  and  third  convention  of  the  diocese  of  New 
York;  on  "The  Offices  of  Wardens  and  Vestrymen;"  and  on  "The  Relation  of  the 
Clergy  to  the  Faith  and  Order  of  the  Church,"  at  the  one  hundredth  anniversary  of  the 
consecration  of  the  bishops  for  the  Church  in  America  by  English  bishops  in  Lambeth  ;  at 
the  dedication  of  All  Saints'  cathedral,  Albany  ;  at  the  one  hundredth  anniversary  of  the 
inauguration  of  George  Washington  as  President  of  the  United  States,  in  St.  Paul's  chapel, 
April  29,  1889. 

Letters  of  Bishop  Potter  to  the  people  and  clergy  of  the  diocese  concerning  the  cathe- 
dral, 1887. 

Badge  and  rules  of  prayer  and  service  of  the  Brotherhood  of  St.  Andrew. 

Fragments  of  brick  from  the  first  church  in  America,  bearing  inscription  on  silver 
plate:  "From  the  ruins  of  the  First  Christian  City  of  the  New  World,  where  the  first 
church  was  erected  by  Christopher  Columbus,  1493. — Isabella,  Hispaniola." 

Medal  of  the  Domestic  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society. 

List  of  the  officers  of  the  governments  of  the  United  States,  the  state  and  the  city  of 
New  York. 

Coins  of  the  United  States. 

Lists  of  objects  deposited  in  corner-stone. 

The  illustration  accompanying  this  article  is  the  one  selected  by  the 
trustees  from  among  several  designs  which  were  submitted  to  them.  Some 
modifications  of  the  original  have  already  been  decided  upon,  and  others 
may  possibly  be  adopted  hereafter.  It  is  estimated  that  the  total  cost  of 
the  cathedral  will  be  about  ten  millions  of  dollars,  and  it  is  hoped  that  it 
may  be  completed  within  a  very  few  years  of  the  close  of  the  present  cen- 
tury. Several  persons  have  subscribed  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  each, 
and  one  generous  person,  whose  name  is  withheld,  has  given  half  a  million 
of  dollars. 


grail  tyuxtm  J|nnira  of  flu  %Mtd  Sftvtet, 

&&Z*  (Pcn^  lAhib  4r.  )  rf     ?<&& 


THE   DEATH    OF    EX-PRESIDENT    HAYES 

A  special  meeting  of  the  cabinet  was  held  in  Washington,  D.  C,  on  Wednesday, 
January  18,  at  which  the  following  executive  order  was  drafted  and  adopted  : 

To  the  People  of  the  United  States  : 

The  death  of  Rutherford  B.  Hayes,  who  was  President  of  the  United  States 
from  March  4,  1877,  to  March  4,  i88t,  at  his  home  in  Fremont,  Ohio,  at  eleven  p.m. 
yesterday,  is  an  event  the  announcement  of  which  will  be  received  with  very  gen- 
eral and  very  sincere  sorrow.  His  public  service  extended  over  many  years  and 
over  a  wide  range  of  official  duty.  He  was  a  patriotic  citizen,  a  lover  of  the  flag 
and  of  our  free  institutions,  an  industrious  and  conscientious  civil  officer,  a  soldier 
of  dauntless  courage,  a  loyal  comrade  and  friend,  a  sympathetic  and  helpful  neigh- 
bor, and  the  honored  head  of  a  happy  Christian  home.  He  had  steadily  grown  in 
the  public  esteem,  and  the  impartial  historian  will  not  fail  to  recognize  the  con- 
scientiousness, the  manliness,  and  the  courage  that  so  strongly  characterized  his 
whole  public  career. 

As  an  expression  of  the  public  sorrow,  it  is  ordered  that  the  executive  mansion 
and  the  several  executive  departments  at  Washington  be  draped  in  mourning  and 
the  flags  thereon  placed  at  half-staff  for  a  period  of  thirty  days,  and  that  on  the 
day  of  the  funeral  all  public  business  in  the  departments  be  suspended,  and  that 
suitable  military  and  naval  honors,  under  the  orders  of  the  secretaries  of  war  and 
of  the  navy,  be  rendered  on  that  day. 

Benjamin  Harrison. 

Executive  Mansion,  Washington,  D.  C,  January  18,  1893. 

By  the  President, 

J.  W.  Foster,  Secretary  of  State, 

On  the  day  following,  Governor  McKinley,  of  Ohio,  the  ex-president's  native 
state,  issued  the  following  proclamation  : 

To  the  People  of  Ohio  : 

It  is  my  sorrowful  duty  to  announce  to  the  people  of  the  state  the  death  of  one 
of  its  most  honored  citizens,  Rutherford  B.  Hayes,  which  occurred  on  the  night  of 
the  17th  inst.,  at  his  home,  Fremont,  Ohio.  It  is  fitting  that  the  people  of  Ohio, 
whom  he  served  so  long  and  faithfully,  should  take  special  note  of  the  going  out 


i  ;6 


HISTORY    IN    BRIEF 


of  this  great  life,  and  make  manifest  the  affectionate  regard  in  which  he  was  held 
by  them. 

His  private  life  was  conspicuous  for  its  purity,  gentleness,  and  benevolence. 
His  public  services  were  long  and  singularly  distinguished.  In  his  youth  he  had  an 
important  official  position  in  the  chief  city  of  the  state.  He  was  among  the  first 
of  Ohio's  sons  to  offer  his  services  to  the  cause  of  the  Union  in  the  late  war.  In 
battle  he  was  brave  ;  and  wounds  he  received  in  defending  his  country's  flag  were 
silent  but  eloquent  testimonials  to  his  gallantry  and  patriotism  and  sacrifice.  From 
major  of  the  Twenty-third  Ohio  Infantry  he  reached  the  high  rank  of  a  major 
general  of   volunteers,    commanding  a   division  ;    beloved    by   his   comrades    and 

respected  by  all.  While  in  the  field  he 
was  elected  to  the  national  house  of 
representatives,  but  his  sense  of  duty  im- 
pelled him  to  decline  to  serve  in  congress 
while  the  country  was  imperiled.  Sub- 
sequently he  performed  honorable  ser- 
vice in  that  body.  For  two  successive 
terms  he  was  elected  Governor  of  Ohio, 
and  after  a  period  of  retirement  he  was 
again  chosen  the  chief  executive  of  the 
state.  Then  the  nation  called  him  to 
the  presidency,  and  he  performed  the, 
duties  of  that  high  office  with  dignity, 
faithfulness,  and  ability. 

From  the  completion  of  his  term  as 
President  of  the  United  States  until  his 
death  he  was  an  exemplification  of  the 
noblest  qualities  of  American  citizenship 
in  its  private  capacity  ;  modest  and  un- 
assuming, and  yet  public-spirited,  ever 
striving  for  the  well-being  of  the  people, 
the  relief  of  distress,  the  reformation  of 
abuses,  and  the  practical  education  of  the  masses  of  his  countrymen.  We  are  made 
better  by  such  a  life.  Its  serious  contemplation  will  be  helpful  to  all.  We  add  to 
our  own  honor  by  doing  honor  to  the  memory  of  Rutherford  B.  Hayes. 

I,  therefore,  as  Governor  of  the  State  of  Ohio,  recommend  that  flags  on  all 
public  buildings  and  schoolhouses  be  put  at  half-mast  from  now  until  after  the 
funeral  of  Rutherford  B.  Hayes,  and  that,  upon  the  first  opportunity  after  the 
funeral,  the  people  assemble  at  their  respective  places  of  divine  worship  and  hold 
memorial  services.  And,  as  a  mark  of  respect,  I  do  order  that  on  the  day  of  the 
funeral,  the  20th  inst.,  the  executive  office  be  closed. 

In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  subscribed  my  name  and  caused  to  be 


HISTORY    IN    BRIEF 


177 


affixed  the  great  seal  of  the  state  at  Columbus,  this  the  19th  day  of  January,  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  ninety-three,  and  of  the  inde- 
pendence of  the  United  States  the  one  hundred  and  seventeenth. 

William  McKinley,  Jr. 
By  the  Governor, 

Samuel  M.  Taylor,  Secretary  of  State. 

The  funeral  of  General  Hayes,  at  Fremont,  Ohio,  took  place  on  Thursday, 
January  19,  and  was  attended  by  many  distinguished  persons,  including  Grover 
Cleveland,  the  only  ex-President  of  the  United  States  now  living.  President 
Harrison,  who  was  prevented  from  being  present  in  person,  was  represented  by 
several  members  of  his  cabinet. 


ONE    OF    WASHINGTON'S    SWEETHEARTS 

On  the  occasion  of  one  of  the  numerous  journeys  which  General  Washington 
took  to  the  North  in  February  and  March,  1756,  he  visited  among  other  places 
Philadelphia,  New  York,  and  Boston.  It  is 
stated,  too,  that  in  New  York  he  was  im- 
pressed by  the  charms  of  a  young  lady,  Miss 
Mary  Philipse.  A  few  particulars  in  connec- 
tion with  this  pleasing  incident  may  be  of 
interest.  Mary  Philipse  was  the  niece  and 
heiress  of  Mr.  Adolphus  Philipse.  The 
founder  of  the  family  and  of  the  family's 
wealth  was  Frederick  Philipse,  owner  of  a 
vast  tract  of  country  which  embraced  Tarry- 
town  and  reached  down  to  the  Harlem. 
Upon  a  tax  list  of  New  York  city  for  the  year 
1674  he  is  rated  as  worth  eighty  thousand 
florins  (thirty-two  thousand  dollars),  by  far 
the  richest  man  in  town  ;  only  two  men  ap- 
proached him  in  wealth,  and  these  were  rated 
each  at  fifty  thousand  florins  (twenty  thou- 
sand dollars).  Frederick  Philipse  and  his  son 
Adolphus,  after  him,  were  in  the  governor's 
council,  and  intensely  loyal  to  the  king.  The 
wealth  of  the  family  had  not  grown  less  by 
the  year  1756.  Mary  Philipse  was  heiress  to 
a  vast  amount.  Her  sister,  likewise  an  heir- 
ess, had  married  Beverly  Robinson,  the  son  of  John  Robinson,  who  was  Speaker  of 
the  House  of  Burgesses  of  Virginia,  and  as  such  had  so  eloquently  complimented 

Vol.  XXIX. -No.  2.— 12 


17$  HISTORY   IN   BRIEF 

Washington  when  he  took  his  seat  there.  Beverly  had  been  a  schoolmate  of  Wash- 
ington's, and  it  was  but  natural  that  the  latter  should  be  his  guest  on  this  visit  to 
New  York.  And,  equally  as  a  matter  of  course,  Washington  at  this  house  met 
Mary  Philipse.     Irving  says  of  this  meeting  : 

"  That  he  was  an  open  admirer  of  Miss  Philipse  is  an  historical  fact  ;  that  he 
sought  her  hand,  but  was  refused,  is  traditional,  and  not  very  probable.  His 
military  rank,  his  early  laurels,  and  distinguished  presence  were  all  calculated  to 
win  favor  in  female  eyes  ;  but  his  sojourn  in  New  York  was  brief,  he  may  have 
been  diffident  in  urging  his  suit  with  a  lady  accustomed  to  the  homage  of  society, 
and  surrounded  by  admirers.  The  most  probable  version  of  the  story  is  that  he 
was  called  away  by  his  public  duties  before  he  had  made  sufficient  approaches  in 
his  siege  of  the  lady's  heart  to  warrant  a  summons  to  surrender." 

Whatever  the  truth  of  this  courtship  is,  it  is  certain  that  Washington  did  not 
marry  her.  Yret,  by  the  strange  concatenation  of  events  in  that  stirring  age,  twenty 
years  later  he  occupied  her  house  on  Harlem  Heights  as  his  headquarters.  After 
he  had  gone  back  to  Virginia  a  letter  reached  him  from  a  friend,  giving  him  warn- 
ing that  another  was  seeking  the  rich  and  beautiful  prize.  Captain  Roger  Morris, 
a  fellow  aid-de-camp  in  the  Braddock  campaign,  was  likely  to  win  her  hand.  But 
Washington  left  the  field  clear  for  him.  Hence  Mary  Philipse  became  Mary 
Morris.  And  when  the  Revolution  came  she  clung  to  the  traditions  of  her  family, 
and  remained  a  loyalist.  Besides  her  wealth  and  beauty  she  was  credited  with 
possessing  a  strong  mind  and  imperious  will  ;  so  much  so  that  it  was  freely  hinted 
at  that  time  that  if  Washington  had  married  her  he  would  never  have  been  the 
leader  of  the  patriots.  Captain  Morris  may  have  needed  no  petticoat  persuasion 
to  keep  him  from  joining  the  rebels.  At  any  rate,  the  wife  and  husband  both  fled  to 
England,  and  their  estates  on  Manhattan  were  confiscated.  They  owned  a  beauti- 
ful mansion  overlooking  the  Harlem  river  and  the  country  far  beyond  it.  Later 
it  came  into  the  hands  of  Madame  Jumel,  who  was  married  to  Aaron  Burr  shortly 
before  the  latter's  death  in  1830  ;  and  it  still  stands  to-day,  known  as  the  Jumel 
Mansion,  as  a  lonely  relic  of  former  days,  on  One-hundred-and-sixty-first  street 
near  St.  Nicholas  avenue.  It  was  occupied  by  Washington  as  headquarters 
after  the  battle  of  Long  Island,  and  before  his  retreat  from  Manhattan  island, 
or  in  the  early  autumn  months  of  1776.  It  may  be  that  his  thoughts  reverted  with 
fond  regret  to  the  beautiful  mistress  of  the  mansion  in  the  happy  days  of  youth. 


TRUTH    ABOUT    SECESSION 

'*  Secession  "  has  not  a  pleasant  sound  to  our  ears.  It  has  cost  us  too  much 
blood  and  treasure.  However,  if  there  be  any  good  ground  for  distributing  the 
blame  of  this  bad  thing,  do  not  let  us  be  so  unfair  and  so  unhistoric  as  to  concen- 
trate it  upon  one  section,  and  confine  it  to  the  men  of  one  period  or  generation. 
The  author  of  a  recent  book  puts  the  matter  tersely  and  strongly  thus  : 

"  The  truth  is,  it  is  nonsense  to  reproach  any  one  section  with  being  especially 


HISTORY    IN    BRIEF  1 79 

disloyal  to  the  Union.  At  one  time  or  another  almost  every  state  has  shown 
strong  particularistic  leanings  ;  Connecticut  and  Pennsylvania,  for  example,  quite 
as  much  as  Virginia  or  Kentucky.  Fortunately  the  outbursts  were  never  simulta- 
neous in  a  majority.  It  is  as  impossible  to  question  the  fact  that  at  one  period  or 
another  of  the  past  many  of  the  states  in  each  section  have  been  very  shaky  in 
their  allegiance,  as  to  doubt  that  they  are  now  all  heartily  loyal.  The  secession 
movement  of  i860  was  pushed  to  extremities,  instead  of  being  merely  planned  and 
threatened  ;  and  the  revolt  was  peculiarly  abhorrent  because  of  the  intention  to 
make  slavery  the  '  corner-stone '  of  the  new  nation  ;  but  at  least  it  was  free  from 
the  meanness  of  being  made  in  the  midst  of  a  doubtful  struggle  with  a  foreign  foe." 
This  last  clause  is  aimed  at  the  decided  separatist  sentiments  and  activities  pre- 
vailing in  the  New  England  states  during  the  war  of  181 2.  It  seems  almost 
incredible  (but  the  facts  are  there,  and  they  are  unmanageable  things)  that  "  half  a 
century  before  the  '  stars  and  bars '  waved  over  Lee's  last  intrenchments,  perfervid 
New  England  patriots  were  fond  of  flaunting  '  the  flag  with  five  stripes,'  and  drink- 
ing to  the  health  of  the — fortunately  still-born — new  nation."  It  would  seem  the 
part  of  wisdom  then  for  the  pot  to  lay  aside  its  habit  of  predicating  blackness  of 
the  kettle.  We  have  all  erred  on  this  unhappy  "  secesh  "  question,  and  now  we  have 
all  learned  to  be  wiser,  after  having  had  some  punishment  for  our  error.  Union 
after  Liberty  will  no  longer  do.  It  must  be  Liberty  and  Union,  Liberty  with 
Union,  Liberty  through  Union.  But  we  must  cease  prosing  about  this  matter  ;  the 
point  is,  not  to  forget  the  farther  past  in  the  overwhelming  importance  of  the  more 
recent  past ;  or  let  us  forget  both  together  ! 


A    STRANGE    STORY 

When  Gouverneur  Morris,  our  Minister  at  Paris  during  the  Reign  of  Terror, 
was  in  France,  he  formed  intimate  friendships  with  many  members  of  the  royal 
family,  even  before  he  was  accredited  as  the  representative  of  our  government. 
Among  those  who  admired  him  and  cherished  his  society  was  the  Duchess  of 
Orleans,  the  wife  of  the  wretched  Philippe  Egalite,  and  mother  of  Louis  Philippe, 
who  reigned  as  king  after  the  downfall  of  Charles  X.  At  one  of  these  frequent 
and  sudden  turns  of  fortune  which  were  constantly  bringing  one  or  another  group 
of  "  patriots  "  to  the  guillotine,  General  Dumouriez  found  it  the  better  part  of  valor 
to  seek  refuge  in  flight.  He  had  lost  a  battle,  and  the  French  red  republicans  had 
no  alternative  for  their  generals  but  "victory  or  death,"  in  a  somewhat  new  appli- 
cation of  that  brave  motto.  In  his  train  fled  Louis  Philippe,  and  by  that  means 
escaped,  probably,  the  fate  of  his  father.  But  while  he  saved  his  life,  he  did  not 
save  much  of  worldly  goods  with  it.  In  this  extremity  a  friend  of  the  duchess  called 
upon  Morris  for  aid.  Remembering  the  mother's  kindness  and  friendship,  Morris 
responded  at  once  and  generously.  He  gave  the  young  duke  money  wherewith  to 
go  to  America,  and   directed   his  bankers  at   New   York   to   give   him  unlimited 


180  HISTORY    IN    BRIEF 

credit.  When,  later,  "  he  came  to  his  own,"  this  generosity  on  the  part  of  the 
American  commoner  was  conveniently  forgotten.  "  He  was  not  a  bad  man,"  says 
rheodore  Roosevelt,  on  whose  authority  we  tell  this  story,  "  but  he  was  a  very 
petty  and  contemptible  one  ;  had  he  been  born  in  a  different  station  of  life  he 
would  have  been  just  the  individual  to  take  a  prominent  part  in  local  temperance 
meetings,  while  he  sanded  the  sugar  he  sold  in  his  corner  grocery."  Morris,  dis- 
gusted at  the  man's  ignominious  ingratitude,  jogged  his  memory  a  little  ;  where- 
upon the  noble  king,  remembering  that  "  noblesse  oblige"  quietly  forwarded  the 
bare  original  sum,  without  a  centime  of  interest,  and,  what  is  worse,  without  a 
word  of  thanks.  This  aroused  the  American  to  still  greater  indignation.  He  now 
engaged  a  lawyer,  through  whom  he  coolly  notified  the  royal  niggard  that  "  if 
the  affair  was  to  be  treated  on  a  merely  business  basis,  it  should  then  be  treated 
m  a  strictly  business  way,  and  the  interest  for  the  twenty  years  that  had  gone  by 
should  be  forwarded  also."  This  carried  the  figure  to  seventy  thousand  francs, 
which  was  not  fully  refunded  till  after  Morris's  death,  a  few  years  after  this  episode. 
The  account  of  this  incident  was  obtained  by  Mr.  Roosevelt  from  manuscripts 
in  the  possession  of  the  Hon.  John  Jay,  and  has  not  before  been  presented  to  the 
public. 


UNITED    STATES    HISTORICAL    EXHIBIT    AT    MADRID 

In  his  report  to  the  Secretary  of  State,  Mr.  William  G.  Curtis,  attache  of  the 
United  States  Commission  to  the  Madrid  Historical  Exposition,  speaks  as  follows  : 
''The  building  in  which  the  exposition  is  held  is  a  magnificent  structure  of  stone,  simple  in  its 
architecture,  but  imposing  in  its  dimensions.  It  stands  on  one  of  the  principal  avenues  of  the 
modern  portion  of  Madrid,  and  is  intended  for  the  permanent  home  of  the  National  Library,  which 
now  occupies  an  ancient  monastery,  but  will  be  removed  to  its  new  quarters  at  the  close  of  the 
exposition.  The  upper  story  of  the  great  quadrangle  is  entirely  occupied  by  the  Spanish  section, 
while  the  rooms  upon  the  lower  floor  are  assigned  to  Portugal,  Italy,  Germany,  Norway  and  Sweden, 
Mexico,  Guatemala,  Nicaragua,  Costa  Rica,  Colombia,  Ecuador,  Peru,  Uruguay,  Santo  Domingo, 
the  United  States,  and  one  or  two  other  nations.  The  exhibits  from  these  countries,  with  the 
exception  of  the  United  States,  are  devoted  almost  exclusively  to  historical  relics  and  archaeological 
collections  illustrating  the  condition  of  the  native  races  which  occupied  the  American  continent  at  the 
time  of  the  discovery.  The  United  States  exhibit  occupies  six  large  rooms  at  the  left  of  the  entrance 
on  Calle  de  Serrano,  and  it  is  the  most  extensive  of  any  nation  except  Spain.  The  principal  room 
and  a  smaller  one  adjoining  are  occupied  by  a  splendid  exhibition  selected  with  great  care  from 
the  treasures  of  the  Smithsonian  Institute  and  the  National  Museum  at  Washington.  The  next 
room  is  occupied  by  an  exhibit  from  the  museum  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  and  in  the 
adjacent  apartment  is  a  collection  of  objects  illustrating  the  history  and  condition  of  the  Pueblo 
Indians  of  New  Mexico  and  Arizona,  furnished  by  the  generosity  of  Mrs.  Hemingway  of  Boston. 
In  two  large  rooms  at  the  right  of  the  entrance  is  a  collection  of  the  portraits  of  Columbus,  with 
large  photographic  views  of  places  in  America  visited  by  him  on  his  several  voyages,  and  scenes 
identified  with  his  career,  and  photographs  and  medals  of  all  the  monuments  that  have  been 
erected  in  his  honor.  This  collection  was  furnished  by  the  Bureau  of  the  American  Republic  at 
Washington. 


HISTORY    IN    BRIEF  l8l 

"  But  the  most  important  and  attractive  portion  of  the  exhibition  is  the  Spanish  section,  in 
which  is  displayed  a  marvelous  collection  of  relics  of  what  may  be  termed  the  Golden  Age  of 
Spain,  the  portraits  of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  Charles  V.  and  Philip  II.,  contemporary  with  and 
immediately  following  the  discoveries  of  Columbus.  The  palaces,  the  museums,  the  libraries,  the 
churches,  the  monasteries,  the  armories,  and  the  art  galleries  of  Spain  have  been  stripped  of  their 
choicest  treasures  relating  to  this  period  of  Spanish  prosperity  and  magnificence,  and  the  collection 
is  here  displayed  in  chronological  order,  arrayed  and  installed  with  rare  taste  and  ingenuity.  The 
ancient  families  of  the  kingdom,  whose  magnificent  collections  of  art  and  historical  subjects  are  seldom 
shown  to  the  public,  have  loaned  them  for  the  exposition  and  have  made  the  display  complete.  Several 
important  private  collections  have  also  been  brought  from  France,  and  his  Holiness  the  Pope  has 
contributed  many  articles  of  rare  interest  and  variety  from  the  museum  and  library  at  the  Vatican. 
Although  many  of  the  objects  have  been  on  public  exhibition  in  the  several  cities  of  Spain,  it  is 
the  first  time  that  an  attempt  has  been  made  to  bring  them  together,  and  there  is  no  country  so 
rich  in  historical  treasures.  It  is  gratifying  to  know  that  the  greater  part  of  the  exhibits  of  this 
exposition  will  be  transferred  to  Chicago  next  spring,  and  will  furnish  one  of  the  most  attractive 
features  of  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition." 


AN    AUTOGRAPH    LETTER    FROM    GLADSTONE 

Upon  the  next  page  we  give  a  fac-simile  of  a  letter  written  by  Mr,  W.  E,  Glad- 
stone to  Douglas  Campbell,  the  author  of  The  Puritan  in  Holland,  England,  and 
America.     The  text  of  the  letter,  omitting  the  address,  is  as  follows  : 

"  Hawarden  Castle,  Chester,   October  17,  '92. 

My  dear  Sir, — It  happened  that  I  opened  your  work  and  read  the  deeply  interesting  Preface 
before  I  had  seen  your  letter,  and  ascertained  to  whom  I  owed  the  gift.  Allow  me  now  to  offer 
you  the  special  thanks  it  so  well  deserves. 

The  English  race  (I  am  a  pure  Scotchman)  are  a  great  fact  in  the  world,  and  I  believe  will  so 
continue  ;  but  no  race  stands  in  greater  need  of  discipline  in  every  form,  and,  among  other  forms, 
that  which  is  administered  by  criticism  vigorously  directed  to  canvassing  their  character  and  claims. 
Under  such  discipline  I  believe  they  are  capable  of  a  great  elevation  and  of  high  performances, 
and  I  thank  you  partly  in  anticipation,  partly  from  the  experience  already  had,  for  taking  this  work 
in  hand,  while  I  am  aware  that  it  is  one  collateral  and  incidental  to  your  main  purpose. 

Puritanism,  again,  is  a  great  fact  in  history,  exhibiting  so  many  remarkable  and  noble  traits. 
It  may,  perhaps,  be  liable  to  the  suspicion  of  a  want  of  durability.  During  the  last  century  it 
seems  to  have  undergone  in  various  quarters  much  disintegration  ;  and  it  is  difficult  to  connect  it 
historically  with  the  divorce  law  of  Connecticut.  But  I  am  wandering  into  forbidden  ground,  which 
my  qualifications  do  not  entitle  me  to  tread,  and  I  will  close  with  expressing  my  sense  of  the  value 
and  importance  of  a  work  like  yours,  and  of  the  benefit  which  we  in  particular  ought  to  derive  from 
it.     I  remain,  dear  sir,  your  most  faithful  and  obedient, 

W.  E.  Gladstone." 

The  significance  of  this  letter  becomes  apparent  when  we  bear  in  mind  the 
great  age  of  the  writer  ;  far  beyond  his  fourscore,  his  mind  is  as  clear  and  as  eager 
for  new  presentations  of  truth  as  when  in  the  vigor  of  his  days.  We  must  also 
regard  his  position  as  prime  minister  of  a  great  empire  ;  the  pressure  of  political 
problems  of  peculiar  difficulty  and  delicacy.  Great  must  be  his  interest  in  the 
historical   questions    brought  to  view   by  the  volumes  under  discussion   if,  amid 


Jo    t^wfe******    ,  LtUr  Uv  t^yc<^ 
Jta^Aj  uX    GTstxittA^  Overset  *r/  t/ttettr 

Crlii^ot,  fnn^%*d   Iluijfr-^  UfitAyc^  to  u^C^ 


all  this  pressure, 
he  can  sit  down 
and  write  this  let- 
ter with  his  own 
hand,  and  even  di- 
rect the  envelope 
himself.  Added 
to  this  is  the  fact 
of  his  boldness  in 
thanking  the 
author  for  his  vig- 
orous criticism  of 
the  English  race, 
and  of  their  claim 
to  be  the  civilizers 
of  the  modern 
world.  The  book 
is  a  republican 
one,  hostile  to 
monarchies  and 
aristocracies,  op- 
posed to  the  com- 
bination of  Church 
and  State,  to  the 
land  system  of 
England,  to  its 
system  of  educa- 
tion, and,  in  short, 
to  the  whole  theory 
of  the  organization 
of  its  government. 
That  the  prime 
minister  of  Eng- 
land should  write 
thanking  the  au- 
thor for  producing 
such  a  book,  add- 
ing that  it  is  just 
the  thing  needed 
by  the  English  peo- 
ple, is  a  matter  of 
great  significance. 


FAC-SIM1LE    OF    CLADSTONE    LETT 


EDITORIAL    NOTES 

EDITORIAL    NOTES 


183 


Paul  Du  Chaillu  has  just  completed  an  histor- 
ical novel,  the  scene  of  which  is  laid  in  Scandi- 
navia in  the  third  century.  It  will  appear  dur- 
ing the  present  publishing  season. 

The  new  volume  of  the  Hakluyt  Society  con- 
tains a  reprint  of  two  old  MSS. :  The  risit  of 
Master  'J "ho mas  Dallam  to  the  Sultan  in  1599, 
and  the  Story  of  a  Sojourn  at  Constantinople 
by  Dr.  John  Covel,  Chaplain  to  the  Embassy, 
1670-1677. 

A  book  on  Maryland,  Early  Maryland,  Civil, 
Social,  and  Ecclesiastical,  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Gam- 
brail,  of  Baltimore,  is  announced  as  in  press  by 
Thomas  Whittaker.  The  same  publisher  is 
bringing  out  J.  F.  Rowbotham's  Private  Life  of 
the  Great  Composers. 

An  Edinburgh  con-espondent,  under  date  of 
January  10,  writes  to  the  editor  that  the  Scottish 
History  Society  have  sent  to  each  of  their  sub- 
scribers Clerk  of  Penicuick's  Memoirs ;  also, 
that  Blacktuood's  Magazine  has  changed  its 
shape,  having  adopted  a  larger  page  and  wider 
margin. 

Our  Philadelphia  correspondent  is  informed 
that  Mr.  Gladstone  took  office  as  premier  in 
April,  1880,  and  held  office  till  June,  1885  ;  Lord 
Salisbury,  from  June,  1885,  till  January,  1886  ; 
Mr.  Gladstone,  from  January  till  July,  1886; 
Lord  Salisbury,  from  July,  1886,  till  his  recent 
resignation. 

His  troops  of  friends  at  home  and  abroad  will 
regret  to  hear  that  the  Hon.  John  Jay,  ex-presi- 
dent of  the  American  Historical  Association,  has 
been  confined  to  his  house  for  several  weeks. 
Mr.  Jay  has  never  fully  recovered  from  the  acci- 
dent that  he  met  with  some  two  years  since  at  a 
street  crossing. 

All  communications  connected  with  the  edi- 
torial department  of  the  Magazine  of  Ameri- 
can History  should  be  addressed  to  98  Bible 
House,  New  York  City.  Articles  on  historical 
subjects,  not  available,  will  be  returned  by  the 
editor,  if  accompanied  by  the  requisite  stamps 
to  cover  postage. 

The  second  of  the  series  of  facsimiles  of  val- 
uable manuscripts,  to  appear  in  the  March  issue, 
will  be  an  unpublished  letter  written  by  Gen- 
eral Grant  to  President  Lincoln,  just  previous 
to  the  surrender  of  General  Lee.  Others  of 
equal  historical  interest  and  value  will  follow  in 
every  future  number  of  the  Magazine. 

The  series  of  monographs  on  the  most  im- 
portant libraries  of  the  United  States,  accom- 
panied by  illustrations,  will  appear  regularly 
during  the  present  year  ;  those  on  the  Congres- 
sional Library  of  Washington  and   the    Public 


Library  of  Boston,  following  Mr.  Saunders's 
sketch  of  the  Astor  Library  in  the  present 
number. 

A  correspondent  writes  from  the  University  of 
the  South  to  the  editor,  under  date  of  January 
2ist  :  "  It  may  interest  you  to  know  that  a  com- 
plete edition  of  Timrod's  poems,. with  a  thorough 
sketch  of  his  life,  is  contemplated  by  Professor 
C.  H.  Ross,  of  Alabama.  If  from  your  stores 
of  literary  information  you  can  aid  him,  he  will, 
I  am  sure,  appreciate  it." 

The  chairman  of  the  committee  having  in 
charge  the  noble  statue  of  Columbus,  by  Sunol, 
to  be  erected  in  the  Central  Park  in  April,  1893, 
has  just  been  informed  from  Madrid  that  the 
Spanish  government  will  send  the  statue  to  New 
York  in  one  of  the  ships  of  war  that  have  been 
ordered  to  attend  the  great  naval  review  in  New 
York  harbor  in  April  next. 

Dr.  James  C.  Willing,  president  of  the  Co- 
lumbia University  of  Washington,  D.  C,  has 
just  published  an  exhaustive  and  valuable  mon- 
ograph on  the  subject  of  the  Behring  Sea  arbi- 
tration, which  we  can  cordially  commend  to 
historical  students  and  others  interested  in  the 
subject  of  his  brochure,  which  is  one  of  the 
series  of  Columbian  University  studies. 

The  third  volume  of  the  Memorial  History  of 
the  City  of  New  York  will  be  issued  about  the 
fourth  of  February.  It  brings  the  history  of  the 
metropolis  down  to  the  close  of  the  year  1892. 
The  fourth  and  concluding  volume,  containing 
exhaustive  monographs  on  commerce,  churches, 
hospitals,  libraries,  music,  theatres,  New  York 
authors,  and  many  other  subjects,  will  appear 
in  April  or  May. 

Mr.  George  Augustus  Sala,  with  his  wonderful 
store  of  odd  facts,  tells  us  that  hundreds  of  years 
ago  the  old-world  printers  used  to  chain  copies 
of  their  books  outside  their  offices,  and  reward 
peripatetic  scholars  who  might  detect  errors  with 
prizes  graduated  according  to  the  seriousness  of 
the  slip — a  cup  of  wine  for  a  broken  letter  ;  a 
cup  of  wine  and  a  plate  of  meat  for  a  wrong  font 
or  a  turned  letter,  and  so  on  in  proportion. 

Dr.  Sir  John  W.  Dawson,  in  his  Geography 
of  Canada,  remarks  that  while  many  Indian 
names  have  been  preserved  they  have  undergone 
a  change  in  pronunciation.  In  general,  the 
Indian  names  are  descriptive  of  the  locality. 
Thus,  Quebec  means  "a  strait"  or  "an  ob- 
struction." Toronto  "  a  tree  in  the  water," 
Winnipeg  "muddy  water,"  Saskatchewan 
"rapid  current."  Niagara,  we  may  add,  was 
originally  Oniagahra,  "  thunder  of  the  waters." 

The  miseries  of  the  long-distance  ride  between 
Berlin   and  Vienna   are  not  yet  at  an  end,   for 


1 84 


EDITORIAL   NOTES 


deaths  are  still  being  announced  of  the  exhausted 
horses.  One  enthusiastic  officer  is  making  a 
collection  of  the  shoes  worn  by  the  competing 
animals.  Meanwhile  the  Italians  are  bent  upon 
a  similar  ride  from  Rome  to  Vienna,  but  the 
course  presents  so  many  difficulties  that  the  or- 
ganizing committee  cannot  complete  the  arrange- 
ments, for  which  fact  all  lovers  of  animals  must 
feel  gratified. 

There  is  still  preserved  an  interesting  me- 
mento of  the  friendship  which  for  many  years 
existed  between  Carlyle  and  Robert  Browning. 
This  relic  is  a  copy  of  the  original  edition  of 
Bells  and  Pomegranates  (now  a  considerable 
rarity),  given  by  the  poet  to  the  historian,  and 
having  upon  the  wrapper  of  part  viii.  (containing 
"  Luria *'  and  ''The  Soul's  Tragedy'")  the  fol- 
lowing autograph  inscription  :  "  Thomas  Car- 
lyle, Esq..  with  R.  B.'s  affectionate  respect  and 
regard."  This  treasured  volume  was  purchased 
by  its  present  owner  shortly  after  Carlyle  s  death 
in  1SS1. 

At  one  of  the  last  conversations  held  with  the 
venerable  historian  George  Bancroft,  he  ex- 
pressed to  the  writer  the  wish  that  the  govern- 
ment might  become  the  possessor  of  his  library, 
and  particularly  of  his  large  collection  of  MSS. , 
including  the  Samuel  Adams  papers.  By  a 
letter  to  the  editor,  dated  Washington,  January 
23d,  it  is  learned  that  the  government  will  prob- 
ably pass  a  bill  during  the  present  session  for 
the  purpose  of  purchasing  Mr.  Bancroft's  man- 
uscripts, and  that  they  will  be  added  to  the 
valuable  collection  in  the  library  of  the  State 
Department. 

The  recent  gift  of  Miss  Julia  S.  Bryant,  of 
nearly  one  thousand  selected  volumes  from  the 
library  of  her  father,  William  Cullen  Bryant,  to 
the  trustees  of  the  Tilden  library,  has  been  ac- 
cepted "with  gratitude"  by  the  trustees,  and 
will  be  sent  forthwith  to  Mr.  Tilden's  home  in 
Gramercy  park,  New  York.  Stephen  A.  Walker, 
one  of  the  trustees,  says:  "We  have  no  per- 
manent headquarters  as  yet,  but  are  not  entirely 
homeless,  as  we  are  occupying  Mr.  Tilden's 
house,  where  we  have  our  offices.  We  have 
ample  room  there  for  all  the  gifts  that  anybody 
will  be  kind  enough  to  make  to  the  library." 

The  printed  volume  of  Liber  r,  Suffolk  Deeds, 
used  in  the  preparation  of  the  article  on  ' '  La  Tour 
and  Acadia,"  was  kindly  furnished  to  the  writer 
by  the  Historical  Society  of  Dedham,  Mass.  It 
contains  some  of  the  most  curious  of  old  colonial 
records.  At  a  very  early  date  it  was  ordered  by 
the  Massachusetts  General  Court,  "  To  record 
all  men's  houses  and  lands,  being  certified 
under  the  hands  of  men  of  every  towne."  The 
printed  volume  was  published  by  the  city  of 
Boston,  and  Mr.  William  Blake  Trask,  an  em- 
inent   antiquary,    thoroughly    conversant    with 


colonial   history,  was  selected   for  the    difficult 
task  of  making  an  accurate  copy  for  the  printer. 

The  sudden  and  lamented  death  of  Mrs. 
Lamb,  so  long  associated  with  the  Magazine  of 
American  History  as  editor,  has  made  a  change 
in  the  conduct  of  the  journal  inevitable.  The 
just  tribute  due  this  remarkable  woman  will  be 
found  elsewhere  in  these  pages.  The  Magazine 
has  now  passed  into  other  hands,  but  into  hands 
which,  it  is  believed,  will  hold  the  mission  of  the 
journal  in  the  same  reverent  estimation.  We 
request  the  cordial  support,  and  will  gladly  wel- 
come suggestion  and  criticism,  from  every  friend 
of  the  Magazine,  with  a  view  to  making  it  the 
most  perfect  vehicle  which  can  be  devised  in  the 
great  field  which  it  occupies.  The  publisher's 
prospectus  will  be  found  on  another  page. 

A  valuable  collection  of  manuscripts  of  Rich- 
ard Wagner,  made  by  a  certain  Herr  Oesterlein, 
of  Vienna,  was  lately  in  danger  of  being  sold  to 
the  United  States,  to  the  detriment  of  German 
research  concerning  the  maestro  in  question. 
This  peril  has  (says  the  Berlin  correspondent  of 
the  Standard)  now  been  averted  by  a  certain 
Dr.  Gotze,  who  has,  in  the  name  of  the  German 
Wagner  Society,  bought  the  whole  collection  as 
it  stood  on  the  1st  of  June  last  for  eighty-five 
thousand  marks,  ten  thousand  being  paid  down 
as  a  deposit  at  once.  The  remainder  has  to  be 
paid  by  the  1st  of  April,  1895,  and  five  thousand 
marks  more  if  the  society  pleases  to  buy  the 
additions  which  may  be  made  in  the  meantime. 

The  question  has  been  raised  in  the  news- 
papers throughout  the  country  whether  "  cousin  " 
was  used  in  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  cen- 
turies for  nephew  or  niece.  Professor  Roife,  of 
Harvard,  the  Shakespearean  commentator,  says 
"  that  Shakespeare  applies  it  so  at  least  nine 
times  to  a  nephew,  seven  times  to  a  niece,  twice 
to  an  uncle,  once  to  a  brother-in-law,  and  four 
times  to  a  grandchild.  He  also  uses  it  eight 
times  as  a  title  given  by  princes  to  other  princes 
and  noblemen.  In  '  Much  Ado,'  i.  2,  25,  where 
Leonato  says  :  '  Cousins,  you  know  what  you 
have  to  do,'  it  is  used  loosely  for  relatives  in 
general  ;  and  in  Luke  i.  36,  58,  it  is  evidently 
equivalent  to  kinswoman.  A  good  example  of 
its  application  to  a  niece  is  in  '  As  You  Like 
It,'  i.  3,  44,  where  Rosalind  says  to  Duke 
Erederick  :  '  Me,  uncle?'  and  he  replies  :  '  You, 
cousin.'  " 

A  Chicago  correspondent,  under  date  of  Jan- 
uary 23d,  writes  to  inquire  if  the  statement  is 
true,  which  has  been  made  by  some  of  our  con- 
temporaries, that  "  there  are  no  direct  descend- 
ants of  Napoleon,  Wellington,  Washington,  and 
Walter  Scott."  This  is  certainly  not  true  in 
regard  to  the  hero  of  Waterloo,  or  the  illustrious 
Scottish  poet  and  novelist,  whose  dearly  loved 
Abbotsford  is  now  owned  and   occupied  by  his 


QUERIES — REPLIES 


I85 


great-granddaughter,  the  Hon.  Mrs.  Maxwell 
Scott,  daughter  of  James  Hope,  who  married 
Miss  Lockhart ;  while  a  grandson  of  the  "  Iron 
Duke"  is  the  present  possessor  of  the  title  and 
estates,  having,  in  1884,  succeeded  his  childless 
uncle,  the  second  Duke  of  Wellington.  Another 
grandson,  the  Hon.  Arthur  Wellesley,  brother  of 
the  present  duke  and  youngest  son  of  Lord 
Charles  Wellesley,  is  major  of  one  of  the  three 
battalions  of  the  Grenadier  Guards. 

The  following  letter  on  the  subject  of  the 
present  discussion  concerning  the  relations  of 
authors  and  publishers  will  perhaps  be  of  in- 
terest to  historians  and  other  literary  workers. 
It  is  addressed  to  the  editor,  and  dated  January 
9,  1893  :  "  Thinking  it  just  possible  that  the  in- 
closed conclusive  article  [a  newspaper  extract] 
may  not  meet  your  eye,  I  inclose  it.  Since 
'  Mr.  Cody  '  is  not  known  as  an  author,  it  seems 
very  much  as  if  he  has  written  this  article  in  the 
pay  of  some  publishing  house.  At  any  rate,  he 
seems  rather  hasty  in  his  conclusions,  when  he 
decides  that  nothing  whatever  can  be  done  by 
authors  to  obtain  their  proper  rights.  The  man 
who  insists  that  all  publishers  are  honorable  and 
honest  is  just  as  silly  as  he  who  should  insist 
that  all  merchants,  politicians,  lawyers,  and  me- 
chanics are  honest  and  honorable.  Every  day's 
printed  records  of  the  world's  occurrences  prove 
that  this  is  not  true.  There  is  no  law  by  which 
only  especially  honest  men  may  become  publish- 
ers ;    men    enter   that   business,    as    they  enter 


others,  simply  to  make  money.  We  all  know 
that,  as  a  rule,  they  do  make  money,  while,  as  a 
rule,  authors  and  writers  are  poor.  The  fact  is 
patent  that  publishers  really  have  a  better  chance 
to  cheat  without  being  detected  than  do  any  other 
class  of  business  men.  Every  man  and  woman 
who  has  ever  fought  this  world  for  a  living 
knows  that  the  average  man  will  get  the  best  of 
a  bargain  whenever  he  can  ;  and  since  we  know 
that  the  publisher  can,  every  time,  manage  the 
bargain  to  suit  himself,  we  must  suppose  him 
far  more  honorable  than  the  ordinary  man,  if  he 
fail  to  take  advantage  of  his  opportunities.  It 
is  all  very  well  for  the  optimist — who,  I  notice, 
is  generally  some  fortunate  and  sheltered  indi- 
vidual who  has  been  protected  from  hard  knocks 
— to  preach  about  the  excellence  of  human 
nature,  the  prevalence  of  honesty,  the  high 
standard  of  the  century,  and  so  on  ;  at  the 
same  time,  we  all  know  we  would  not  put  un- 
counted diamonds  into  any  broker's  hands  to 
sell  ;  we  would  not  place  unreckoned  rouleaux 
of  gold  coin  in  the  possession  of  any  bank  offi- 
cial ;  we  would  not  allow  any  tradesman  or 
dealer  to  take  from  our  purse  what  he  chose  to 
say  was  his  due.  Yet  we  do  precisely  this  with 
the  publisher  of  our  books.  We  never  know 
what  he  takes  ;  we  only  know  what  he  leaves. 
It  seems  amazing  to  me  that  writers  have  for  so 
many  years  submitted  to  such  treatment,  and  I 
hope  fervently  that  they  will  not  be  discouraged 
from  all  effort  against  it  by  the  clamor  of  the 
newspapers.  " 


QUERIES 


Can  any  of  your  readers  give  me  the  date  of 
the  oldest  dwelling-house  (if  preserved)  erected 
within  the  limits  of  the  state  of  New  York  ? 
Was  it  built  of  stone,  brick,  or  wood  ?  And  by 
whom    and    where  ?       I    claim    that    the    Sayre 


house  of  Southampton.  L.  I.,  is  the  oldest. — It 
is  still  standing  in  a  fair  state  of  preservation, 
and  was  built  in  1648. 

C.  H.  Gardiner. 
Bridge  Hampton,  N.  Y. 


REPLIES 


To  the  Editor,  Magazine  of  American  His- 
tory :  The  statement  that  Tom  Thumb  killed 
Poor  Haydon  has  a  great  deal  more  truth  than 
poetry  in  it.  In  1846,  Haydon,  who  had  been 
for  some  time  in  embarrassed  circumstances 
financially,  exhibited  two  pictures,  the  last 
painted  by  him,  in  the  Egyptian  Hall,  London. 
They  were  the  "  Banishment  of  Aristides,"  and 
"  Nero  Playing  the  Lyre  during  the  Burning  of 
Rome."  In  the  same  hall,  in  another  room, 
Tom  Thumb  was  being  exhibited,  and  to  the  in- 
tense irritation  of  Haydon,  the  celebrated  dwarf 
drew  immense  crowds,  while  Haydon's  pic- 
tures did  not  draw  at  all,  the  artist  closing  his 
exhibition  with  a  loss  of  over  five  hundred 
dollars.  It  is  one  of  the  most  pitiful  things 
extant  to-day,  to  read  his  diary  just  before  his 
suicide.     April  13,  1846,  he  says  :  "  They  rush 


by  thousands  to  see  Tom  Thumb.  They  push, 
they  fight,  they  scream,  they  faint,  they  cry  help 
and  murder  !  and  oh  !  and  ah  !  They  see  my 
bills,  my  boards,  my  caravans,  and  don't  read 
them.  Their  eyes  are  open,  but  their  sense  is 
shut.  It  is  an  insanity,  a  rabies,  a  madness,  a 
furor,  a  dream.  I  would  not  have  believed  it 
of  the  English  people." 

Again  on  April  21,  he  says:  "  Tom  Thumb 
had  twelve  thousand  people  last  week,  B.  R. 
Haydon  one  hundred  and  thirty-three  and  a 
half  (the  half  a  little  girl).  Exquisite  taste  of 
the  English  people  !  "  In  just  about  two  months 
after  this  entry  (June  22,  1846),  with  the  pathetic 
quotation  from  King  Lear,  "  Stretch  me  no 
longer  on  this  rough  world,"  the  end  came,  both 
of  the  diary  and  his  life.     David  Fitzgerald. 

Washington  City. 


^1  ';ll'\L/'I  ;  AU1*V*^  ^VlL-vn1 


NEW  YORK  GENEALOGICAL  AND  BIOGRAPHI- 
CAL SOCIETY — The  society  held  its  annual 
meeting.  Friday  evening,  January  13th,  at  Berke- 
ley Lyceum.  23  West  Fourty- fourth  street.  Gen- 
eral fames  Grant  Wilson,  president,  was  in  the 
chair.  Dr.  William  T.  White,  James  J.  Goodwin, 
Edmund  Abdy  Hurry,  and  Samuel  Burhans, 
jr..  were  elected  trustees.  An  interesting  paper 
was  read  by  J.  Collins  Pumpelly  ;  subject  : 
"Some  Huguenot  Families  of  New  Jersey." 
This  valuable  paper  and  a  fine  steel  portrait  of 
Elias  Boudinot,  the  eminent  New  Jersey  Hugue- 
110:,  will  appear  in  the  April  number  of  the 
society's  Record.  At  the  annual  election  held  on 
Wednesday,  January  18th,  General  Wilson  was 
reelected  president  ;  Dr.  Samuel  S.  Purple, 
first  vice-president  ;  James  J.  Goodwin,  second 
vice-president  ;  William  P.  Ketcham,  treasurer  ; 
Thomas  G.  Evans,  secretary  ;  and  Garrit  H. 
Van  Wagenen,  librarian. 


THE  MINNESOTA  HISTORICAL  society  met 
in  regular  session  at  St.  Paul,  January  9th.  Mr. 
Langford.  from  the  committee  on  publication, 
reported  that  Vol.  VII.  of  the  society's  collec- 
tions had  just  been  issued  from  the  press,  and 
distributed  copies.  This  volume  is  entitled  The 
Mississippi  River  and  its  Source,  and  is  written 
by  Professor  J.  V.  Brower,  who  was  commis- 
sioned in  1889  by  the  society  to  make  an  ex- 
haustive survey  of  the  basin  of  Lake  Itasca,  and 
report  the  exact  facts  regarding  the  true  source 
of  the  river.  The  work  is  ably  written,  and 
shows  conscientious  labor.  It  is  illustrated- by 
numerous  maps,  many  of  them  copies  of  the 
oldest  ones  known  relating  to  the  Northwest, 
and  over  fifty  engravings  of  scenery  on  and 
around  Lake  Itasca.  The  report  is  very  severe 
on  Captain  Glazier,  who,  several  years  ago, 
claimed  to  have  found  the  true  source  of  the 
Mississippi  in  another  lake  than  Itasca,  and  pro- 
cured it^  naming  for  himself.  Judge  Flandrau, 
from  a  special  committee,  reported  a  draft  of  a 
memorial  to  the  legislature  asking  an  appropria- 
tion from  the  state  for  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars  for  the  purpose  of  building  a 
fire-proof  building  for  the  society.  The  memo- 
rial was  approved  and  a  committee  appointed  to 
prc-s  its  passage. 

Historical  society  of  quebec — The  an- 
nual meeting  of  the  Literary  and  Historical 
Society  of  Quebec  was  held  on  January  nth,  in 
the  library  of  the  society.  Cyrille  Tessier,  Esq., 
the  president,  submitted    the  annual   report  of 


the  society  for  the  past  year,  in  which  he  re- 
ferred with  pleasure  to  the  extension  of  the 
society's  sphere  of  usefulness,  and  mentioning 
that  twenty-eight  new  members  had  joined. 
He  spoke  of  the  precious  relic  on  view  in  the 
society's  rooms — namely  :  the  original  wooden 
model  of  the  steamship  Royal  William;  and 
told  how  Mr,  Archibald  Campbell,  in  order  to 
indicate  the  honor  of  Quebec  in  having  built 
and  sent  to  sea  the  first  ocean  steamship,  gath- 
ered all  the  information  possible  relating  to  the 
matter  and  had  it  published  in  the  society's  pro- 
ceedings, and  that  the  Royal  Naval  Exhibition 
of  Chelsea,  England,  had  awarded  a  diploma 
therefor.  The  librarian  reported  the  addition 
of  three  hundred  and  fifty-seven  volumes  dur- 
ing the  year,  among  the  donations  being  a  valu- 
able collection  of  the  works  of  the  Egypt  Ex- 
ploration Society,  presented  by  the  Dean  of 
Quebec.  The  treasurer's  report  was  read,  and 
an  election  of  officers  for  the  ensuing  year  was 
held,  Mr.  Tessier  being  reelected  president. 


New  york  historical  society — The  an- 
nual meeting*  was  held  on  Tuesday  evening, 
January  3d.  The  reports  of  the  treasurer,  libra- 
rian, and  executive  committee  were  read.  The 
society  has  no  debts,  no  mortgage  on  its  build- 
ing or  collections.  The  committee  recommended 
that  the  sum  of  $350,000  be  procured  to  erect 
a  building  on  one  half  of  the  site  purchased  by 
the  society  on  Central  Park  West.  The  receipts 
of  the  society  were  $13,212.04  and  the  expen- 
ditures $9,915.33  ;  the  invested  funds  amounted 
to  $84,215.37.  During  the  year  there  have  been 
added  to  the  library  3,988  volumes  of  books, 
2,541  pamphlets,  43  volumes  and  502  numbers 
of  rare  newspapers,  and  93  volumes  of  cuttings  ; 
3  volumes  of,  and  73  separate  maps  ;  n  volumes 
and  47  separate  engravings,  6  photographs,  131 
broadsides  ;  50  volumes  of,  and  79  separate 
manuscripts  ;  also  a  collection  of  several  thou- 
sand manuscripts  preserved  by  the  De  Peyster 
and  Watts  families  and  presented  by  General 
J.  Watts  de  Peyster.  To  the  museum  376 
articles  were  presented  in  1892.  The  gallery  of 
art  was  increased  by  the  following  portraits  : 
Benjamin  Franklin,  painted  in  1784,  by  Joseph 
S.  Duplessis  ;  Hon.  John  A.  King,  president  of 
the  society,  painted  by  Robert  Hinckley  ; 
Maximilian  and  Carlotta,  as  emperor  and  em- 
press of  Mexico  ;  Zachary  Taylor,  as  colonel  of 
infantry  ;  Rear-admiral  Samuel  L.  Breese, 
painted    by    Daniel    Huntington  ;  and     Myron 


NOTES    FROM    THE   HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


187 


Ilolley  ;    also    a   medallion    in    marble    of    Dr. 
Fordyce  Barker,   by  Verhagen. 

The  following  board  of  officers  were  elected 
for  the  ensuing  year  :  president,  John  A.  King  ; 
fust  vice-president,  John  A.  Weekes  ;  second 
vice-president,  John  S.  Kennedy  ;  foreign  cor- 
responding secretary,  John  Bigelow  ;  domestic 
corresponding  secretary,  Edward  F.  de  Lan- 
cey  ;  recording  secretary,  Andrew  Warner  ; 
treasurer,  Robert  Schell  ;  librarian,  William 
Kelby. 


The  association  of  American  authors  held 
its  first  meeting  of  the  year  at  the  Bible  House, 
New  York,  on  January  4,  at  four  P.M.  The 
meeting  of  the  executive  committee  took  place 
half  an  hour  earlier. 

General  Grant  Wilson  presided  in  the  absence 
of  Colonel  T.  W.  Higginson,  and  Mr.  E.  H. 
Shannon  filled  the  position  of  secretary  tempo- 
rarily, Mr.  Charles  Burr  Todd,  the  secretary, 
being  absent  in  Europe,  in  part  in  the  interest 
of  the  association.  A  brief  and  pleasant  review 
of  the  late  meeting  in  Boston,  and  the  courtesy 
tendered  by  Mrs.  Julia  Ward  Howe,  was  fol- 
lowed by  the  consideration  of  the  mooted 
"stamp"  plan — by  which  it  is  purposed  to 
secure  to  authors  definite  returns  of  the  actual 
sale  of  their  productions — as  well  as  to  obtain 
the  cooperation  of  the  publishers,  in  this  or  any 
other  equally  desirable  plan.  New  instances  of 
injustice  at  the  hands  of  unscrupulous  publishers 
were  recited  by  several  of  the  authors  present. 
The  discussion  of  the  subject  was  both  animated 
and  practical.  General  Wilson  instanced  the 
indifference  or  opposition  of  some  publishers, 
who  know  that  such  a  system  would  result  in 
the  cutting  off  of  many  of  their  perquisites — 
and  he  spoke  of  the  difficulty  of  bringing  the 
publishers  to  agree  upon  any  universal  rule. 
They  complain  of  the  trouble,  especially  in  the 
case  of  a  large  sale,  of  affixing  the  needed 
stamps.  Dr.  Flagg,  who  in  leaving  for  a  brief 
southern  trip  spoke  of  the  necessity  of  agitating 
the  matter  through  the  press,  volunteered  to 
write  a'  series  of  brief  articles  on  the  subject, 
and  others  coincided  in  the  suggestion,  espe- 
cially in  reference  to  city  journals.  Dr.  Coan, 
of  the  New  York  Bureau  of  Revision,  gave  a 
very  succinct  statement  of  some  of  his  literary 
clients  and  their  tribulations.  The  general  out- 
come of  the  discussion  seemed  to  be  that  the 
objections  of  publishers  were  hardly  valid — the 
curtailing  of  their  perquisites  being  the  great 
objection.  The  initiative  of  one  reputable  pub- 
lisher in  adopting  our  views  would  be  an  incen- 
tive to  others  to  follow. 

The  proposition  to  substitute  a  die  (to  be  a 
part  of  the  binding)  for  the  stamp  met  with  an 
objection  in  the  case  of  unsold  copies.  Gail 
Hamilton's   "  Battle  of  the  Books  "  was  men- 


tioned as  a  brilliant  and  effective  protest  against 
the  publisher's  injustice  in  many  instances. 

It  was  suggested  that  the  association  be  organ- 
ized into  committees  for  examining  questions 
and  conferring  with  publishers  in  our  large  cities 
— one  or  two  such  committees  in  each  city — as 
well  as  to  search  for  the  legal  standing  as  to 
authors'  rights.  On  motion  of  Mr.  W.  C.  Hud- 
son, the  chairman  was  authorized  to  appoint  a 
committee  to  examine  into  the  above  subjects, 
and  with  the  idea  of  forming  an  opinion  among 
the  publishers  favorable  to  the  stamp  plan.  It 
was  suggested  that  this  action  would  commit 
the  association  to  the  stamp  plan.  The  matter 
was  left  with  the  chairman  to  take  such  action 
as  he  deemed  proper.  It  had  been  hoped  that 
a  proof  of  the  contract  for  authors  would  have 
been  submitted  at  this  meeting,  but  it  was 
missent,  and  will  be  shown  at  the  next  meeting, 
to  take  place  in  the  Managers'  hall  of  the  Bible 
House,  on  Wednesday,  February  8,  at  four  P.M. 

General  Wilson  appointed  the  committees  as 
follows  :  on  legal  rights,  Messrs.  Mathews, 
Hudson,  and  De  Lancey  ;  on  stamp  plan, 
Messrs.  Coan,  Rodenbough,  and  Shannon.  A 
large  number  of  new  members  were  elected, 
representing  seven  different  states. 


Massachusetts  historical  society— A 
stated  meeting  of  the  Massachusetts  Histori- 
cal Society  was  held  January  12,  the  president, 
Dr.  George  E.  Ellis,  in  the  chair.  After  the 
reading  of  the  record  and  of  the  list  of  donors 
to  the  library,  the  president  said  :  "In  the 
routine  of  preliminary  business  at  the  opening  of 
our  last  meeting  the  usual  call  was  made  for  the 
report  of  the  cabinet  keeper.  Dr.  F.  E.  Oliver. 
There  was  no  response.  Unknown  to  us  his 
honored  and  useful  life  had  just  at  that  hour 
come  to  a  sudden  close  from  a  brief  illness. 
We  lose  in  him  a  highly  esteemed  associate, 
faithful,  earnest,  and  helpful  in  his  service 
to  this  society,  endeared  to  many  of  us  by 
his  affability  and  courtesy,  his  personal  dig- 
nity, his  refinement,  and  accomplishments. 
For  thirteen  of  the  sixteen  years  of  his  member- 
ship here  he  has  had  the  charge  of  our  precious 
cabinet,  an  office  which  engaged  his  zeal  and 
intelligent  interest  in  identifying  and  disposing 
the  rich  relics  and  gatherings  of  a  century  :  por- 
traits, gems,  coins,  weapons,  trophies,  and  mis- 
cellaneous historical  memorials.  A  recent  vote 
of  the  society  had  recognized  its  high  apprecia- 
tion of  his  services.  His  donations  to  us  began 
before  his  election  to  membership. 

"After  that  we  owe  to  him  the  gift  of  the 
missing  portion  of  the  manuscript  of  Hubbard's 
History  and  of  Increase  Mather's  family  Bible. 
He  was  the  medium  of  procuring  for  this  coun- 
try copies  of  the  publication  in  England  of  the 
Diary  and  Letters  of  Governor  Hutchinson  after 


1 88 


NOTES    FROM    THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


he  had  left  in  sorrow  his  home  and  country. 
Dr.  Oliver  printed  for  private  circulation  the 
es  of  the  Two  Chief  Justices  Lynde,  father 
and  son,  of  Massachusetts,  and  the  Diary  of 
William  Pynchon,  of  Salem,  during  the  war  of 
the  Revolution.  His  annual  reports  to  us  as 
cabinet  keeper  contain  matter  of  interest.  He 
came  of  a  family  identified  with  this  colony  from 
its  settlement.  If  I  am  not  in  error,  that  family 
in  all  its  generations  here  shows  a  peculiarity  in 
that  its  many  members  have  followed  educated 
and  professional  rather  than  mercantile  occupa- 
tions ;  at  one-period  of  storm  in  sympathy  with 
the  mother  country,  Dr.  Oliver  was  greatly 
cherished  and  esteemed  in  his  domestic,  social, 
professional,  and  religious  fellowships."  The 
president  then  presented  from  J.  C  Rogers,  of 
this  city,  an  original  letter  from  Rev.  Dr.  Bent- 
ley,  of  Salem,  written  in  1804,  in  acknowledg- 
ment of  his  appointment  as  chaplain  of  the 
United  States  house  of  representatives.  Robert 
C.  Winthrop,  jr.,  read  an  unpublished  letter 
from  Mrs.  John  Adams  to  James  Bowdoin, 
written  the  day  before  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill 
and  communicating  news  from  the  continental 
congress  ;  also  a  letter  to  Bowdoin  from  Thomas 


dishing,  written  a  few  days  later  and  giving  an 
interesting  description  of  George  Washington  ; 
also  a  letter  to  Bowdoin  from  John  Hancock, 
complaining  of  the  overseers  of  Harvard  college. 
These  three  letters,  with  numerous  others  of  the 
same  period,  have  recently  come  to  light  in  a 
long-forgotten  chest  which  had  been  supposed 
to  contain  only  probate  accounts  and  land  titles. 
Mr.  Winthrop  stated  his  intention  of  placing 
the  greater  portion  of  this  new  material  at  the 
service  of  the  society. 

W.  P.  Upham  said  that  he  had  recently  found 
in  the  state  archives  a  copy  in  shorthand  of  the 
instructions  given  to  Captain  Daniel  Henchman 
in  May,  1676,  when  placed  in  command  of  the 
forces  raised  against  the  Indians.  These  in- 
structions he  had  deciphered  with  considerable 
difficulty,  and  they  will  be  printed  for  the  first 
time  in  the  proceedings  of  the  society. 

Justin  Winsor  read  an  elaborate  and  very  in- 
teresting paper  on  the  voyages  and  explorations 
of  North  America  between  the  voyage  of  Colum- 
bus in  1493  and  the  voyage  of  Cartier  in  1534, 
with  a  full  exposition  of  the  gradual  modifica- 
tion of  the  theories  which  led  to  them. 


OBITUARY,    JANUARY,   1893 


Brooks,  Phillips,  Bishop  of  Massachusetts, 
and  among  the  most  eminent  preachers  of  the 
Episcopal  Church,  died  in  Boston,  23d  January, 
aged  fifty-eight  years. 

Butler,  General  Benjamin  F.,  lawyer  and 
soldier,  died  in  Washington,  D.  C,  nth  Janu- 
ary, aged  seventy-five  years. 

Hayes,  General  Rutherford  B.,  ex-Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  died  at  Fremont, 
Ohio,  17th  January,  aged  seventy-one  years. 


Kemble,  Mrs.  Frances  Anne,  actress  and 
author,  died  in  London,  England,  16th  January, 
aged  eighty-two  years. 

Lamar,  Lucius  Quintus  Cincinnatus,  Jus- 
tice of  the  U.  S.  Supreme  Court,  died  at  Macon, 
Ga.,  23d  January,  aged  sixty-eight  years. 

Lamb,  Mrs.  Martha  J.,  editor  Magazine  of 
American  History,  died  in  New  York  City, 
2d  January,  aged  sixty-three  years. 


We  are  not  always  able  to  agree  with  Mr. 
Froude  as  an  historian  ;  but  as  a  writer  of  mod- 
ern English  he  has  few  equals,  and  a  tale  told  as 
he  can  tell  it  ought  to  be  read,  if  only  to  let 
younger  readers  more  clearly  understand  the 
capabilities  of  their  mother  tongue. — Athenaum. 

An  interesting  feature  of  the  January  number 
of  The  Imperial  and  Asiatic  Quarterly  Review 
is  a  paean  in  Persian  and  Arabic,  entitled  "Ave 
Kaisar-i-Hind  !"  followed  by  an  Urdu  prize 
translation  of  the  National  Anthem.  Persian 
and  Arabic  invocations  take  the  form  of  chrono- 
grams ;  that  is,  the  numerical  value  of  all  the 
letters  both  in  the  Persian  and  in  the  Arabic 
verses  make  up  the  date  1893.  January  1, 
1893,  is  the  seventeenth  anniversary  of  the 
Queen's  assumption  of  the  imperial  title  Kaisar- 
i-Hind.      The    letters    representing  the  date  in 


Persian  make  up  the  words  which  are  trans- 
lated :  "May  the  festival-day  of  the  Kaisar-i- 
Hind  ever  be  blessed  !  By  the  name  of  Victoria 
may  it  ever  be  blessed  !"  The  words  of  the 
Arabic  chronogram  are  rendered  in  English — 
"Victoria,  helped  by  God,  is  the  Kaisar  of 
fndia,  may  her  good  fortune  ever  continue  !  " 
The  National  Anthem  will  not  seem  to  English 
ears  to  be  improved  as  retranslated  from  the 
Urdu  prize  translation.      Here  is  the  first  stanza  : 

May  Kaisar  remain  lasting, 

May  keep  upon  us  standing  (enduring) 

God,  the  Kaisar, 
Keep  always  victorious 
Happy  and  pleasanter 
A  sovereign  ruler  upon  us, 

God  !  the  Kaisar. 


MISCELLANEA 


189 


MISCELLANEA 


Nothing  Carlyle  wrote  is  quite  worthless  ; 
because  he  had  the  high  ideal  of  artistic  duty. 
He  spared  no  labor  to  get  at  the  facts  of  his 
case  ;  he  was  equally  diligent  in  arrangement 
and  expression  ;  for  no  profit  would  he  stoop  to 
hackwork.  Like  every  one  else,  he  was  unequal  ; 
but  he  wisely  left  all  manner  of  fragments  un- 
published and  uncollected.  Would  that  others 
had  followed  so  brave  an  example  ! — National 
Observer. 

Among  her  contemporaries,  Mary  Stuart, 
even  if  a  murderess,  is  conspicuous  for  her 
charm,  her  courage,  her  loyalty  to  her  faith  and 
her  friends.  She  was  no  sour,  bloodthirsty 
fanatic,  no  pedant,  no  hypocrite  ;  and  if  she 
was  guilty  (with  many  of  her  lords)  of  knowing 
that  Darnley  was  to  be  killed,  she  still  remains 
the  most  human,  the  most  winning  of  those  as- 
tonishingly unscrupulous  gangs,  the  Scotch  and 
English  politicians  of  the  age. — Andrew  Lang. 

M.  Pasteur  is  a  reminder  that  France  still 
possesses  the  best  guarantee  of  greatness  in  a 
nation,  the  capacity  to  produce  great  men. 
He  is  the  representative  of  both  a  long  and 
crowded  line  of  intellectual  ancestors  and  a 
pretty  numerous  family  of  contemporaries  wor- 
thy of  himself.  M.  Pasteur  belongs  to  an  age 
which  has  produced  a  Charcot,  a  Berthelot,  and 
a  Lesseps,  as  well  as  Renans,  Hugos,  Taines, 
Gounods,  Meissoniers,  Thiers,  MacMahons. 
— Speaker. 

The  severe  Puritan  Sunday  has  gone  far 
towards  undermining  the  healthy  observance  of 
Sunday.  The  teetotal  superstition  has  done 
as  much  to  injure  the  cause  of  temperance  as 
the  love  of  morbid  excitement  itself.  The  exr 
travagant  language  used  against  harmless  and 
useful  amusements  has  done  at  least  as  much  to 
inspire  scorn  for  the  cry  against  gambling  in 
consequence  of  its  overstraining  of  the  truth, 
as  the  delight  in  sudden  windfalls  of  luck  itself. 
— Spectator. 

Under  the  caption  "  Briton  "  are  included 
English,  Scotch,  Welsh,  and  Irish.  Looking 
at  each  division  of  the  same  folk  separately,  in 
their  own  country  they  rank,  in  point  of  earn- 
ings and  standard  of  life — first,  the  Scotch  ; 
secondlv,  the  English  ;  thirdly,  the  Welsh  ; 
fourthly,  the  Irish.  In  America  the  order  is 
changed  ;  the  Scotchman  retains  the  supremacy, 
but  next  comes  the  Irishman,  then  the  Welsh- 
man, and  finally  the  Englishman.  —  Contempo- 
rary Review. 

The  most  accurate  criticism,  perhaps,  in  the 
concrete  kind  that  can  be  pronounced  on  Mr. 
Whittier  is  that  he  was  in  reality  just  the  kind 
of  poet  that  hasty  and  uncatholic  judges  have 
often  pronounced  Mr.  Longfellow  to  be.     When 


Longfellow  was  at  his  least  good  and  Whittier 
at  his  best,  they  walked  pretty  closely  side  by 
side;  but  Whittier  never  reached  the  upper 
slopes  of  Parnassus,  on  which  Longfellow,  if  he 
could  not  climb  its  summits,  often  trod.  —  Satur- 
day Re%new. 

The  character  of  Columbus  is  not  easily 
gauged  ;  he  seems  to  have  been  a  man  of  many 
moods,  and  there  is  abundant  evidence  that  he 
possessed  an  ardent  and  impetuous  nature.  Im- 
aginative and  sensitive,  he  could'  be  by  turns 
magnanimous  and  cruel  ;  and  if  there  was,  per- 
haps, more  to  admire  than  to  censure  in  his  per- 
sonal character,  his  attitude  towards  others  was 
sometimes  not  merely  high-handed,  but  vindic- 
tive. He  had,  in  short,  the  faults  of  his  quality 
and  his  age;  but  no  one  can  seriously  question 
his  claim  to  rank  amongst  the  world's  heroic 
men  of  action. — Speaker. 

The  history  of  philosophy  is  the  true  philoso- 
phy in  its  evolution — that  is  Hegel's  theory  at 
once  of  philosophy  and  of  the  history  of  philoso- 
phy. It  is  often  supposed  that  the  principle  of 
evolution  first  appeared  in  its  application  by 
Darwin  to  the  facts  of  biology,  and  that  its  ex- 
tension to  the  domain  of  mind  was  an  after- 
thought. As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  far  more 
pregnant  application  to  history,  and  art,  and 
philosophy,  and  religion,  had  been  systemati- 
cally carried  out  by  Hegel  long  before  Darwin  ; 
and  not  even  Hegel  can  claim  the  credit  of  its 
invention. — Spectator. 

The  National  History  Company,  of  this  city, 
has  just  acquired  the  Magazine  of  American 
History,  formerly  edited  by  Mrs.  Martha  J. 
Lamb,  who  died  suddenly  on  the  morning  of 
January  2.  This  company  already  publishes 
The  National  Magazine,  formerly  The  Maga- 
zine of  Western  History.  Beginning  with  the 
February  issue,  these  two  historical  journals  will 
be  combined,  and  the  name  of  the  older  Maga- 
zine of  American  History,  now  in  its  twenty- 
ninth  volume,  will  be  retained  for  the  new  peri- 
odical. The  magazine  will  be  at  once  enlarged 
and  the  price  reduced  to  four  dollars  a  year. 

General  James  Grant  Wilson  will  edit  the 
new  periodical.  General  Wilson  is  well  known 
as  an  editor,  and  especially  in  the  historical 
field.  He  has  been  a  frequent  contributor  to 
leading  English  and  American  periodicals,  and 
is  the  author  of  several  well-known  historical 
and  biographical  works.  He  is  editor  of  the 
series  of  American  Commanders,  now  being 
issued  by  Appletons.  Since  1885  he  has  been 
president  of  the  New  York  Genealogical  and 
Biographical  Society,  is  a  member  of  the  Amer- 
ican Historical  Association,  and  an  honorary 
member  of  other  American  and  foreign  histori- 
cal societies. — New  York  Tribune. 


THE  MEMORIAL  HISTORY  OF  THE 
CITY  OF  NEW  YORK  FROM  ITS 
FIRST  SETTLEMENT  TO  THE  YEAR 
1892.  Edited  by  James  Grant  Wilson. 
With  maps  and  illustrations.  Yols.  L,  II.,  III. 
Royal  Svo,  pp.  654.  New  York  History 
Company.      1S91-93. 

The  appearance  of  the  third  volume  of  this 
exhaustive  history  of  the  city  of  New  York  will 
cause  a  renewed  interest  in  a  work  which  was 
stamped  as  the  standard  story  of  the  great  me- 
tropolis when  its  first  volume  was  given  to  the 
public  nearly  two  years  ago.  The  promises  then 
made  have  been  faithfully  kept  ;  the  system  of 
co-operative  contributions  by  well-known  writers 
has  been  continued,  and  the  perfection  of  the 
mechanical  part  of  the  work  has  not  deviated  in 
the  slightest  degree  from  the  original  design. 
The  second  volume  met  with  as  flattering  a  re- 
ception as  was  accorded  the  first,  and  a  single 
glance  sufficed  to  show  that  no  deterioration 
either  in  literary  worth  or  artistic  excellence  had 
been  permitted.  Steel  portraits,  vignettes,  auto- 
graphs, views  of  historic  buildings  and  places, 
fac-similes  of  rare  papers,  and  interesting  maps 
were  introduced  with  profusion.  It  was  univer- 
sally admitted  that  the  undertaking  was  in  com- 
petent hands,  and  it  received  the  highest  enco- 
miums from  the  press.  In  the  present  (the  third) 
volume,  the  same  earnest  research  and  industry 
on  the  part  of  the  writers  contributing  the 
several  chapters  are  again  evinced,  the  same 
editorial  care  and  painstaking  supervision  are 
again  apparent,  and  upon  perusing  its  contents 
the  possessors  of  the  initial  volumes  will  experi- 
ence the  satisfaction  of  owning  a  great  work 
"excellently  well  done." 

Inasmuch  as  this  new  volume  brings  the  rela- 
tion of  events  up  to  the  close  of  1892,  it  is  appro- 
priate, within  the  limits  at  our  disposal,  to  notice 
very  briefly  the  ground  covered  by  the  whole 
work.  The  first  volume  of  the  Memorial  History 
begins  with  a  thorough  discussion  of  the  explora- 
tions along  the  coast  of  North  America  previous 
to  and  including  Henry  Hudson's  voyage.  The 
stories  of  the  voyages  of  the  Northmen,  of  the 
brother.-,  Zeno,  of  Sebastian  Cabot,  of  Ayllon, 
and  of  the  Spaniards  Verrazano  and  Gomez, 
from  whose  time  (1525)  the  situation  of  the  bay 
of  New  York  was  known,  are  told  in  a  most 
entertaining  manner.  The  tale  of  the  founding 
of  the  great  commercial  emporium  of  the  west  is 
unfolded,  from  the  days  of  the   Indian  dwellers 


on  Manne-hata  down  through  the  several  admin- 
istrations of  the  colonial  governors.  In  succes- 
sive chapters  are  described  the  acts  and  times  of 
the  Dutch  governors,  Peter  Minuit,  Walter  Van 
T wilier,  William  Kieft,  and  Peter  Stuyvesant 
(1647-64),  the  last  of  the  New  Netherlands  rep- 
resentatives. These  are  followed  by  accounts 
of  the  administrations  of  the  English  governors, 
Richard  Nicolls,  Francis  Lovelace,  Sir  Edmund 
Andros,  and  Thomas  Dongan,  and  also  of 
Jacob  Leisler,  to  the  time  of  Benjamin  Fletcher 
(1692-98)  and  the  rise  of  piracy  in  New  York. 
The  volume  closes  with  two  chapters  devoted 
respectively  to  a  resume  of  the  constitutional 
and  legal  history  of  New  York  in  the  seven- 
teenth century,  and  to  the  state  of  the  art  of 
printing  during  the  same  epoch.  In  volume 
second  a  similar  assignment  of  periods  is  made, 
and  the  chapters  embrace  "  The  Earl  of  Bello- 
mont  and  the  Suppression  of  Piracy,"  "  The 
Administration  of  Lord  Cornbury,"  "  Lord  Love- 
lace and  the  Second  Canadian  Campaign," 
"  Robert  Hunter  and  the  Settlement  of  the 
Palatines,"  "The  Administration  of  William 
Burnet,"  "  The  City  under  Governor  John  Mont- 
gomerie,"  "William  Cosby  and  the  Freedom  of 
the  Press,"  "  George  Clinton  and  his  Contest 
with  the  Assembly,"  "Sir  Danvers  Osborn  and 
Sir  Charles  Hardy,"  "  The  Part  of  New  York  in 
the  Stamp  Act  Troubles,"  "The  Second  Non- 
importation Agreement,"  "  Life  in  New  York  at 
the  Close  of  the  Colonial  Period,"  and  "  New 
York  during  the  Revolution  (1775-83)"  ;  closing 
with  a  review  of  the  constitutional  and  legal 
history  of  New  York  in  the  eighteenth  century. 
We  cannot  fail,  however,  in  opening  the 
present  volume,  to  entertain  at  once  a  livelier 
curiosity  in  its  pages,  for  the  easily  understood 
reason  that  it  deals  mainly  with  events  which 
have  happened  within  the  recollection  of  many 
persons  now  living,  with  a  period  concerning 
which  most  of  us  can  lay  claim  to  some  personal 
knowledge.  And  it  therefore  appeals  more  for- 
cibly to  the  reader's  interest  than  do  those 
volumes — entertaining  as  they  may  be — which 
rehearse  the  social  and  political  life  and  times  of 
a  hundred  and  fifty  or  two  hundred  years  ago. 
Familiar  names  and  faces  greet  us  from  the 
outset,  a  lavish  display  of  illustrations  is  again 
apparent,  and  the  eye  rests  contentedly  on  ad- 
mirable paper  and  printing,  while  the  mind  ab- 
sorbs the  literary  treasures  presented.  Six  fine 
steel  engravings  enrich  this  volume,  in  conform- 
ity to  the  preceding  ones,  the  subjects  selected 
being  portraits  of  Alexander  Hamilton,  Robert 


RECENT    HISTORICAL    PUBLICATIONS 


I9I 


R.  Livingston,  Mrs.  John  Jay,  DeWitt  Clinton, 
John  Jacoh  Astor,  and  John  Adams  I  )ix  ;  the 
autographs  of  the  mayors  are  continued  up  to 
1893,  making  the  series  complete  for  more  than 
two  hundred  and  fifty  years  !  The  introductory 
chapter  is  devoted  to  "  New  York  City  under 
American  Control  (1783-89),"  and  is  followed 
by  "  New  York  as  the  Federal  Capital."  A 
chapter  succeeds  these,  one  which  will  be  ea- 
gerly read,  on  "  Society  in  New  York  in  the 
Early  Days  of  the  Republic,"  and  the  fourth 
chapter  witnesses  the  close  of  the  eighteenth 
century.  The  editor  writes  about  the  opening 
of  the  nineteenth  century,  and  the  following 
period,  1807-12,  is  given  to  the  "  Beginning  of 
Steam  Navigation."  The  exciting  days  of  the 
"Second  War  with  Great  Britain,"  and  the 
"  Return  of  Peace,  and  the  Completion  of  the 
Erie  Canal,"  are  next  treated  of  ;  these  are  suc- 
ceeded by  a  description  of  the  "  Beginning  of 
New  York's  Commercial  Greatness,"  and  "  Ten 
Years  of  Municipal  Vigor"  (1837-47),  when  the 
city  had  firmly  asserted  her  claim  to  be  more 
than  a  mere  ordinary  town,  and  had  begun  her 
giant  strides  toward  the  high  position  she  has 
held,  for  over  half  a  century,  as  the  western  me- 
tropolis. A  detailed  relation  of  the  "  Telegraphs 
and  Railroads  and  their  Impulses  to  Commerce  " 
is  followed  by  an  interesting  chapter  on  the 
"  Premonitions  of  the  Civil  War";  then  "  New 
York  in  the  War  for  the  Union  "  will  prove 
most  instructive,  and  will  revive  recollections  of 
the  early  days  of  the  war.  The  next  period 
(1865-78)  is  on  the  "Recovery  from  War; 
Speculation  and  Reaction,  and  the  Tweed  Ring. " 
The  concluding  chapter  (1878-92)  rounds  out 
fittingly  a  volume  of  unusual  interest.  The 
customary  review  of  the  New  York  laws  up  to 
the  present  day  finishes  the  third  volume. 

The  fourth  volume,  which  will  be  issued  in 
the  spring,  will  be  made  up  of  monographs  on 
special  subjects,  such  as  the  authors  of  New 
York,  commerce,  churches,  museums,  clubs, 
theatres,  hospitals  and  other  charities,  music, 
newspapers,  currency,  public  and  private  libra- 
ries, Staten  Island  and  other  suburbs,  slavery 
in  New  York,  statues  and  monuments,  the  mili- 
tary, seats  of  learning — all  illustrated  ;  and,  in 
addition,  it  will  contain  a  complete  index  to  the 
four  volumes.  w.  s.  w. 


THE  COLONIAL  ERA.     By  George  Park 
Fisher,    D.D.,    LL.D.     With   maps.     New 
York  :  Charles  Scribner's  Sons.      1892. 
This  neat  and  readable  little  volume,  though 
almost   intended  for  elementary  purposes  only, 
is  from   the  hand  of   a  master  in  the  art  of  his- 
torical writing.     But  it  is  presumably  a  pretty 
generally  accepted  maxim  that  a  master  of  his 
art — or  rather,  in  this  case,  a  head  full  of  infor- 
mation on  a  subject — will  be  most  successful  in 


condensing  his  information  when  it  is  called  for 
in  brief  form. 

We  do  not  know  what  has  excited  our  admira- 
tion most  as  we  perused  this  admirable  com- 
pendium of  our  colonial  history— the  brevity  of 
the  statement,  or  the  fulness  of  the  information 
furnished  in  spite  of  that  brevity.  In  a  few 
sentences,  sometimes  in  a  paragraph,  we  are 
given  a  survey  of  the  events  of  several  years. 
from  which  are  by  no  means  excluded  the 
proper  observations  which  shall  keep  within  our 
view  the  political  significance  of  the  events. 
Yet  in  this  swift  glance  even  minute  occurrences 
will  find  some  mention.  It  is  like  the  momen- 
tary flash  of  the  lightning  at  night,  which  none 
the  less  in  its  instant  of  time  gives  us  the  trees, 
farm-houses,  barns,  fences,  hills  of  the  land- 
scape. Thus  in  the  recital  of  the  Plymouth 
settlement  we  do  not  fail  to  see  the  doughty 
Samoset  come  in  with  his  "  Welcome" — "  the 
Englishmen  "  of  the  usual  tradition  being  duly 
omitted  as  not  warranted  by  history.  And  in 
the  account  of  New  Netherland,  Domine  Mi- 
chaelius  is  seen  in  his  proper  place,  nor  are  the 
preceding  "  consolers  of  the  sick  "  forgotten. 

Dr.  Fisher  reduces  the  somewhat  chaotic 
character  of  our  colonial  history  to  intelligent 
order  and  logical  sequence  by  the  sensible 
division  of  his  topic.  He  treats  the  separate 
colonies  individually,  of  course,  but  stops  with 
each  at  1688,  and  then  begins  over  again  with 
each  until  1756,  the  beginning  of  the  "  French 
and  Indian  War,"  the  struggle  that  first  unified 
them.  He  says,  in  explanation  of  his  principle 
of  division  :  "The  English  revolution  of  1688 
is  so  important  a  landmark  that  it  appeared  to 
me  advisable  to  break  the  narrative  into  two 
parts.  By  this  arrangement  the  attention  is  not 
kept  fastened  on  each  colony  by  itself  through 
the  entire  course  of  the  history,  while  the  others 
are  in  the  main  left  out  of  sight.  It  also  seemed 
a  little  more  conducive  to  unity  of  impression  to 
take  up  the  several  colonies  in  a  different  order 
in  the  second  part,  from  that  adopted  in  the 
first."  We  find  that  Professor  Fiske  has  also 
recognized  the  importance  of  the  English  revo- 
lution of  168S  as  a  turning  point  in  our  colonial 
history,  for  his  Beginnings  of  Neto  England 
takes  us  up  to  that  epoch,  concluding  with  the 
pregnant  remark  :  "In  the  events  we  have  here 
passed  in  review,  it  may  be  seen  so  plainly  that 
he  who  runs  may  read,  how  the  spirit  of  1776 
was  foreshadowed  in  1689." 

It  is  announced  that  this  useful  little  volume 
is  the  first  of  a  series  of  four,  which  are  to  be 
distinct  in  authorship,  and  each  complete  in 
itself,  but  yet  are  designed  to  afford  a  brief  and 
connected  history  of  the  United  States  from  the 
discovery  of  America  to  the  present  time.  We 
shall  look  for  the  forthcoming  of  the  other  vol-" 
umes,  if  this  furnishes  a  specimen  of  the  ex- 
cellence that  is  to  distinguish  them  all. 


19- 


RECENT    HISTORICAL   PUBLICATIONS 


I'lll-;  GREAT  COMMANDER  SERIES: 
GENERAL  TAYLOR.  By  Major-Gen- 
eral Oliver  Otis  Howard,  U.S.A.  i2mo. 
New  York  :   D.  Appleton  &  Co.      1S92. 

The  above  volume  represents  the  second  in- 
stallment of  this  attractive  series  of  brief  biog- 
raphies, the  preceding  issue  having  been  devoted 
to  the  life  of  Admiral  Farragut,  written  by  Cap- 
tain A.  T.  Mahan,  U.S.N.  This  series  of  the 
lives  of  our  great  commanders  is  likely  to  at- 
tract  the  instant  attention  of  the  reading  public. 
The  period  covered  extends  from  Washington 
to  Sheridan,  and  the  aim  of  the  editor  has  been 
to  furnish  a  valuable  and  impartial  source  of 
reference  to  the  student  of  our  military  and 
naval  history.  A  high  order  of  excellence  has 
been  sought  for  and  obtained  in  producing  these 
biographies  ;  each  life  has  been  intrusted  to  a 
specially  competent  writer,  and  will  be  brief  and 
comprehensive.  The  following  volumes  are  in 
preparation  :  General  Washington,  by  General 
Bradley  T.  Johnson  ;  General  Greene,  by  Cap- 
tain Francis  V.  Greene  ;  General  Sherman,  by 
General  Manning  F.  Force  ;  General  Grant,  by 
General  James  Grant  Wilson  ;  General  Scott, 
by  General  Marcus  J.  Wright  ;  Admiral  Porter, 
by  James  Russell  Soley,  Assistant  Secretary  of 


the  Navy  ;  General  Lee,  by  General  Fitzhugh 
Lee  ;  General  Johnston,  by  Robert  M.  Hughes, 
of  Virginia:  General  George  H  Thomas,  by  Dr. 
Henry  Coppee,  late  U.S.A.;  General  Hancock, 
by  General  Francis  H.  Walker;  and  General 
Sheridan,  by  General  Henry  E.  Davies.  Each 
volume  will  contain  from  three  hundred  to  four 
hundred  pages,  and  will  include  a  steel  portrait 
and  maps.  The  series  is  printed  on  superb 
tinted  paper,  exquisitely  bound  in  pale  green 
vellum  cloth,  with  gilt  tops.  The  third  volume 
of  the  series  is  the  Life  of  General  Jackson, 
which  was  the  last  literary  work  of  the  late 
James  Parton. 


MISCELLANIES,  RELIGIOUS  AND  PER- 
SONAL, AND  SERMONS.  By  the  Rev. 
George  W.  Nichols,  D.D.  Bridgeport, 
Conn.      i2mo,  pp.  379. 

This  pleasant  volume,  by  a  well-known  writer, 
who  has  published  several  books  of  interest, 
contains  many  historical  and  biographical  remi- 
niscences of  value,  including  recollections  of 
Chief  Justice  Jay  and  General  Andrew  Jackson, 
and  of  events  occurring  when  the  writer  was  a 
student  at  Yale  and  at  the  Episcopal  Theological 
Seminary  in  this  city,  some  sixty  years  ago. 


Can  we  suppose  that  the  fortunes  of  ancient 
Rome,  and  of  modern  civilization,  would  have 
been  exactly  what  they  were,  and  are,  if  some 
mad  freak  of  Caesar's  in  his  youthful  days  had 
recoiled  fatally  on  himself?  Or  that  Luther,  by 
almost  a  single  act,  has  not  left  a  mark  on  the 
pages  of  religious  history  which  seems  unlikely 
to  be  ever  quite  obliterated  ?  Or  that  the  stream 
of  literature  would  have  run  precisely  the  course 
it  has  run  if  Shakespeare  had  been  knocked  on 
the  head  some  dark  night  in  Sir  Thomas  Lucy's 
preserves  ? — Contemporary  Review. 

Having  recently  seen  a  paragraph  in  The  Sta- 
tioner to  the  effect  that  a  perfect  book  has  never 
yet  been  printed,  I  should  be  glad  to  hear  what 
the  readers  of  "  N.  &  Q."  have  to  say  upon 
the  subject.  By  perfect  is  meant  free  from 
any  mistake.  The  notice  stated  that  a  Span- 
ish firm  of  publishers  once  produced  a  work  in 
which  one  letter  only  got  misplaced  through 
accident,  and  this  is  believed  to  have  been  the 
nearest  approach  to  perfection  that  has  ever  been 
attained  in  a  book.  It  further  stated  that  an 
English  house  had  made  a  great  effort  to  the 
same  end,  and  issued  proof-sheets  to  the  univer- 
sities with  an  offer  of  fifty  pounds  if  any  error 
\v.-j-.  discovered  in  them;  but  in  spite  of  this 
precaution  several  blunders  remained  undetected 
until  the  work  issued  from  the  press. — Notes 
and  Queries. 


The  statement  recently  made  in  a  dispatch 
from  Hartford  that  ex-President  Pynchon,  of 
Trinity  College,  had  obtained  the  copy  of  Wil- 
liam Pynchon's  book,  which  lately  belonged  to 
H.  S.  Sheldon,  of  Sheffield,  is  interesting  to  anti- 
quarians. That  copy  is  the  best  of  those  now  ex- 
isting. Next  to  this  is  the  copy  in  the  Congre- 
gational Library  in  Boston.  The  only  other  copy, 
so  far  as  I  know,  is  the  one  in  the  British  Mu- 
seum, which  I  examined  some  years  ago.  The 
scarcity  of  the  copies  is  due.  not  to  the  fire  in  the 
Boston  market-place  (for  that  consumed  but  a 
small  number  of  copies),  but  simply  to  the  lapse 
of  time.  The  book,  entitled  The  Meritorious 
of  Price  of  Our  Redemption,  was  published 
in  London  in  1650.  The  edition  was  a  small 
one,  and  it  is  not  surprising  that,  after  the  lapse 
of  two  hundred  and  forty  years,  it  is  a  rare  book. 
It  is  not  true  that  Mr.  Pynchon  recanted,  or  that 
he  fled  to  Connecticut.  He  sent  a  communica- 
tion to  the  general  court,  which  may  be  found 
in  The  Andover  Reviezv  of  September,  1886,  and 
remained  a  year  or  two  in  Springfield,  waiting 
the  action  of  the  court.  Then  he  settled  up  his 
business  and  departed  for  England,  where  he 
lived  for  two  years,  employed  in  literary  pur- 
suits. His  book  was  a  very  able  one,  and  casts 
a  flood  of  light  upon  the  state  of  opinion  in 
Massachusetts  twenty  years  after  the  settlement 
of  Boston. — Rev.  E.  H.  Byington,  in  Boston 
Herald. 


THE    FIRST    PORTRAIT    OF    WASHINGTON. 


MAGAZINE    OF   AMERICAN    HISTORY 


Vol.    XXIX 


MARCH,   1893 


No.  3 


GREAT    CITIES    IN    THE    CIVIL    WAR 

I. — New  York 

By  General  T.  F.  Rodenbough 

IF  the  city  of  New  York  was  conspicuous  as  the  centre  of  operations 
during  the  war  to  establish  the  unity  and  independence  of  the  colo- 
nies, it  was  no  less  prominent  as  the  principal  base  of  supplies  in  the 
struggle  to  preserve  the  Union.  An  ancient  writer  has  said,  u  It'sufficeth 
not  to  the  strength  of  the  armes  to  have  flesh,  blood,  and  bones,  unless 
they  have  also  sinewes,  to  stretch  out 
and  pull  in  for  the  defense  of  the  body ; 
so  it  sufificeth  not  in  an  army  to  have 
Victuals,  for  the  maintenance  of  it  ; 
Armour  and  Weapons  for  the  defense 
of  it ;  unless  it  have  Money  also,  the 
Sineives  of  Warre"  1  The  financial  rec- 
ords of  the  time  bear  convincing  testi- 
mony to  the  effective  manner  in  which 
the  merchants  and  bankers  of  the  Empire 
City  supplied  the  federal  government 
with  the  "  sinewes  "  needed  "  to  stretch 
out  and  pull  in  for  the  defense  of  the 
body  "  of  the  nation  in  its  great  peril. 
Before  a  shot  had  been  fired,  two  impor- 
tant expeditions,  designed  to  succor  be- 
leaguered garrisons,  were  fitted  out  at 
this  port ;  after  the  capture  of  Sumter,  a 
movement  to  the  front  of  men  and  means 
furnished  by  New  York  began,  and  did  not  end  until  the  surrender  at 
Appomattox. 

It  is  a  notable    fact  that  whenever  the   country  has   been    threatened 
with  danger  to  its  form  of  government,  the  city  of  New  York  has  declared 

1  Ward's  Ani?nadversions  of  Warre,  London,  1639. 
Vol.  XXIX. -No.  3.- 13 


194  GREAT   CITIES    IN    THE    CIVIL   WAR 

its  position  only  after  due  reflection  and  careful  consideration  of  the  ques- 
tion involved.  It  was  this  tendency  that  delayed  its  final  decision  to  take 
up  arms  against  the  mother-country  at  the  opening  of  the  Revolution  ;  it 
was  this  feeling  that  induced  some  of  its  leading  citizens  to  join  in  an 
effort  to  dissuade  the  South  from  secession.  One  of  the  last  efforts  to 
bring  about  a  peaceful  solution  of  the  grave  problem  was  called  "  the 
Pine  street  meeting."  It  was  held  under  the  auspices  of  leading  citizens. 
Charles  O'Conor  presided,  and  resolutions,  fraternal  yet  firm  and  dig- 
nified in  tone,  were  unanimously  passed. 

Early  in  January,  1861,  President  Buchanan  appointed  John  A.  Dix 
secretary  of  the  treasury,  who  signalized  the  closing  days  of  that  adminis- 
tration by  a  memorable  and  patriotic  act.  Within  three  days  after  the 
new  cabinet  minister  had  entered  upon  his  duties  he  sent  a  special  agent 
to  New  Orleans,  Mobile,  and  Galveston,  to  save,  if  possible,  the  revenue 
cutters  stationed  at  these  ports.  On  January  29,  Secretary  Dix  was 
advised  by  wire  that  the  commanding  officer  of  the  McClelland,  at  New 
Orleans,  refused  to  obey  his  orders.  Immediately  on  receipt  of  this  infor- 
mation, and  without  consultation  with  any  one,  he  penned  the  order  which 
has  become  historic,  and  which  is  here  published  in  fac-simile.  Although 
the  secretary's  action  was  decided  upon  without  a  moment's  hesitation  as 
to  its  spirit,  the  language  received  due  consideration,  as  we  are  told  1  in  a 
letter  from  General  Dix  to  a  friend  long  after  the  occurrence: 

"  Not  a  word  was  altered  ;  but  the  original  was  handed  to  the  clerk  charged  with  the 
custody  of  my  telegraphic  dispatches,  copied  by  him,  and  the  copy  signed  by  me  and  sent 
to  its  destination.  Before  I  sent  it,  however,  a  question  of  military  etiquette  arose  in  my 
mind  in  regard  to  the  arrest  of  Captain  Breshwood,  and  I  took  a  carriage  and  drove  to 
the  lodgings  of  Lieutenant-General  Scott,  to  consult  him  in  regard  to  it.  Mr.  Stanton  was 
then  attorney-general.  My  relations  with  him  were  of  the  most  intimate  character  ;  and 
as  he  resided  near  General  Scott's  lodgings,  I  drove  to  his  house  first,  and  showed  the 
dispatch  to  him.  He  approved  of  it,  and  made  some  remark  expressing  his  gratification 
at  the  tone  of  the  order.  General  Scott  said  I  was  right  on  the  question  of  etiquette, 
and  I  think  expressed  his  gratification  that  I  had  taken  a  decided  stand  against  southern 
invasions  of  the  authority  of  the  government.  I  immediately  returned  to  the  department 
and  sent  the  dispatch.  General  Scott,  Mr.  Stanton,  and  the  clerk  who  copied  it  were 
the  only  persons  who  saw  it. 

I  decided  when  I  wrote  the  order  to  say  nothing  to  the  president  about  it.  I  was 
satisfied  that,  if  he  was  consulted,  he  would  not  permit  it  to  be  sent.  Though  indignant  at 
the  course  of  the  southern  states,  and  the  men  about  him  who  had  betrayed  his  confidence 
— Cobb,  Floyd,  and  others — one  leading  idea  had  taken  possession  of  his  mind — that  in  the 
civil  contest  which  threatened  to  break  out,  the  North  must  not  shed  the  first  drop  of 
blood.     This  idea  is  the  key  to  his  submission  to  much  which  should  have  been  met  with 

1  Memoirs  of  John  A.  Dix,  by  Rev.  Morgan  Dix,  D.D.,  New  York,  1884. 


GREAT    CITIES    IN    THE    CIVIL    WAR 


'95 


tz 


tPZSWVv 


prompt  and  vigorous  resistance.  During  the  seven  weeks  I  was  with  him  he  rarely  failed 
to  come  to  my  room  about  ten  o'clock,  and  converse  with  me  for  about  an  hour  on  the 
great  questions  of  the  day  before  going  .to  his  own  room.  I  was  strongly  impressed  with 
his  conscientiousness.  But  he  was  timid  and  credulous.  His  confidence  was  easily 
gained,  and  it  was  not  difficult  for  an  artful  man  to  deceive  him.  But  I  remember  no 
instance  in  my  unreserved  in- 
tercourse with  him  in  which  I 
had  reason  to  doubt  his  up- 
rightness. 

Tuesdays  and  Fridays  were 
cabinet  days.  The  members 
met,  without  notice,  at  the 
president's  house  in  the  morn- 
ing. My  order  was  given,  as 
has  been  stated,  on  Tuesday 
evening.  I  said  nothing  to 
the  president  in  regard  to  it, 
though  he  was  with  me  every 
evening,  until  Friday,  when 
the  members  of  the  cabinet 
were  all  assembled,  and  the 
president  was  about  to  call 
our  attention  to  the  business 
of  the  day.  I  said  to  him, 
'  Mr.  President,  I  fear  we  have 
lost  some  more  of  our  revenue 
cutters.'  '  Ah  ! '  said  he,  '  how 
is  that  ?'  I  then  told  him  what 
had  occurred  down  to  the  re- 
ceipt of  the  dispatch  from  Mr. 
Jones  informing  me  that  Cap- 
tain Breshwood  refused  to 
obey  my  order.  '  Well,'  said 
he,  '  what  did  you  do  ? '  I 
then  repeated  to  him,  slowly 
and  distinctly,  the  order  I  had 
sent.  When  I  came  to  the 
words,  'shoot  him  on  the  spot,' 
he  started  up  suddenly,  and 
said,  with  a  good  deal  of  emo- 
tion,   'Did    you    write    that?' 

'  No,  sir,'  I  said  ;  '  I  did  not  write  it,  but  I  telegraphed  it.'  He  made  no  answer,  nor  do  I 
remember  that  he  ever  referred  to  it  afterward.  It  was  manifest,  as  I  have  presupposed, 
that  the  order  would  never  have  been  given  if  I  had  consulted  him. 

It  only  remains  for  me  to  say  that  the  order  was  not  the  result  of  any  premeditation — 
scarcely  of  any  thought.  A  conviction  of  the  right  course  to  be  taken  was  as  instantane- 
ous as  a  flash  of  light  ;  and  I  did  not  think,  when  I  seized  the  nearest  pen  (a  very  bad  one, 


3&%tmrf> 


Vff 


I96  GREAT    CITIES    IN    THE    CIVIL   WAR 

as  the  fac-simile  shows)  and  wrote  the  order  in  as  little  time  as  it  would  take  to  read  it, 
that  I  was  doing  anything-  specially  worthy  ot  remembrance.  It  touched  the  public  mind 
heart  strongly,  no  doubt,  because  the  blood  of  all  patriotic  men  was  boiling  with 
dignation  at  the  humiliation  which  we  were  enduring;  and  I  claim  no  other  merit  than 
that  of  having  thought  rightly,  and  of  having  expressed  strongly  what  I  felt  in  common 
with  the  great  body  of  my  countrymen." 

"  Such  is  the  history  of  the  famous  dispatch.  In  concluding  it  I  quote 
my  father's  words  by  way  of  explanation  and  justification  of  his  language. 
*  He  says,  in  his  report  to  congress  :  '  It  may  be  proper  to  add,  in  reference 
to  the  closing  period  of  the  foregoing  dispatch,  that  as  the  flag  of  the 
Union,  since  1777,  when  it  was  devised  and  adopted  by  the  founders  of 
the  republic,  had  never  until  a  recent  day  been  hauled  down,  except  by 
honorable  hands  in  manly  conflict,  no  hesitation  was  felt  in  attempting  to 
uphold  it  at  any  cost  against  an  act  of  treachery,  as  the  ensign  of  the 
public  authority  and  the  emblem  of  unnumbered  victories  by  land  and 
sea.'  "  1 

For  many  years  the  general-in-chief  of  the  army  had  his  personal 
residence  and  official  headquarters  in  the  city  of  New  York.  Although 
increasing  infirmities  warned  General  Scott  that  his  days  of  active  service 
were  well-nigh  spent,  yet  he  failed  not.  before  relinquishing  his  office,  to 
call  the  attention  of  President  Buchanan,  as  early  as  October,  i860,  to  the 
unprotected  state  of  certain  fortifications  on  the  southern  coast,  expressing 
his  "  solemn  conviction  that  there  is  some  danger  of  an  early  act  of  rash- 
ness preliminary  to  secession,"  and  urging  their  prompt  occupation  by 
suitable  garrisons.^  But  the  bewildered  politician  hesitated,  and  the  oppor- 
tunity was  lost.  As  we  recur  in  memory  to  that  dark  period  of  national 
history,  we  find  it  illumined  by  one  ray  of  light,  increasing  in  brilliancy  as 
the  years  roll  on.  In  striking  contrast  to  the  vacillation  and  timidity  of 
the  executive  and  the  divided  opinions  of  the  cabinet,  appear  the  firmness, 
simplicity,  and  patriotism  of  Robert  Anderson.  Believing  that  the  South 
had  been  unjustly  treated,  having  reason  to  think  that  his  government  had 
abandoned  him,  beset  with  temptations  of  kinship  and  friendship,  sur- 
rounded with  enemies  ready  to  destroy  him,  the  tempered  steel  of  his 
nature  was  equal  to  the  test.       His  duty,  according  to  his  simple  code  of 

^Memoirs  of  John  A.  Dix,  I.  373. 

-  "  From  a  knowledge  of  our  southern  population  it  is  my  solemn  conviction  that  there  is 
some  danger  of  an  early  act  of  rashness  preliminary  to  secession,  viz.,  the  seizure  of  some  or  all 
of  the  following  posts:  .  .  .  Forts  Pickens  and  McRea,  Pensacola  harbor;  Forts  Moultrie  and 
Sumter.  Charleston  harbor.  All  these  works  should  be  immediately  so  garrisoned  as  to  make  any 
attempt  to  take  any  one  of  them,  by  surprise  or  coup  de  main,  ridiculous." — General  Scott's 
Memoir:..   New  York,   1864 


GREAT   CITIES    IN    THE   CIVIL    WAR  I97 

morals,  was  plain  :  like  the  Roman  sentinel,  he  might  be  forgotten,  but  he 
would  never  voluntarily  abandon  his  post.  How  unselfishly  and  gallantly 
Major  Anderson  and  his  little  band  of  regulars  acquitted  themselves  is  a 
matter  of  undying  fame.  One  member  of  the  Buchanan  cabinet — Secretary 
Black — wrote  of  Anderson's  military  movement  from  Fort  Moultrie  to  Fort 
Sumter,  that*"  he  has  saved  the  country,  I  solemnly  believe,  when  its  day 
was  darkest  and  its  peril  most  extreme.  He  has  done  everything  that 
mortal  man  could  do  to  repair  the  fatal  error  which  the  administration  has 
committed  in  not  sending  down  troops  enough  to  hold  all  the  forts." 

With  the  change  of  administration  the  reins  of  government  slipped 
from  the  nerveless  hands  of  one  president  into  the  firmer  if  somewhat 
unskillful  grasp  of  another.  It  cannot  be  said  that  order  promptly  emerged 
from  chaos.  The  task  before  Mr.  Lincoln  was  too  colossal,  and  the  means 
at  his  disposal  too  crude,  to  cause  the  machinery 
of  government  to  work  effectively  at  once.  So, 
in  the  early  attempt  to  provision  Sumter  and  re- 
enforce  Pickens,  the  functions  of  cabinet  officers 
and  captains  of  the  staff  were  curiously  inter- 
mingled. The  spectacle  of  a  military  engineer 
and  a  military  secretary  to  the  commanding  gen- 
eral working  in  haste  and  secrecy,  under  the  per- 
sonal supervision  of  a  secretary  of  state,  to  arrange 
the  details  of  an  important  movement  of  the  land 
and  naval  forces,  without  the  knowledge  of  the 
ministers  of  war  or  navy ;  the  perfunctory  refer- 
ence of  their  work  to  the  general-in-chief  for  his 

official  signature,  and  its  final  transfer  by  the  president  to  the  juniors 
aforesaid  with  carte  blanche  as  to  its  execution,  were  hardly  calculated  to 
produce  that  "  good  order  and  military  discipline"  which  were  to  prove 
essential  factors  in  the  restoration  of  the  Union.  The  president,  however, 
finding  that  his  efforts  to  execute  the  laws  by  ignoring  regulations  and 
"  cutting  knots  "  resulted  in  confusion,  returned  to  the  system  of  making 
each  department  of  the  government  responsible  for  details  pertaining  to 
it ;  and,  thereafter,  he  generally  observed  this  rule. 

When  Anderson's  famous  telegram  announcing  the  fall  of  Sumter  was 
published,  the  effect  upon  the  people  of  New  York  was  instantaneous. 
Politicians  were  silent  in  the  face  of  the  unanimity  with  which  men  of  all 
parties  were  roused  to  action.  As  was  well  said  :  "  The  incidents  of  the 
last  two  days  will  live  in  history.  Not  for  fifty  years  has  such  a  spectacle 
been    seen   as  that  glorious  uprising  of  American   loyalty  which  greeted 


198 


GREAT    CITIES    IN   THE    CIVIL   WAR 


FORTJSUMTCfl    FOR  THIRTY  FOUR   NOUR-SX  UNTIL   THE  ftUARJERS    WERE    EN 


NEWlYORIU    •    HON;S«CAMEROfn    SECY.RAR;    WASHNi    HAVINC" DEFENDED 


V 


MRELY  BURNED   THE.  tlMN   GATES    DESTROYED  BY  FIRE_»THE   CORCE'*ALL3 


SERIOUSLY    IHJURED.THE    MAGAZINE    SURROUNDED    BY  FLAMES    AND    US 


I ? 

OOOR    CLOSED  FROM   THE   EFFECTS  OF!  HEA*    .FOUR   8ARRELLS   AND.THRES 


CARTRIDGES   OF    POWDER    ONLY  BEINC    AVAILABLE    AND   NO  PROVISIONS 


the  news  that  open  war  had  been  commenced  upon  the  constitution  and 
government  of  the  United  States.  The  great  heart  of  the  American 
people  beat  with  one  high  pulsation  of  courage,  and  of  fervid  love  and 
devotion  to  the  great  republic.  Party  dissensions  were  instantly  hushed  ; 
political  differences  disappeared  and  were  as  thoroughly  forgotten  as  if 
they  had  never  existed  ;  men  ceased  to  think  of  themselves  or  their 
parties — they  thought  only  of  their  country  and  of  the  dangers  which 
menaced  its  existence.    Nothing  for  years  has  brought  the  hearts  of  all  the 

people  so  close  together, 

5.*;BALTIC0FF   SANDY  HOOK   APR.E1CHTEERTH.TEN    THJRTY   a.m.    ,v.»  X  l  & 

__^____________i___ or  so   inspired    them    all 

with  common  hopes  and 
common  fears  and  a  com- 
mon aim,  as  the  bombard- 
ment and  surrender  of  an 
American  fortress." 

President  Lincoln's 
first  call  for  aid  was  in- 
stantly responded  to  by 
the  legislature  of  New 
York  with  an  appropria- 
tion of  three  millions  of 
dollars ;  the  militia  regi- 
ments of  the  city  and 
vicinity  hastened  to  offer 
their  services  ;  recruiting 
rendezvous  were  opened 
for  new  organizations  ; 
the  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce passed  resolutions 
pledging  substantial  aid 
to  the  government,  and 
urging  the  prompt  block- 
ade of  southern  ports  ;  and  a  great  wave  of  popular  enthusiasm  swept 
over  the  city. 

The  municipality  of  New  York  promptly  passed  the  following  resolu- 
tions, drafted  by  one  who  afterwards  distinguished  himself  on  many 
bloody  fields — Daniel  E.  Sickles: 

1  The  original  dispatch  was  printed  by  Morse's  telegraph,  and  the  ribbon-like  strips  were  pasted 
on  a  sheet  of  paper  in  order  to  be  more  convenient  and  for  better  preservation.  The  above  illustra- 
tion is  ma'le  from  a  photograph  of  the  original  in  the  possession  of  General  E.  D.  Townsend   U.  S.  A. 


IEMA1NJNG  BUT  PORK.  I  ACCEPTED  TERMS  OF  EVACUATION  OFFERED  BY, 


GENERAL  BEAVREGARD  BJS.IWC.tO*  SAME  OFFEREO  BY  HIM  ON  THE  ELEV 


I - 

ENTfl.lRST.PRJOfi   TQ«THE  COMMENCEMENT    OF    HOSTILlTiLS  AND   MARCHED 


OUT   OP   TMr  FORT    SUNDAY   AFTERNOON    THE   FOURTEENTH    INST,W|TH 


COLORS   FLY1NC. AND. DRUMS    BEAT INC. BR  INC  INC    AWAY  COMPANY    AND 


" ' ~ 1 

PRIVATE  PROPERTY  AND  SALUTING*  MY  FLAG  »ITM  FIFTY  GUNS*  ROBERT, 


ANDERSON". MAJOR  F  IRSTJARTf LIE!  .COMMANDING. 


Anderson's  telegram,  april  18,  iE 


GREAT   CITIES    IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 


I93 


"  Resolved,  That  we  invoke  in  this  crisis  the  unselfish  patriotism  and  the  unfaltering 
loyalty  which  have  been  uniformly  manifested  in  all  periods  of  national  peril  by  the 
population  of  the  city  of  New  York  ;  and  while  we  reiterate  our  undiminished  affection 
for  the  friends  of  the  Union  who  have  gallantly  and  faithfully  labored  in  the  southern 
states  for  the  preservation  of  peace  and  the  restoration  of  fraternal  relations  among  the 
people,  and  our  readiness  to  co-operate  with  them  in  all  honorable  measures  of  reconcilia- 
tion, yet  we  oi>ly  give  expression  to  the  convictions  of  our  constituents  when  we  declare 
it  to  be  their  unalterable  purpose,  as  it  is  their  solemn  duty,  to  do  all  in  their  power  to 
uphold  and  defend  the  integrity  of  the  Union,  and  to  vindicate  the  honor  of  our  flag,  and 
to  crush  the  power  of  those  who  are  enemies  in  war,  as  in  peace  they  were  friends. 

Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  the  foregoing  preamble  and  resolutions  be  transmitted  to 
the  President  of  the  United  States,  and  to  the  Governor  of  the  State  of  New  York.  " 

In  a  recent  address  General  Sickles  said:  "I  well  remember  the 
words  of  President  Lincoln  when  he  re- 
ferred to  this  action  of  our  city  govern- 
ment, a  few  days  afterwards,  when  I  called 
upon  him  for  instructions  touching  the 
command  I  had  undertaken  to  raise  on 
the  invitation  of  Governor  Morgan.  He 
said :  '  Sickles,  I  have  here  on  my  table 
the  resolutions  passed  by  your  common 
council  appropriating  a  million  of  dollars 
toward  raising  men  for  this  war,  and  prom- 
ising to  do  all  in  the  power  of  your  authori- 
ties to  support  the  government.  When 
these  resolutions  were  brought  to  me  by 
Alderman  Frank  Boole  and  his  associates 
of  the  committee,  I  felt  my  burden  lighter. 
I  felt  that  when  men  broke  through  party 
lines  and  took  this  patriotic  stand  for  the 
government  and  the  Union,  all  must  come 
out  well  in  the  end.  When  you  see  them,  tell  them  for  me,  they  made  my 
heart  glad,  and  I  can  only  say,  God  bless  them/  " 

The  march  of  the  first  New  England  troops  through  the  city,  to  the 
defense  of  the  capital,  is  graphically  described  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Dix  : x 

*'  They  came  in  at  night  ;  and  it  was  understood  that,  after  breakfasting  at  the  Astor 
House,  the  march  would  be  resumed.  By  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  an  immense 
crowd  had  assembled  about  the  hotel ;  Broadway,  from  Barclay  to  Fulton  street,  and  the 
lower  end  of  Park  row,  were  occupied  by  a  dense  mass  of  human  beings,  all  watching 
the  front  entrance,  at  which  the  regiment  was  to  file  out.  From  side  to  side,  from  wall  to 
wall,  extended  that  innumerable  host,  silent  as  the  grave,   expectant,  something  unspeak- 

1  Memoirs  of  John  A.  Dix,  II.  10. 


0%****£  Q.Jitet*»- 


:oc 


GREAT   CITIES    IN    THE    CIVIL   WAR 


able  in  the  faces.  It  was  the  dead,  deep  hush  before  the  thunder-storm.  At  last  a  low  mur- 
mur was  heard  ;  it  sounded  somewhat  like  a  gasp  of  men  in  suspense  ;  and  the  cause  was 
that  the  soldiers  had  appeared,  their  leading-  files  descending  the  steps.  By  the  twinkle  of 
their  bayonets  above  the  heads  of  the  crowd  their  course  could  be  traced  out  into  the 
open  street  in  front.  Formed,  at  last,  in  column,  they  stood,  the  band  at  the  head  ;  and 
the  word  was  given,  '  March  ! '  Still  dead  silence  prevailed.  Then  the  drums  rolled  out 
the  time— the  regiment  was  in  motion.  And  then  the  band,  bursting  into  full  volume, 
struck  up — what  other  tune  could  the  Massachusetts  men  have  chosen  ? — '  Yankee 
Doodle.'  I  caught  about  two  bars  and  a  half  of  the  old  music,  not  more  ;  for  instantly 
there  arose  a  sound  such  as  many  a  man  never  heard  in  all  his  life,  and  never  will  hear  ; 
such  as  is  never  heard  more  than  once  in  a  lifetime.  Not  more  awful  is  the  thunder  of 
heaven  as,  with  sudden  peal,  it  smites  into  silence  all  lesser  sounds,  and,  rolling  through 
the  vault  above  us,  fills  earth  and  sky  with  the  shock  of  its  terrible  voice.  One  ter- 
rific roar  burst  from  the  multitude,  leaving  nothing  audible  save  its  own  reverberation. 
We  saw  the  heads  of  armed  men,  the  gleam  of  their  weapons,  the  regimental  colors,  all 
moving  on,  pageant-like  ;  but  naught  could  we  hear  save  that  hoarse,  heavy  surge — one 
general  acclaim,  one  wild  shout  of  joy  and  hope,  one  endless  cheer,  rolling  up  and  down, 
from  side  to  side,  above,  below,  to  right,  to  left  ;  the  voice  of  approval,  of  consent,  of 
unity  in  act  and  will.  No  one  who  saw  and  heard  could  do.ubt  how  New  York  was 
Sfoinor  " 


The  resistance  to  the  passage  of  the  Sixth  Massachusetts  through 
Baltimore,  on  the  19th  of  April,  fanned  the  public  excitement  to  the 
verge  of  madness.  The  news  that  descendants  of  freemen  who  fell  at 
Lexington  had  been  slain,  on  the  anniversary  of  that  memorable  fight, 

while  marching  to  the  defense  of  the  capital,  sent 
a  thrill  of  indignation  through  the  North. 

If  the  impending  calamity  of  civil  war  found 
the  government  of  the  United  States  in  a  state  of 
transition  as  regarded  its  personnel,  it  was  met  by 
New  York  with  all  the  firmness  and  ability  of  a 
substantial  state  administration  and  the  strength 
of  a  patriotic  majority  in  the  city.  At  Albany 
that  sterling  citizen,  Governor  Edwin  D.  Morgan, 
stood  ready  to  second  the  new  president ;  he  was 
aided  in  matters  of  detail  by  an  efficient  staff,  of 
which  Chester  A.  Arthur — the  future  chief  magis- 
trate— was  an  excellent  type.  The  men  of  power 
and  influence  in  the  community,  with  true  public 
spirit  and  patriotic  impulse,  rose  en  masse,  and,  exercising  a  character- 
istic American  talent  for  organization,  put  themselves  directly  in  touch 
with  the  federal  executive.  Through  the  channels  of  trade,  manufact- 
ures, and   the  learned  professions,  popular  subscriptions  were  made  to  a 


GREAT   CITIES   IN    THE   CIVIL   WAR  201 

fund  for  the  equipment  and  temporary  subsistence  of  troops  hastening 
to  the  defense  of  the  capital.  In  an  inconceivably  short  time  an  immense 
sum  of  money  was  placed  at  the  government's  disposal,  and  the  tramp 
of  the  Union  legions  was  heard  from  Maine  to  California.1  Among 
individuals  who  devoted  themselves  faithfully  to 
the  Union  cause  was  the  well-known  Thurlow 
Weed.  Famous  as  a  political  leader,  he  now 
came  to  the  front  as  a  philanthropist  and  coun- 
selor. He  has  left  behind  him  interesting  me- 
moirs of  the  war  time,  which  show  how  important 
were  the  services  of  men  like  Weed,  Simeon 
Draper,  and  Henry  W.  Bellows,  who,  without 
glittering  insignia  or  martial  title,  labored  early 
and  late  for  the  cause,  furnishing  "  Victuals," 
"  Armour,"  and  the  "Sinewes  of  Warre."  An 
example   may   here   be   related.     Mr.   Weed   was  ^~~/y       a  , 

summoned  to  the  White  House  from   New  York      KVt^t^un^  C<oC££^7L- 
by  a  telegram  dated   February  18,  1863.     On  the 

following  day  he  called  on  President  Lincoln,  who  said  :  "  Mr.  Weed,  we 
are  in  a  tight  place.  Money  for  legitimate  purposes  is  needed  imme- 
diately ;  but  there  is  no  appropriation  from  which  it  can  be  lawfully  taken. 
I  didn't  know  how  to  raise  it,  and  so  I  sent  for  you."  u  How  much  is 
required?"  asked  Mr.  Weed.  "  Fifteen  thousand  dollars,"  said  the  presi- 
dent. "Can  you  get  it?"  "If  you  must  have  it  at  once,  give  me  two 
lines  to  that  effect."  Mr.  Lincoln  turned  to  his  desk  and  wrote  a  few  lines 
on  a  slip  of  paper.  Handing  it  to  Mr.  Weed,  he  said,  "Will  that  do?" 
"  It  will,"  said  Mr.  Weed  ;  "  the  money  will  be  at  your  disposal  to-morrow 
morning."  On  the  next  train  Mr.  Weed  left  Washington,  and  before  five 
o'clock  that  afternoon  the  slip  of  paper  which  he  carried  in  his  pocket  bore 
fifteen  names  with  one  thousand  dollars  opposite  each. 

One  of  the  most  important  and  immediate  results  of  the  popular  agita- 
tion following  the  fall  of  Sumter  was  the  organization  of  the  "  Union 
Defense  Committee  of  the  City  of  New  York."  It  comprised  some  of  the 
most  prominent  men  in  trade  and  the  learned  professions.  It  became 
the  almoner  of  the  municipality  for  the  emergency,  and  a  veritable  Alad- 
din's lamp  through  which,  at  a  touch,  regiments  were  armed,  equipped,  and 

1  The  New  York  Herald,  April  29,  1 861,  makes  up  a  table  of  voluntary  contributions  by 
cities,  counties,  and  individuals  in  the  North,  "  all  $1,000  or  over,  which  sum  up  to  $11,230,000, 
of  which  New  York  city  gives  $2,155,000,  and  the  New  York  state  legislature  $3,000,000  more. 
And  all  this  has  been  subscribed  since  April  15." 


2o: 


GREAT   CITIES    IN    THE    CIVIL   WAR 


transported  to  the  nearest  rendezvous  ;  steamers  of  the  largest  size  were 
chartered  as  transports,  or,  in  some  cases,  as  additions  to  the  naval  forces 
of  the  United  States.  The  local  facilities,  the  business  training,  and  the 
unlimited  credit  of  the  committee,  combined  with  a  loyal  enthusiasm 
accomplished  wonders.  Nor  was  this  patriotic  zeal  without  its  embarrass- 
ments. The  committee,  having  turned  on  the  stream  of  aid  and  comfort, 
undertook,  in  some  cases,  to  direct  the  war  department  in  its  use,  to  urge 
the  president  to  greater  haste  in  crushing  the  rebellion,  and  inadvertently 
to  usurp  the  executive  functions  of  the  governor.  The  federal  authorities 
declined  to  move  with  undue  haste,  but  their  determination  was  conveyed 
to  the  committee  in  a  way  to  strengthen  rather  than  to  impair  the  good 
feeling  which  it  was  important  to  maintain  between  the  Union  people  and 
the  government.  Thenceforward  their  relations  were  mutually  satisfac- 
tory. The  Union  Defense  Committee  was  or- 
ganized April  22,  1861,  and  adjourned  sine  die, 
April  30,  1862.  During  that  period  it  disbursed 
more  than  a  million  dollars  for  the  benefit  of  New 
York  volunteers  and  the  support  of  soldiers'  wid- 
ows and  orphans. 

Soon  after  General  Scott's  retirement  from 
active  service  a  delegation  from  the  Union  De- 
fense Committee,  headed  by  Hamilton  Fish, 
called  upon  the  old  hero  at  the  Brevoort  House 
to  present  an  address  embodying  the  sentiments 
^^u^fozt  ]&/£?  °f  l°ve  ar|d  respect  which  all  Americans,  and 
especially  the  citizens  of  New  York,  entertained 
Edwards  Pierrepont  also  made  appropriate  remarks,  comprising 
this  extract  :  "  The  advents  of  true  patriots  and  great  men  are  always 
separated  by  long  intervals  of  years  ;  but  few  have  ever  appeared  ;  and 
in  the  whole  circuit  of  the  sun  scarce  one  who  had  the  courage  to  resign 
his  power  until  death  called  for  his  crown,  his  sceptre,  or  his  sword.  It 
will  be  the  crowning  glory  of  your  honored  life  that,  after  remaining  at 
the  soldier's  post  until  all  imminent  danger  was  over,  .  .  .  you  had 
the  wisdom  from  on  high  to  retire  at  the  fitting  hour,  and  thus  to  make 
the  glories  of  your  setting  sun  ineffably  more  bright  for  the  radiant 
lustre  which  they  shed  upon  the  young  and  dawning  hope  of  your  beloved 
land.     .      .     ." 

On  April  17,  General  Sandford,  commanding  the  First  Division  N.  G. 
S.  X.  Y.,  received  orders  from  Albany  "to  detail  one  regiment  of  eight 
hundred    men,  or    two    regiments    amounting  to   the   same    number,    for 


for  him. 


GREAT   CITIES    IN    THE   CIVIL   WAR  203 

immediate  service."  The  detail  fell  to  the  Seventh  regiment,  and  on 
Friday,  the  19th,  at  3  P.M.,  it  marched  down  Broadway  with  nine  hundred 
and  ninety-one  men,  bound  for  the  capital  of  the  nation.  More  than 
three  months  previously  the  regimental  board  of  officers  had  "  resolved 
that,  should  the  exigency  arise,  we  feel  confident  in  having  the  command- 
ant express  to  the  governor  of  the  state  the  desire  of  this  regiment  to 
perform   such   duty  as  he  may  prescribe."  l 

The  march  to  Cortlandt  street  was  in  the  nature  of  a  triumphal 
pageant.  The  entire  city  was  present  to  wish  the  first  regiment  of  the 
first  city  in  the  land  God-speed.  If  in  these  days  of  militia  reform  the 
Seventh  maintains  its  supremacy,  in  those  times  of  local  train-bands, 
when  military  efficiency  of  state  troops  was  the  exception,  the  regiment 
was,  indeed,  first  in  war,  first  in  peace,  and  first  in  the  hearts  of  its 
countrymen.  Its  successful  movement  to  the  defense  of  Washington,  by 
way  of  Annapolis,  under  the  wise  leadership  of  Colonel  Lefferts,  is  a 
matter  of  history.  It  will,  perhaps,  never  be  known  how  much  those 
"  one  thousand  of  the  flower  of  the  city  of  New  York  "  contributed  by 
their  presence  to  save  the  capital  from  hostile  occupation.  It  was  suffi- 
cient that  President  Lincoln  could  announce  that  "  the  Seventh  regiment 
and  the  Massachusetts  regiment  are  now  in  Washington.  There  was 
great  need  of  re-enforcements,  but  Washington  may  be  considered  safe 
for  the  country  and  the  constitution."  The  Union  Defense  Committee 
advised  the  president  (April  21)  that  "  On  behalf  of  the  committee  of  the 
citizens  charged  with  the  due  attention  to  public  interests,  and  invested 
with  this  power  by  the  mass  meeting  of  Saturday,  we  take  leave  respect- 
fully to  represent  to  the  government  at  Washington  that  intense  solicitude 
prevails  here  for  the  safety  of  the  city  of  Washington,  and  that  there  is 
an  earnest  demand  that  a  safe  and  speedy  communication  should  be  kept 
open  between  the  seat  of  government  and  the  loyal  states.  Whatever 
force  of  men  or  supply  of  means  is  needed  to  occupy  and  control  the 
necessary  points  in  the  state  of  Maryland,  can  be  furnished  from  or 
through  New  York.  The  energy,  the  enthusiasm,  the  power  in  every 
form,  of  our  people,  it  is  impossible  to  overrate.  But  their  demands  upon 
the  action  of  all  the  public  authorities  are  proportionate.  The  absolute 
obliteration  of  all  party  lines  among  our  whole  population,  and  their  per- 

1  General  Scott  wrote  from  Washington,  January  19,  1S61,  to  General  Sandford,  with  re- 
gard to  this  resolution  :  "  Perhaps  no  regiment  or  company  can  be  brought  here  from  a  distance 
without  producing  hurtful  jealousies  in  this  vicinity.  If  there  be  an  exception,  it  is  the  Seventh 
Infantry  of  the  city  of  New  York,  which  has  become  somewhat  national,  and  is  held,  deservedly, 
in  the  highest  respect." 


204 


GREAT   CITIES   IN    THE   CIVIL   WAR 


45s*' 


feet  union  in  enthusiastic  patriotism,  make  it,  in  our  judgment,  highly 
expedient  that  there  should  be  present  in  this  city  persons  who  can,  in 
case  of  emergency,  represent  the  war,  navy,  and  treasury  departments  in 
giving  the  authority  of  the  government  to  movements  of  troops  and 
vessels,  the  stoppage  of  steamers,  the  provision  of  arms,  and  the  many 
steps  which  may  need  to  be  taken  without  an  opportunity  of  communi- 
cating with  Washington.  We  feel  to-day  that  our  government  and  the 
city  of  Washington  are  in  a  hostile  country,  with  communication  em- 
barrassed and  in  danger  of  being  wholly  cut  off.     If  disaster  happens  from 

this  cause,  the  excitement  of 
our  people  may  lead  them 
into  strong  expressions  of  dis- 
content,and  the  present  happy 
state  of  public  sentiment  in 
universal  support  of  the  ad- 
ministration may  be  suc- 
ceeded by  a  reaction  of  feel- 
ing greatly  to  be  deplored." 

The  great  capitalist  and 
steamship  proprietor,  Corne- 
lius Vanderbilt,  placed  some 
of  his  finest  vessels  at  the 
disposal  of  the  government. 
When  the  terrible  Merrimac 
threatened  to  destroy  the 
Union  fleet  in  the  James 
river,  the  commodore  fitted 
out  his  largest  and  strongest 
steamer,  the  Vanderbilt,  to 
operate  against  the  Confed- 
erate ram,  and  presented  her  to  the  government.  In  remembrance  of 
this  princely  gift,  congress  subsequently  voted  a  gold  medal  to  the  donor. 
Closely  following  the  men  of  New  York  came  the  action  of  her  noble 
women.  A  circular  addressed  "  To  the  women  of  New  York,  and  espe- 
cially to  those  already  engaged  in  preparing  against  the  time  of  wounds 
and  sickness  in  the  army,"  was  published.  It  set  forth  the  importance 
of  system  and   concentration  £0  effect  the   best  results  in    the   field.1      It 

1  "  To  the  Women  of  New   York,  and  especially  to  those  already  engaged  in  preparing  against  the 
lime  of   Wounds  and  Sickness  in  the  Army  : 
The  importance  of  systematizing  and  concentrating  the  spontaneous  and  earnest  efforts  now 


&&^%OY#i)fr- 


GREAT   CITIES    IN    THE   CIVIL    WAR 


20: 


was  the  germ  of  the  most  important  auxiliary  to  the  medical  department 
of  the  Union  armies  which  the  war  created — the  Sanitary  Commission. 
Out  of  this  conference  grew  the  "  Woman's  Central  Association  of  Re- 
lief." Upon  the  advice  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Bellows  a  committee  proceeded 
to  Washington  to  confer  with  the  war  department  as  to  the  needs  of  the 
service,  and*  the  best  method  of  supplying  them.  This  committee  repre- 
sented the  Woman's  Central  Association  of  Relief  for  the  Sick  and 
Wounded  of  the  Army,  the  Advisory  Committee  of  the  Boards  of  Phy- 
sicians and  Surgeons  of  the  Hospitals  of  New  York,  and  the  New  York 
Medical  Association  for  Furnishing  Hospital  Supplies  in  Aid  of  the  Army. 
Out  of  their  suggestions  arose  that  wonderful  institution  for  alleviating  the 
horrors  of  war,  known  as  the  "  United  States  Sanitary  Commission." 

"  If  pure  benevolence  was  ever  organized  and  utilized  into  beneficence, 
the  name  of  the  institution  is  the  Sani- 
tary Commission.  It  is  a  standing  answer 
to  Samson's  riddle:  '  Out  of  the  strong 
came  forth  sweetness.'  Out  of  the  very 
depths  of  the  agony  of  this  cruel  and 
bloody  war  springs  this  beautiful  system, 
built  of  the  noblest  and  divinest  attri- 
butes of  the  human  soul.  Amidst  all 
the  daring  and  enduring  which  this  war 
has  developed,  amidst  all  the  magna- 
nimity of  which  it  has  shown  the  race 
capable,  the  daring,  the  endurance,  the 

greatness  of  soul,  which  have  been  discovered  among  the  men  and  women 
who  have  given  their  lives  to  this  work,  shine  as  brightly  as  any  on  the 
battlefield — in  some  respects  even  more  brightly.  .  .  .  Glimpses  of 
this  agency  are  familiar  to  our  people  ;  but  not  till  the  history  of  its 
inception,  progress,  and  results  is  calmly  and  adequately  written  out  and 

making  by  the  women  of  New  York  for  the  supply  of  richer  medical  aid  to  our  army  through  its 
present  campaign,  must  be  obvious  to  all  reflecting  persons.  Numerous  societies,  working  without 
concert,  organization,  or  head — without  any  direct  understanding  with  the  official  authorities — 
without  any  positive  instructions  as  to  the  immediate  or  future  wants  of  the  army — are  liable  to 
waste  their  enthusiasm  in  disproportionate  efforts,  to  overlook  some  claims  and  overdo  others,  while 
they  give  unnecessary  trouble  in  official  quarters  by  the  variety  and  irregularity  of  their  proffers  of 
help  or  their  inquiries  for  guidance.  As  no  existing  organization  has  a  right  to  claim  precedence 
over  any  other,  or  could  properly  assume  to  lead  in  this  noble  cause,  where  all  desire  to  be  first,  it 
is  proposed  by  the  undersigned,  members  of  the  various  circles  now  actively  engaged  in  this  work, 
that  the  women  of  New  York  should  meet  in  the  Cooper  Institute  on  Monday  next,  at  ir  o'clock. 
a.m.,  to  confer  together,  and  to  appoint  a  general  committee,  with  power  to  organize  the  benevo- 
lent purposes  of  all  into  a  common  movement." 


STEAMER   *    VANDERBILT. 


206 


GREAT   CITIES    IX   THE    CIVIL   WAR 


spread  before  the  public  will  any  idea  be   formed  of  the   magnitude  and 
importance  o{  the  work  which  it  has  done.      Nor  even  then.     Never,  until 
every  soldier  whose  flickering  life  it  has  gently  steadied  into  continuance, 
whose  waning  reason  it  has  softly  lulled   into   quiet,  whose  chilled  blood  it 
has  warmed   into  healthful  play,  whose  failing   frame  it  has  nourished  into 
strength,    whose    fainting   heart  it  has  comforted  with  sympathy — never, 
until  every  full  soul  has  poured  out  its  story  of  gratitude  and  thanksgiving, 
will  the  record   be  complete  ;  but  long  before  that  time     .     .     .     comes 
the  Blessed  Voice,  '  Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done   it  unto    one   of   the  least 
of   these   my   brethren,  ye   have  done  it  unto  me.'     An  approximate  esti- 
mate has  been  made  from  which  it  can 
be  stated  that  the  gifts  of  the  women  of 
the  country,  made  through  the  Sanitary 
Commission,  exceed  in  value  the  sum  of 
seven  million  dollars,  and  the  total  cash 
received   by  its  treasurer  to  October  I, 
1863,  was  eight  hundred  and  fifty-seven 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  fifteen  dol- 
lars and  thirty-three  cents." 

The  promptness  and  determination 
with  which  New  York  took  her  stand  in 
the  great  trouble  surprised  and  disap- 
pointed the  South,  which  had  counted 
upon  at  least  a  negative  course  by  reason 
of  mutual  commercial  interests.  No 
longer  resting  under  that  delusion,  the 
southern  press  poured  forth  vials  of 
wrath  after  this  fashion  :  "  The  insane 
fury  of  New  York  arises  from  purely  mercenary  motives.  She  is  concerned 
about  the  golden  eggs  which  are  laid  for  her  by  the  southern  goose  with 
the  sword.  Let  us  assure  her  we  have  more  fear  of  her  smiles  than  of  her 
frowns.  New  York  will  be  remembered  with  especial  hatred  by  the  South 
to  the  end  of  time.  Boston  we  have  always  known  where  to  find  ;  but  this 
New  York,  which  has  never  turned  against  us  till  the  hour  of  trial,  and  is 
now  moving  heaven  and  earth  for  our  destruction,  shall  be  a  marked  city 
to  the  end  of  time."  Even  before  the  great  clash  of  arms,  the  newspapers 
of  both  sections  had  opened  fire  with  the  most  bitter  word-weapons  and 
the  most  startling  war  rumors  conceivable.  It  was  to  be  their  harvest- 
time — to  reap  while  others  sowed. 

The  severe  strain   to  which   republican   institutions  were  about  to  be 


IKS.     BOTTA. 


GREAT   CITIES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR  20/ 

exposed  in  America  became  the  subject  of  great  interest  to  our  European 
neighbors,  and  the  leading  British  newspapers  did  not  fail  to  appreciate 
its  value.  Therefore  a  new  order  of  Bohemian  made  its  appearance,  si- 
multaneously, in  New  York,  Washington,  and  Richmond.  As  a  rule,  the 
foreign  war  correspondent  wrote  with  comparative  impartiality.  Now  and 
then  a  superior  sort  of  person,  like  "Bull  Run  Russell,"  appeared  upon  the 
scene  and  essayed  to  make  his  portfolio  carry  weight  with  the  credentials 
of  an  envoy  extraordinary,  but,  lacking  ordinary  tact,  contrived  to  have 
himself  recalled  early  in  the  strife.  A  more  discreet  ambassador  was,  ap- 
parently, the  representative  of  the  Illustrated  London  Nezvs.  It  is  interest- 
ing, after  many  years,  to  see  ourselves  as  an  intelligent  stranger  saw  us 
then.     Writing  in  the  last  days  of  May,  1861,  he  says: 

I  could  easily  believe  myself  to  be  in  Paris,  or  some  other  city  devoted  to  military 
display,  instead  of  New  York,  the  commercial  emporium  of  the  North.  From  morning 
to  night  nothing  is  heard  but  the  sound  of  the  drum  or  the  martial  strains  from  trumpet 
and  bugle,  as  regiment  after  regiment  passes  on  its  way  to  the  seat  of  war  through  streets 
crowded  with  a  maddened  population.  All  trade  is  at  a  stand-still.  Store  after  store 
down  Broadway  has  been  turned  into  the  headquarters  of  Anderson's  Zouaves,  Wilson's 
Boys,  the  Empire  City  Guard,  and  hosts  of  corps  too  numerous  or  too  eccentric  in  their 
names  for  me  to  recollect.  Verily,  a  cosmopolitan  army  is  assembled  here.  As  one 
walks  he  is  jostled  by  soldiers  dressed  in  the  uniforms  of  the  Zouaves  de  la  Garde,  the 
Chasseurs  a  Pied,  Infanterie  de  la  Ligne,  and  other  French  regiments— so  great,  apparently, 
is  the  admiration  of  our  cousins  for  everything  Gallic.  I  must  confess  I  should  like  to  see 
more  nationality.  In  justice,  however,  to  the  men,  I  cannot  do  otherwise  than  express 
my  unqualified  approval  of  the  material  out  of  which  the  North  is  to  make  her  patriot 
army.  Many  of  those  I  have  seen  marching  through  the  streets  appear  already  to  have 
served  in  the  field,  so  admirably  do  they  bear  themselves  in  their  new  roles.  The  very 
children  have  become  tainted  with  the  military  epidemic,  and  little,  toddling  Zouaves, 
three  and  four  years  old,  strut,  armed  to  the  teeth,  at  their  nurses'  apron-strings.  As  I 
write  I  have  a  corps  of  chasseurs,  composed  of  all  the  small  boys  in  the  hotel,  exercising 
and  skirmishing  in  the  corridor  outside  my  room.  .  .  .  There  is  not  a  house  that 
does  not  display  Union  colors  of  some  kind  ;  there  is  not  a  steeple  ever  so  lofty  that  is  not 
surmounted  by  a  star-spangled  banner;  there  is  not  a  man  nor  woman  in  the  city  that 
does  not  wear  a  patriotic  badge  of  some  kind.  It  is  a  mighty  uprising  of  a  united  people 
determined  to  protect  their  flag  to  the  last. 

u  Early  in  the  summer  of  1861,  when  things  were  rapidly  developing 
toward  the  rebellion,  a  new  power,  not  hitherto  exercised  in  this  country, 
was  exerted  for  the  public  safety.  Persons  were  arbitrarily  arrested  and 
confined  under  military  guard  on  evidence  satisfactory  to  the  general  gov- 
ernment that  they  were  guilty  of  acts  of  a  disloyal  and  dangerous  character. 
It  devolved  upon  the  secretary  of  state  in  the  first  instance  to  indicate  who 
should  be  thus  put  in   confinement.       He  made  the  arrests  through  his 


208 


GREAT   CITIES    IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 


marshals,  and  they  were  turned  over  to  General  Scott,  who  held  them  at 
Fort  Lafayette,  in  New  York  harbor."1 

One  of  the  earliest  duties  devolving  upon  the  president  was  to  counter- 
act, as  far  as  practicable,  the  strong  influences  brought  to  bear  by  the 
South  upon  the  governments  of  Great  Britain  and  France  to  recognize  the 
Confederacy,  or  at  least  to  break  off  the  friendly  relations  with  the  United 
States  which  existed  at  the  outbreak  of  secession.  He  determined  to  ask 
three  eminent  citizens — Archbishop  John  Hughes  of  New  York,  Bishop 
Charles  P.  Mcllvaine  of  Ohio,  and  Lieutenant-General  Winfield  Scott, 
then  abroad — to  represent  the  general  government.  Archbishop  Hughes 
accepted  the  invitation  of  the  president,  with  the  condition  that  his  friend 
Thurlow  Weed    should    be    included    in  the  commission,  in   an    advisory 

capacity.  Thus  the  powerful  combination  of  church 
and  state,  of  war  and  diplomacy,  made  it  an  ideal 
embassy.  These  wise  men  established  themselves 
alternately  at  London  and  Paris,  mingled  with  the 
leaders  of  the  people,  and  cultivated  the  society 
of  the  royal  and  imperial  premiers.  They  hap- 
pened to  be  in  the  right  place  when  the  irritating 
episode  of  the  Trent  occurred,  and  war  between 
England,  France,  and  America  seemed  imminent. 
It  was  averted  by  only  a  hair's-breadth,  and  in 
the  light  of  later  developments  as  to  the  inside 
history  of  the  rebellion,  it  would  seem  that  the 
American  people  owe  President  Lincoln's  peace 
commission  a  heavy  debt  of  gratitude. 
The  third  year  of  the  civil  war  was  marked  in  the  city  of  New  York 
by  the  most  protracted  and  bloody  riot  in  her  history.  The  northern 
states  had  responded  nobly  to  the  president's  various  calls  for  volunteers, 
but  as  the  great  struggle  continued,  voluntary  food  for  powder  became 
scarce,  and  the  government  was  forced  to  resort  to  compulsory  enlistment. 
In  most  of  the  states  there  was  little  difficulty  in  enforcing  the  draft.  In 
New  York  there  was  hesitation  on  the  part  of  Governor  Seymour  to  aid 
ii;  a  measure  extremely  unpopular  among  a  certain  class  in  the  community. 
His  reluctance  to  co-operate  with  the  general  government  encouraged  the 
worst  elements  in  the  city  to  open  rebellion.  The  merits  of  the  question 
are  clearly  set  forth  in  a  work  by  the  (then)  pfovost-marshal-general  of  the 
United  States.2     From  this  and  other  reliable  sources  it  appears  that  on 

1  Anecdotes  of  the  Civil  War,  E.  D.  Townsend,  New  York,  1S84. 

2  New  York  and  1 'he  Conscription,  James  B.  Fry,  New  York,  18S5. 


GREAT   CITIES    IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 


20Q 


July  2,  1862,  the  president  issued  a  call  for  three  hundred  thousand  vol- 
unteers— his  final  effort  to  suppress  the  rebellion  by  voluntary  military 
service.  On  August  4,  following,  he  called  for  three  hundred  thousand 
nine-months  militia.  In  September  the  war  department  issued  instruc- 
tions under  which  some  of  the  governors  commenced  a  draft. 

In  a  letter  dated  August  4,  1862,  to  Count  de  Gasparin,  President 
Lincoln  said :  "  Our  great  army  has  dwindled  rapidly,  bringing  the  neces- 
sity for  a  new  call  earlier  than  was  anticipated.  We  shall  easily  obtain 
the  new  levy,  however.  Be  not  alarmed  if  you  shall  learn  that  we  have 
resorted  to  a  draft  for  part  of  this.  It  seems  strange  even  to  me,  but  it  is 
true,  that  the  government  is  now 
pressed  to  this  course  by  a  popular 
demand.1  Thousands  who  wish  not 
to  personally  enter  the  service  are 
nevertheless  anxious  to  pay  and  send 
substitutes,  provided  that  they  can 
have  assurance  that  unwilling  persons 
similarly  situated  will  be  compelled 
to  do  likewise." 

In  his  annual  report,  dated  De- 
cember 31,  1862,  Adjutant-General 
Hillhouse  said:  "  There  was  nothing 
of  that  eagerness  to  enter  the  service 
wThich  had  been  manifested  at  various 
periods,  and  it  appeared  as  if  the  peo- 
ple had  fallen  into  an  apathy  from 
which  only  an  extraordinary  effort 
could  arouse  them."  He  further  said 
that  the  state  was  deficient  twenty-eight  thousand  five  hundred  and  seven- 
teen men  in  volunteers  furnished  since  July  2,  1862,  and  of  these  eighteen 
thousand  five  hundred  and  twenty-three  belonged  to  the  city  of  New  York, 
adding  that  "  the  credit  to  the  city  and  county  of  New  York  is  based  on  the 


J.    L.    WORDEN. 


1  "  There  is  only  one  way  to  remedy  our  fatal  error :  that  is,  for  the  president  at  once  to  estab- 
lish a  system  of  conscription,  by  which,  instead  of  three  hundred  thousand,  at  least  five  hundred 
thousand  men  should  be  called  under  arms.  .  .  .  Instead  of  levying  new  regiments  com- 
manded by  inexperienced  officers  of  their  own  choosing,  and  who,  for  a  year  to  come,  would  barely 
add  anything  to  our  efficiency  in  the  field,  the  raw  recruits  ought  to  be  collected  at  camps  of 
instruction,  in  healthy  localities  East  and  West,  where,  under  the  direction  of  West  Point  gradu- 
ates, they  should  be  drilled  and  disciplined.  From  thence,  as  they  are  fit  for  active  service,  they 
should  be  furnished  to  the  army,  to  be  incorporated  into  the  old  regiments." — August  Belmont  to 
Thurlow  Weed,  July  20,  1862. 
Vol.  XXIX.-No.  3.-14 


210  GREAT    CITIES   IN   THE    CIVIL   AVAR 

actual  returns  filed  in  this  office,  but  it  is  believed  that  it  is  less  than  the 
volunteers  furnished."  The  necessity  for  a  general  conscription  was  set 
forth  in  the  public  utterances  of  war  democrats  and  republicans  alike. 
"  Senator  McDougall  (democrat)  said  :  '  Now,  in  regard  to  the  conscription 
question,  I  will  say  for  myself  that  I  regretted  much,  when  this  war  was 
first  organized,  that  the  conscription  rule  did  not  obtain.  I  went  from 
the  extreme  east  to  the  extreme  west  of  the  loyal  states.  I  found  some 
districts  where  some  bold  leaders  brought  out  all  the  young  men,  and  sent 
them  or  led  them  to  the  field.  In  other  districts,  and  they  were  the  most 
numerous,  the  people  made  no  movement  toward  the  maintenance  of  the 
war  ;  there  were  whole  towns  and  cities,  I  may  say,  where  no  one  volun- 
teered to  shoulder  a  musket,  and  no  one  offered  to  lead  them  into  the 
service.  The  whole  business  has  been  unequal  and  wrong  from  the  first. 
The  rule  of  conscription  should  have  been  the  rule  to  bring  out  men  of  all 
classes,  and  make  it  equal  throughout  the  country  ;  and  therein  the  North 
has  failed.'  "  1 

General  Fry,  the  provost-marshal-general,  said  :  "  It  was  of  great 
importance  to  the  people  of  the  state  as  well  as  to  the  general  government 
that  a  correct  enrollment  should  be  made.  The  Adjutant-General  of  New 
York,  when  speaking,  in  his  report  of  December  31,  1862,  of  the  principle 
of  compulsory  service,  said  to  the  governor  :  '  Nor  is  it  less  a  matter  of 
interest  to  the  states.  Whatever  may  be  the  plan  adopted,  the  force 
required  must  be  drawn  from  their  population  liable  to  military  duty,  on 
which  the  one  million  of  volunteers  hitherto  sent  to  the  field  has  already 
made  serious  inroads.  They  have,  moreover,  a  common  interest  with  the 
general  government  in  such  an  application  of  their  military  resources  as 
will  render  them  most  effective  for  the  purposes  in  view  with  the  least 
possible  waste,  and  with  as  little  hardship  as  possible  to  the  community.' 
The  Enrollment  Act  was  approved  March  3,  1863.  Section  nine  re- 
quired that  the  enrollers  '  immediately  proceed  to  enroll '  and  report  the 
result  '  on  or  before  the  first  day  of  April  '  to  the  Board  of  Enrollment, 
and  the  board  was  required  by  the  act  to  consolidate  the  names  into  one 
list  and  transmit  the  same  to  the  provost-marshal-general  '  on  or  before 
the  first  day  of  May.'  There  was,  it  is  true,  a  proviso  that  if  these  duties 
c oal d  not  be  done  in  the  time  specified,  they  should  be  performed  as  soon 
thereafter  as  practicable  ;  but  neither  the  intention  of  the  law,  nor  the 
manifest  necessity  under  which  it  was  enacted,  permitted  delay  ;  or,  as 
President  Lincoln  expressed  it  in  his  letter  to  Governor  Seymour,  dated 
August  7,  1863,  '  We  could  not  waste  time  to  re-experiment  with  the  vol- 

1  New  York  and  the  Conscription. 


GREAT   CITIES    IN   THE   CIVIL    WAR  211 

unteer  system,  already  deemed  by  congress,  and  palpably,  in  fact,  so  far 
exhausted  as  to  be  inadequate  ;  and  then  more  time  to  obtain  a  correct 
decision  as  to  whether  a  law  is  constitutional  which  requires  a  part  of 
those  not  now  in  the  service  to  go  to  the  aid  of  those  who  are  already  in 
it  ;  and  still  more  time  to  determine  with  absolute  certainty  that  we  get 
those  who  are  to  go  in  the  precisely  legal  proportion  to  those  who  are  not 
to  go.'  '  My  purpose,'  the  president  added,  '  is  to  be  in  my  actions  just 
and  constitutional,  and  yet  practical  in  performing  the  important  duty 
with  which  I  am  charged,  of  maintaining  the  unity*and  the  free  principles 
of  our  common  country.'  " 

The  political  campaign  of  1862  in  New  York  was  hardly  less  exciting 
than  the  military  operations  in  Virginia.  The  republican  standard- 
bearer  was  that  gallant  soldier  and  unselfish  patriot,  James  S.  Wadsworth ; 
his  democratic  opponent,  the  eminent  lawyer,  Horatio  Seymour.  The 
first  stood  on  a  radical  platform — one  of  its  planks  being  the  prosecution 
of  the  war  by  "  all  the  means  that  the  God  of  Battles  has  placed  in  the 
power  of  the  government."  The  other  candidate  was  put  forth  by  a 
more  conservative  constituency,  favoring  "  all  legitimate  means  to  sup- 
press the  rebellion,"  and  leaning  to  a  milder  policy.  Seymour  was 
elected  by  a  majority  of  ten  thousand  seven  hundred  and  fifty-two.  "  On 
January  I,  1863,  the  outgoing  administration  of  Governor  Morgan  turned 
over  to  the  incoming  administration  of  Governor  Seymour  the  revised 
state  enrollment,  the  government's  order  to  draft  the  militia,  and  the 
deficiency  of  New  York  heretofore  mentioned."1 

Preparations  for  the  proposed  draft  were  rapidly  pushed  forward  by 
the  war  department.  Those  affecting  the  city  comprised  the  appoint- 
ment of  a  provost-marshal  for  each  congressional  district,  and  an  assist- 
ant provost-marshal-general  to  supervise  their  work,  for  the  cities  of 
New  York  and  Brooklyn  ;  this  officer  was  Colonel  Robert  Nugent,  Sixty- 
ninth  New  York  volunteers,  a  gallant  soldier,  a  discreet  officer,  an  Irish- 
man, and  a  democrat.  As  early  as  April  24,  1862,  Governor  Seymour 
and  Mayor  Opdyke  were  informed  of  this.  The  first  order  for  making  a 
draft  in  the  state  under  the  Enrollment  Act  was  issued  July  1.  Notwith- 
standing the  knowledge  which  the  municipal  authorities  possessed,  that 
an  unpopular  public  measure  was  about  to  be  put  into  execution  within  the 
city  limits,  it  does  not  appear  that  any  unusual  precaution  was  taken  to 
preserve  the  peace.  Indeed,  the  force  available  for  that  purpose,  outside 
of  the  police,  was  limited  to  a  handful  of  regulars  in  the  harbor  garrisons, 
and  a  few  disabled  men  of  the  Invalid  corps.     The  local  militia  regiments 

1  New  York  and  the  Conscription. 


212  GREAT    CITIES    IN    THE    CIVIL    WAR 

had  been  summoned  to  repel  the  threatened  invasion  of  a  neighboring 
state  in  co-operation  with  the  armies  in  the  field,  leaving  their  own  homes 
open  to  an  enemy  in  the  rear  more  to  be  dreaded  than  the  soldiers  of 
Lee.  Nevertheless,  the  police  department  comprised  numerous  resolute, 
experienced,  and  able  officers,  especially  its  president,  Thomas  Acton,  and 
its  superintendent,  John  A.  Kennedy. 

The  morning  of  Saturday,  July  II,  had  been  selected  for  the  com- 
mencement of  the  draft  in  the  city,  and  the  day  passed  without  much 
interference  with  the  officers  charged  with  its  supervision;  and  the  local 
authorities  felt  encouraged  to  think  that  the  remainder  of  the  work  would 
be  completed  without  serious  opposition.  The  following  day  being 
Sunday,  was  undoubtedly  seized  by  those  intent  upon  obstructing  the 
provost-marshals  in  the  discharge  of  their  duty  to  foment  trouble  among 

the  ignorant  or  reckless  element  that  abounds  in 
every  large  city.  On  Monday  morning  a  few 
policemen  were  sent  to  the  enrolling  offices  at 
6yy  Third  avenue  and  at  1190  Broadway.  At  the 
last-named  place  the  mystic  wheel  was  set  in 
motion,  and  the  drawing  of  names  was  continued 
without  interruption  until  noon,  when  the  provost- 
marshals  suspended  operations  as  a  measure  of 
l^yj.  3§p^|fi|P^\  precaution.  Up  to  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning  the 
city  had  been  comparatively  quiet.  At  that  hour 
Superintendent  Kennedy,  while  upon  a  tour  of 
/^  ?yi~  A^c^C^c^^)    inspection,  without  escort,  and  in  plain  clothes,  was 

attacked  by  a  mob  at  the  corner  of  Forty-sixth  street 
and  Lexington  avenue,  and,  after  being  severely  beaten,  barely  escaped  with 
his  life  through  the  intervention  of  an  influential  friend.  He  was  disabled 
for  some  days,  and  the  immediate  command  of  the  police  devolved  upon 
Mr.  Acton.  That  officer  established  himself  at  police  headquarters  in 
Mulberry  street,  and,  with  the  advantage  of  a  complete  telegraphic 
system  centring  there,  practically  directed  the  operations  of  the  cam- 
paign which  ensued.  The  entire  police  force  of  the  city  had  now  been 
assembled  at  its  respective  station-houses,  and  for  the  next  three  days 
was  constantly  employed  in  stamping  out  the  sparks  of  insurrection 
which  were  flying  about  and  at  times  breaking  out  into  sheets  of  flame 
that  threatened  the  existence  of  the  city.  From  the  Cooper  Institute  to 
Forty-sixth  street,- Third  avenue  was  black  with  human  beings,  who  hung 
over  the  eaves  of  the  buildings,  filled  the  doors  and  windows,  and  packed 
the  street  from  curb  to  curb.     Small  bodies  of  police  were  driven  away  or 


GREAT   CITIES   IN    THE   CIVIL   WAR  213 

trampled  under  foot,  houses  were  fired,  stores  looted,  and  a  very  carnival 
of  crime  inaugurated.  Negroes  became  especially  obnoxious,  and  neither 
age  nor  sex  was  regarded  by  the  white  brutes  in  slaking  their  thirst  for 
blood  :  from  every  lamp-post  were  suspended  the  victims  of  their  blind 
fury.  With  one  accord  several  thousand  rioters  swooped  down  upon  the 
Colored  Orphan  asylum,  then  occupying  the  space  from  Forty-third  to 
Forty-fourth  street  on  Fifth  avenue.  The  two  hundred  helpless  children 
were  hurriedly  removed  by  a  rear  door  while  the  mob  rushed  in  at  the 
front ;  the  torch  was  applied  in  twenty  places  at  once,  and  despite  the 
heroic  efforts  of  Chief  Engineer  Decker  and  other  firemen  to  save  the 
structure,  it  was  burned  to  the  ground.  Emboldened  by  the  progress  they 
had  made  in  lawlessness,  the  principal  body  of  the  rioters,  numbering 
some  five  thousand  men,  moved  upon  the  citadel  of  the  oppressor,  as  they 
considered  the  central  office  of  the  police  in  Mulberry  street. 

To  meet  this  threatening  demonstration  President  Acton  detailed 
Sergeant  (afterward  Inspector)  Daniel  Carpenter,  a  man  of  great  courage 
and  ability,  and  placed  under  his  command  about  two  hundred  policemen 
who  had  been  held  in  reserve  at  that  point.  It  was  a  duty  of  supreme 
importance,  and  well  was  it  executed.  Without  unnecessary  delay,  Car- 
penter moved  his  column  down  Bleecker  street  to  Broadway,  at  the  same 
time  sending  a  detachment  up  the  nearest  parallel  streets  to  the  east  and 
west,  to  strike  the  flanks  of  the  infuriated  mass  bearing  down  upon  his 
front.  At  the  proper  moment  a  combined  charge  utterly  demoralized 
the  undisciplined  horde,  which,  sinking  under  the  well-planted  blows  of 
the  police,  fled  in  every  direction.  The  street  looked  like  a  battlefield, 
broken  heads  were  countless,  and  the  spoils  of  war  included  the  stars  and 
stripes  and  a  banner  inscribed  "No  Draft." 

As  the  night  closed  in,  it  became  evident  that  the  disturbance  was  too 
wide-spread  and  deep-seated  to  be  controlled  by  clubs,  and  that  re-enforce- 
ments must  be  called  for.  To  this  end  Mayor  Opdyke  called  for  troops 
upon  General  Wool,  commanding  the  Department  of  the  East,  and  Gen- 
eral Sandford,  of  the  National  Guard.  General  Wool  directed  Brev.-Brig.- 
General  Harvey  Brown,  Colonel  of  the  Fifth  U.  S.  Artillery,  commanding 
the  troops  in  the  harbor,  to  report  with  his  available  force  to  General 
Sandford  of  the  state  militia  for  duty.  General  Brown  declined  to  obey 
what  he  considered  an  illegal  order,  but  finally  yielded  to  the  solicita- 
tions of  certain  prominent  citizens,  and  agreed  to  waive  a  part  of  the 
question  in  dispute,  stipulating  that  he  should  personally  direct  the  oper- 
ations of  the  troops  drawn  from  the  military  posts  under  his  command, 
according  to  his  previous  assignment  by  the  war  department. 


14 


GREAT   CITIES    IX    THE    CIVIL   WAR 


General  Brown  established  his  headquarters  at  the  central  office, 
remaining  there,  in  active  co-operation  with  the  police  board,  during  the 
continuance  of  the  riot.  General  Sandford  did  not  attempt  to  control  the 
operations  of  the  regular  troops,  but,  at  the  head  of  some  seven  hundred 
men  of  the  militia,  temporarily  absent  from  their  regiments,  proceeded  to 
occupy  the  state  arsenal  at  Seventh  avenue  and  Thirty-fifth  street. 

The  second  and  third  days  were  marked  by  fresh  outbursts  and  much 
bloodshed  :   bayonets  and  bullets  were  substituted  for  policemen's  billies. 

The  territory  of  the  disturbance  had 
extended  to  Harlem,  and  westward  be- 
yond Sixth  avenue.  Evidences  of  able 
leadership  among  the  bands  of  maraud- 
ers were  visible.  The  roofs  of  houses 
became  vantage-ground,  from  which 
stones  were  hurled  and  shots  fired  at 
the  police  and  troops  in  sight.  Detach- 
ments composed  of  mixed  civil  and  mili- 
tary forces  were  sent  out  from  Mulberry 
street  to  disperse  the  more  formidable 
bodies  of  law-breakers.  In  one  of  these 
encounters  Colonel  O'Brien  of  the  Elev- 
enth New  York  volunteers  (then  on  re- 
cruiting service  in  the  city),  although 
not   assigned  to   duty   with   the   troops, 


was  conspicuous 


•pposing   the  mob 


near  the  corner  of  Second  avenue  and 
Thirty-second  street.  With  a  disre- 
gard of  ordinary  prudence,  he  ventured 
shortly  after,  alone  and  in  uniform,  to 
return  to  the  same  locality.    With  fiend- 

GENERAI.    WINFJELD    SCOTT.  •     1  1  1  1  'II- 

ish  glee  the  roughs  seized  him,  and, 
after  beating  him  unmercifully,  dragged  him  up  and  down  the  street, 
and  finally,  after  subjecting  him  to  every  conceivable  abuse,  tossed  him, 
covered  with  filth,  into  his  own  back  yard,  where  he  expired  after  lin- 
gering without  relief  for  several  hours.  Among  his  most  cruel  persecu- 
tors were  women,  who  emulated  the  worst  deeds  of  the  most  brutal  Indian 
squaw.  Although  the  insurgents  received  some  salutary  checks  during 
the  second  day,  the  disorder  was  far  from  losing  strength.  Driven  from 
one  section,  it  quickly  made  its  appearance  in  another.  It  gradually  crept 
over  to  the  North  river.     Public  buildings  were  threatened.     The  Tribune 


GREAT   CITIES    IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR  21 5 

building  received  a  large  share  of  sinister  attention,  and  the  residences  of 
the  mayor  and  other  citizens  obnoxious  to  the  mob  were  often  in  peril.  In 
the  meantime  the  general  government  had  taken  precaution  in  the  way  of 
placing  gunboats  at  various  points  in  the  waters  surrounding  the  city,  and 
at  the  Navy  yard,  to  co-operate  with  the  weak  land  force  available.  Orders 
were  issued  to  the  Seventh  and  other  city  regiments  to  return  home,  and 
quite  a  large  force  was  under  orders  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  and  at 
Washington  to  move  to  New  York  at  a  moment's  notice.  But  the  admi- 
rable arrangements  of  General  Brown  and  President  Acton,  and  the  excel- 
lent discipline  of  the  force  under  their  direction,  finally  prevailed  against 
the  unorganized  army  of  anarchy  and  misrule,  and  by  midnight  of  the 
third  day  the  wires  reported  "  All  quiet."  The  backbone  of  the  beast  was 
broken,  but  nevertheless  all  good  citizens  drew  a  breath  of  relief  when, 
shortly  after,  it  was  known  that  the  Seventh  had  returned  to  aid  in  defend- 
ing home  and  fireside. 

On  the  fourth  day  proclamations  were  issued  by  the  governor  and 
mayor,  the  one  setting  forth  the  prevalence  of  insurrection,  the  other 
announcing  the  practical  close  of  hostilities.  It  became  necessary  during 
the  day  to  break  up  two  or  three  murderously  inclined  bands,  who  suc- 
cumbed only  to  a  free  use  of  canister.  In  these  affairs  Captains  Franklin 
and  Putnam  *  and  Lieutenant  Wood  of  the  army  distinguished  themselves. 

1  "  Early  on  the  morning  after  the  battle  of  Bull  Run  I  started  with  wine,  fruit,  and  other 
articles  suited  to  the  condition  of  invalids,  and  visited  the  different  hospitals  about  Washington, 
relieving  as  far  as  I  could  the  wounded  of  our  own  state.  As  I  was  leaving  the  hospital  at 
Georgetown  the  surgeon  invited  me  to  see  a  patient  who  had  shown  extraordinary  endurance.  I 
found  a  young  man  upon  a  cot.  The  surgeon  removed  some  lint  from  a  musket-ball  wound.  He 
then  asked  the  young  man  to  raise  himself,  so  that,  while  resting  upon  his  elbow,  I  saw  that  the  ball 
had  passed  through  his  body,  avoiding  any  vital  spot.  The  patient,  the  surgeon  informed  me,  had, 
after  being  the  last  to  leave  the  field,  re-formed  the  thinned  ranks  of  his  company  and  marched  at 
their  head  from  the  battle-ground  to  their  former  encampment  near  Washington,  and  then  reported 
himself  as  a  wounded  officer.  Notwithstanding  this  fearful  wound,  he  was  calm  and  hopeful.  He 
came,  as  he  informed  me,  from  Minnesota,  and  was  in  command  of  a  company  in  a  Minnesota 
regiment.  He  gave  me  his  name,  and  I  left  strongly  impressed  with  the  idea  that,  if  his  life  was 
spared,  he  was  destined  for  future  usefulness.  I  went  directly  to  the  secretary  of  war,  who 
directed  a  commission  to  be  issued  for  my  protege.  I  went  from  Secretary  Cameron  to  Presi- 
dent Lincoln,  who  not  only  cheerfully  approved  the  commission,  but  was  only  prevented  by  press- 
ing duties  from  taking  it  over  to  Georgetown  himself.  In  less  than  three  hours  after  I  left  him, 
Captain  Putnam  of  the  Minnesota  volunteers  found  himself  designated  as  Captain  Putnam  of  the 
United  States  army.  .  .  .  During  the  sanguinary  riots  of  July,  1863,  I  was  in  New  York.  .  .  . 
When  sitting  at  Police  Headquarters  a  United  States  officer  came  in  who  had  been  directed  to 
disperse  the  rioters  who  had  murdered  Colonel  O'Brien.  Our  recognition  was  mutual,  as  was  the 
surprise  and  the  gratification.  .  .  .  Captain  Putnam,  as  I  learned  from  the  commissioners, 
continued  active  and  vigilant,  making  thorough  work  wherever  he  went,  until  the  riots  were  over.'' — 
Thurlow  Weed,  in  Galaxy,  IX.  837. 


2l6  GREAT    CITIES    IN    THE    CIVIL   WAR 

It  was  announced  by  the  mayor  that  the  draft  had  been  suspended, 
while  the  common  council  appropriated  two  million  five  hundred  thousand 
dollars  toward  paying  six  hundred  dollars  each  for  substitutes  for  the  poor 
who  might  be  drafted.  In  the  afternoon  the  Sixty-fifth  and  One  hundred 
and  fifty-second  New  York  volunteers  arrived,  and  joined  the  force  at 
Police  Headquarters  in  Mulberry  street. 

One  of  the  most  satisfactory  features  of  the  terrible  experience  through 
which  the  city  passed  at  this  time  was  the  mutual  respect  and  confidence 
which  existed  between  the  regular  troops  and  the  police  force  combined 
to  preserve  law  and  order.  In  the  final  report  of  the  police  commission- 
ers a  grateful  tribute  was  paid  the  soldiers,  and  General  Brown,  in  relin- 
quishing his  command  to  General  Canby,  said  that  "  having  during  the 
present  insurrection  been  in  immediate  and  constant  co-operation  with  the 
police  department  of  this  city,  he  desires  the  privilege  of  expressing  his 
unbounded  admiration  of  it.  Never  in  civil  or  military  life  has  he  seen 
such  untiring  devotion  and  such  efficient  service." 

Order  having  been  restored,  the  draft  was  resumed  and  completed 
without  further  interruption,  Governor  Seymour  having  issued  a  procla- 
mation warning  the  people  against  disorders,  and  saying  :  "  I  again  repeat 
to  you  the  warning  which  I  gave  to  you  during  the  riotous  proceedings  of 
last  month,  that  the  only  opposition  to  the  conscription  which  can  be 
allowed  is  an  appeal  to  the  courts."  General  Dix,  commanding  the 
Department  of  the  East,  in  a  letter  to  the  governor  at  this  time  said  : 
"  The  recent  riots  in  this  city,  coupled  as  they  were  with  the  most 
atrocious  and  revolting  crimes,  have  cast  a  shadow  over  it  for  the  moment. 
But  the  promptitude  with  which  the  majesty  of  the  law  was  vindicated, 
and  the  fearlessness  with  which  a  high  judicial  functionary  is  pronounc- 
ing judgment  upon  the  guilty,  have  done  and  are  doing  much  to 
efface  what,  under  a  different  course  of  action,  might  have  been  an  indel- 
ible stain  upon  the  reputation  of  the  city.  It  remains  only  for  the  people 
to  vindicate  themselves  from  reproach  in  the  eyes  of  the  country  and  the 
world  by  a  cheerful  acquiescence  in  the  law.  That  it  has  defects  is  gener- 
ally conceded.  That  it  will  evolve  cases  of  personal  hardship  is  not  dis- 
puted. War,  when  waged  for  self-defense,  for  the  maintenance  of  great 
principles,  and  for  the  national  life,  is  not  exempt  from  the  sufferings 
inseparable  from  all  conflicts  which  are  decided  by  the  shock  of  armies, 
and  it  is  by  our  firmness  and  our  patriotism  in  meeting  all  the  calls  of  the 
country  upon  us  that  we  achieve  the  victory  and  prove  ourselves  worthy 
of  it  and  the  cause  in  which  we  toil  and  suffer."  General  Fry  thus  tersely 
sums  up  the  situation:  "  The  real  cause  of  the  riot  was  that  in  a  commu- 


GREAT   CITIES   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR 


21/ 


nity  where  a  considerable  political  element  was  active  in  opposition  to 
the  way  the  war  was  conducted,  if  not  to  the  war  itself,  and  where  there 
was  a  strong  opinion  adverse  to  the  principles  of  compulsory  service,  cer- 
tain lawless  men  preferred  righting  the  government  at  home,  when  it 
made  the  issue  of  forcing  them  by  lot  to  fight  its  enemies  in  the  field." 

Among  the  sensational  incidents  of  the  spring  of  1864  may  here  be 
noted  the  despicable  attempt  to  use  the  misfortunes  of  the  country  for 
stock-jobbing  purposes..  It  was  just  after  the  bloody  affair  of  Cold  Har- 
bor, when  Grant  and  Lee,  having  locked  horns  in  the  Wilderness,  were 
taking  a  breathing  spell, 
and  the  public  suspense 
was  at  its  height.  It  was 
very  early  in  the  morn- 
ing of  May  18,  1864,  and 
"  steamer-day "  in  the 
city,  when  an  unknown 
messenger  appeared  at 
the  door  of  the  press- 
room of  the  Journal  of 
Commerce  with  what  pur- 
ported to  be  the  tele- 
graphic "copy"  of  a 
proclamation  by  the 
president.  A  similar 
document  was  handed  in 
to  the  men  in  charge  of 
the  offices  of  all  the  other 
principal  papers.  It  was 
an  hour  calculated  to 
favor  the  designs  of  the 

reckless  promoter,  but  the  fraud  was  discovered  in  time  by  all  except  the 
Journal  of  Commerce  and  the  World,  The  proclamation  was  to  the  effect 
that  "  in  view  of  the  situation  in  Virginia,  the  disasters  at  Red  River,  the 
delay  at  Charleston,  and  the  geenral  state  of  the  country,"  it  seemed 
expedient  to  appoint  a  day  of  fasting  and  humiliation.     At  the  same  time 

1  The  beautiful  memorial  arch  here  shown  was  dedicated  in  Brooklyn,  October  21,  1S92,  to  the 
soldiers  and  sailors  who  fought  between  the  years  1861  and  1865.  The  ceremonies  were  held 
immediately  after  the  parade  in  honor  of  the  four-hundredth  anniversary  of  the  discovery  of  Amer- 
ica by  Columbus,  the  date  of  the  Brooklyn  celebration  of  that  event  having  been  set  on  the  date 
chronologically  correct.  The  arch  was  designed  by  John  H.  Duncan,  the  architect  of  the  Grant 
Monument  now  being  erected  on  Riverside  drive. 


SOLDIERS    AND    SAJLORS'    MEMORIAL    ARCH,     BROOKLYN,    N.    Y. 


2l8  GREAT   CITIES    IN    THE   CIVIL   WAR 

the  emergency  required  of  the  president  to  call  for  another  four  hundred 
thousand  men,  to  be  raised  within  a  specified  time,  by  a  forced  draft  if 
necessary.  Immediate  and  strenuous  efforts  were  made  to  discover  the 
author  of  the  forgery.  The  war  department  ordered  the  arrest  of  the  edi- 
tors of  the  two  newspapers  mentioned,  although  upon  due  representation 
of  the  facts  by  General  Dix,  commanding  the  Department  of  the  East, 
the  order  was  promptly  revoked.  The  final  disposition  of  the  matter  is 
stated  in  a  report  made  by  General  Dix  : 

"  Headquarters,  Department  of  the  East, 
New  York  City,  May  20,  1864. 
HON.  E.  M,  Stanton,  Secretary  of  War: 

I  have  arrested  and  am  sending  to  Fort  Lafayette  Joseph  Howard,  the  author  of  the 
forged  Proclamation.  He  is  a  newspaper  reporter,  and  is  known  as  "  Howard,  of  the 
Times."  He  has  been  very  frank  in  his  confessions,  says  it  was  a  stock-jobbing  opera- 
tion, and  that  no  person  connected  with  the  press  had  any  agency  in  the  transaction 
except  another  reporter,  who  manifolded  and  distributed  the  Proclamation  to  the  news- 
papers, and  whose  arrest  I  have  ordered.  He  exonerates  the  Independent  Telegraphic 
Line,  and  says  that  the  publication  on  a  steamer-day  was  accidental.  His  statement,  in 
all  essential  particulars,  is  corroborated  by  other  testimony. 

JOHN  A.   Dix,  Major-General." 

An  event  of  great  local  importance  opened  the  year  1 864.  It  was  the 
Metropolitan  Fair  in  aid  of  the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission.  Like 
the  fairs  in  other  large  cities,  it  was  a  recognition  of  the  labors  of  those 
disinterested  men  and  women  who  had  already  sacrificed  health  and  sub- 
stance in  the  Union  cause  by  the  bedside  of  sick  and  wounded  soldiers. 
Large  buildings  in  Fourteenth  street  and  on  Union  square  were  filled  to 
overflowing  with  the  rich  treasures  of  art,  science,  literature,  and  the  varied 
industries  represented  in  the  metropolis,  tastefully  arranged  and  classified, 
and  offered  for  sale  to  those  who,  prevented  by  circumstances  from  serv- 
ing in  the  field,  might  in  this  way  render  aid  and  comfort  to  the  great 
cause.  The  ceremonies  of  inauguration  were  impressive,  and  comprised 
a  parade  of  all  the  troops  in  the  city,  regular,  volunteer,  and  militia 
— more  than  ten  thousand  men — headed  by  Generals  Dix  and  Sand- 
ford.  The  main  building  in  Fourteenth  street  was  thrown  open  to  an 
immense  throng  on  the  evening  of  April  4,  1864,  with  an  address  by  Joseph 
H.  Choate,  and  an  "Army  Hymn,"  by  Oliver  Wendell  Holmes.  The 
hymn  was  sung  by  a  chorus  composed  of  the  members  of  the  principal 
church  choirs  of  the  city.  For  three  weeks  a  stream  of  humanity  poured 
through  the  entrances  to  the  fair,  leaving  the  rich  man's  gold  and  the 
widow's  mile  to  swell  the  generous  tribute  of  the  Empire  City  toward  the 


GREAT   CITIES    IN    THE    CIVIL   WAR  219 

restoration  of  the  Union.  The  receipts  from  the  Sanitary  Fair  at  Chicago 
were  sixty  thousand  dollars;  from  the  fair  at  Boston,  one  hundred  and 
forty  thousand  dollars  ;  from  the  fair  at  Cincinnati,  two  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars ;  and  the  doors  of  the  Fourteenth  street  and  Union 
square  bazaar  closed  upon  a  military  chest  of  more  than  a  million  dollars. 

In  the  month  of  April,  1865,  bright  with  the  promise  of  the  season  and 
the  achievements  of  our  arms,  came  that  terrible  shock,  like  a  thunderbolt 
out  of  a  clear  sky,  the  assassination  of  President  Lincoln.  For  the  third 
time  in  the  history  of  the  country  a  day  in  April  had  dawned  on  the  citi- 
zens of  New  York  with  news  of  dread  import.  Lexington — Baltimore — 
Washington!  On  the  morning  of  the  15th  the  people  swarmed  into  the 
streets,  and  by  common  consent  sought  the  government  business  centre  in 
Wall  street.  An  immense  crowd  gathered  in  front  of  the  custom-house ; 
the  greatest  agitation  prevailed  ;  grief  at  the  national  loss  struggled  with 
indignation  at  the  assassin.  The  collector  of  the  port,  Simeon  Draper, 
with  much  forethought,  and  in  the  interests  of  law  and  order,  organized 
an  impromptu  mass  meeting,  and  several  speakers  addressed  the  people. 
It  is  an  interesting  reminiscence,  that  among  those  who  thus  gave  expres- 
sion to  the  emotions  of  the  hour  was  one  who  in  after  years,  and  holding 
the  same  great  office,  was  to  fall  a  victim  to  the  assassin's  bullet — James 
A.  Garfield.  Well  did  he  express  the  universal  feeling  of  his  auditors: 
"The  spirit  of  rebellion,  goaded  to  its  last  madness,  has  recklessly  done 
itself  a  mortal  injury,  striking  down  with  treacherous  blow  the  kindest, 
gentlest,  tenderest  friend  the  people  of  the  South  could  find  among  the 
rulers  of  the  nation."  All  business  was  by  common  consent  suspended. 
The  newspaper  and  telegraph  offices  were  surrounded  by  thousands,  eager 
for  details  of  the  tragedy  which  threatened  to  involve  the  lives  of  three 
officers  of  the  government ;  the  governor  and  the  mayor  issued  proclama- 
tions ;  the  bishop  of  the  diocese  directed  special  services  to  be  held  in  the 
Episcopal  churches.  The  day  (April  20)  which  had  been  set  apart  by  the 
executive  of  the  state  for  rejoicing  over  recent  victories,  was  designated  as 
a  time  "to  acknowledge  our  dependence  on  Him  who  has  brought  sudden 
darkness  on  the  land  in  the  very  hour  of  its  restoration  to  union,  peace, 
and  liberty." 

On  the  morning  of  the  2 1st  the  funeral  cortege  started  from  the  Capi- 
tol on  its  sorrowful  journey  of  nearly  two  thousand  miles  to  the  tomb  of 
our  country's  greatest  martyr.  After  lying  in  state  for  a  day  in  historic 
Independence  Hall,  the  body  of  the  late  president  was  borne  to  New 
York,  where  it  was  received  with  the  deepest  solemnity  and  the  most  sin_ 
cere  demonstration  of  love  and  grief.     The  arrangements  for  the  lying  in 


220 


GREAT   CITIES    IN   THE    CIVIL   WAR 


state  at  the  City  Hall  were  of  the  most  complete  character,  and  for  twenty- 
four  hours  a  continuous  procession  of  men  and  women,  gentle  and  hum- 
ble, side  by  side,  passed  sadly  by  the  bier.  On  the  second  day  a  pageant 
of  enormous  extent  attended  the  transfer  of  the  mortal  remains  of  the 
"  savior  o\  his  country  "  to  the  train  waiting  to  convey  them  to  their  final 
resting-place.  More  than  sixty  thousand  soldiers  and  citizens  formed  the 
escort,  and  more  than  a  million  people  lined  the  route.     Nothing  before 

or  since  transpiring  in  the  city  can  be  compared 
to  the  universal  and  personal  sorrow  manifested 
by  every  soul  of  that  mighty  host. 

One  of  the  brightest  pages  in  the  history  of 
the  city  and  state  of  New  York  is  that  on  which 
are  inscribed  the  names  and  deeds  of  their  sons 
and  daughters  during  the  war  for  the  Union. 
A  passing  reference  to  a  few  of  the  quarter  of  a 
million  of  those  who  fought  for  their  principles 
is  all  that  is  possible  here.  First  of  all,  perhaps, 
stood  the  noble  Wadsworth.  His  patriotism 
was  unimpeachable ;  he  had  vast  wealth,  high 
social  position,  ripeness  of  years,  and  gallant 
sons  to  represent  him  in  the  field.  Yet  he 
spared  not  of  his  abundance,  used  his  influence 
to  raise  and  equip  troops,  led  them  to  battle,  and 
at  the  head  of  his  division  laid  down  his  life  in  the  service  of  his  country. 
That  his  worth  was  appreciated,  the  following  extract  from  resolutions 
adopted  by  the  Union  Defense  Committee  fully  testifies: 

"When  we  consider  that,  from  the  very  beginning-  of  this  war,  General  Wads- 
worth,  a  wealthy,  cultured,  and  honored  gentleman,  impelled  by  a  high  sense  of  duty 
and  of  right,  left  his  home  of  beauty,  of  luxury,  of  affection,  and  of  love,  to  sacrifice  every 
pleasure,  to  devote  his  every  hour,  to  spend  the  weary  winter  in  the  frontier  camp,  to 
soothe  and  cheer  the  homesick,  dying  soldier,  to  waste  much  of  his  private  fortune,  to 
imperil  his  own  health,  and  finally  to  offer  up  his  willing  life  in  his  country's  cause,  we 
can  find  on  the  roll  of  history  no  record  of  a  braver,  truer  man,  or  of  a  more  devoted 
patriot." 


At  the  suggestion  of  General  Dix,  the  secretary  of  war  was  asked  to 
have  one  of  the  forts  in  the  harbor  named  "  Wadsworth  "  in  honor  of  "  one 
eminently  endeared  to  the  people  of  this  state."  The  fort  at  the  Narrows 
called  Fort  Tompkins  was  eventually  designated  by  the  war  department  as 
Fort  Wadsworth. 

Among  other  sacrifices  on  the  altar  of  the  constitution  and  the  Union, 


GREAT   CITIES   IN    THE    CIVIL   WAR 


221 


we  recall  the  gentle  and  scholarly  Winthrop,  the  dashing  Corcoran,  the 
Highlander  Cameron,  the  youthful,  fearless  Ellsworth,  and  Mrs.  Caroline 
M.  Kirkland.  This  charming  woman  and  gifted  writer,  by  her  tireless  and 
sincere  devotion  to  the  work  of  the  Sanitary  Fair,  give  up  her  life  to  the 
cause  of  her  country  as  completely  as  the  soldier  who  fell  at  the  cannon's 
mouth. 

Another  great  New  Yorker,  worthy  of  a  place  by  the  side  of  Wads- 
worth,  has  been  frequently  mentioned  in  this  chapter.  None  during  the 
serious  time  of  the  civil  war  performed  his  part  with  greater  resolution, 
sterner  justice,  truer  dignity,  and  more  unblemished  honor  than  John 
Adams  Dix.     The  civic  robe  and  the  army  uniform  alike  became  him. 

From  the  brief  sketch  given  here  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Empire  City 
sent  forth  the  last  appeal  for  a  peaceful  solution  of  the  sectional  problem 
in  1861  ;  that  from  her  gates  was  forwarded  the  first  relief  for  beleaguered 
federal  forts;  that  at  the  first  alarm,  her  best  household  regiment  marched, 
with  her  neighbors  of  New  England,  to  defend  the  national  capital  ;  and 
that  to  those  troops,  exclusively,  was  assigned  the  duty  of  protecting  the 
White  House — the  Ark  of  the  Covenant — from  threatened  danger.  Her 
money  was  lavishly  given,  her  best  blood  freely  shed  ;  her  noblest  women 
hourly  strove  to  restore  the  Union  to  its  original  strength  and  power;  and 
now,  after  many  years  of  peace,  prosperity,  and  unity  throughout  the 
land,  it  may  truly  be  said  that  her  labor  was  not  in  vain. 


FORT    LAFAYETTE. 


DO    WE    KNOW   GEORGE    WASHINGTON?1 

By  Leonard  Irving. 

In  his  introduction  Mr.  Lodge  quotes  Professor  McMaster's  rather  un- 
gracious sneer:  "General  Washington  is  known  to  us,  and  President 
Washington  ;  but  George  Washington  is  an  unknown  man."  In  nothing 
does  the  criticism  on  the  author  of  the  History  of  the  People  of  the  United 
States  we  have  somewhere  encountered  find  such  illustration  or  confirma- 
tion of  its  correctness  as  in  these  two  sentences.  Mr.  McMaster  has  given 
us  a  brilliant,  a  vivid  account  of  men's  manners  and  opinions  in  the  period 
of  which  he  treats,  beginning  with  1783.  But  he  accomplishes  this  mainly 
by  reproducing  upon  his  pages,  as  the  result  of  infinite  industry  and  a 
wonderful  memory,  the  contemporary  expressions  or  descriptions  found  in 
the  newspapers  of  the  day.  We  do,  indeed,  get  a  little  wearied  and  con- 
fused at  the  conflicting  sentiments  which  greet  us  from  time  to  time,  and 
we  need  to  look  closely  to  see  just  when  he  shifts  the  kaleidoscope  from 
one  journal  or  set  of  opinions  to  another.  Nevertheless,  we  get  a  living 
picture  of  the  days  and  years  of  old  with  their  events,  and  the  people  mov- 
ing athwart  them.  But — and  now  we  come  to  our  critic's  remark — our 
author  is  lost  whenever  he  ventures  away  from  his  kaleidoscope  and  treats 
us  to  an  opinion  of  his  own.  He  then  gives  us  either  "  something  true 
that  is  not  new,  or  something  new  that  is  not  true,"  and  exhibits  a  woful 
lack  of  ordinary  or  historic  judgment. 

This  is  what  is  the  matter  with  his  judgment  of  Washington.  He 
departs  from  the  region  of  clear  and  undoubted  facts.  He  hints  and 
insinuates  at  possibilities  of  ugly  discovery.  He  infers  great  evils  from 
the  half  dozen  occasions  when  Washington  swore  deep  oaths,  which  we 
take  leave  to  say,  with  a  deep  abhorrence  of  habitual  profanity,  seem  to  us 
simply  evidences  of  the  vigorous  (and  none  the  less  Christian)  manhood 
of  Washington  ;  for  there  are  moments  in  such  a  life  as  his  when  the  vol- 
canoes of  human  nature  must  find  an  eruption  in  some  such  way.  Mr. 
McMaster  sneeringly  refers  to  the  fact  of  his  refusing  a  salary,  contrasting 
it  with  the  story  of  his  extorting  a  few  shillings  from  a  poor  stone-mason's 
widow.     Now  all  this  is  exceedingly  disingenuous.      Either  Mr.  McMaster 

1  George  Washington.     By  Henry  Cabot  Lodge.     In  2  vols.     Boston  and  New  York  :   Houghton, 
Mifflin  &  Co.      1891.     {American  Statesmen  Series.) 


DO    WE    KNOW    GEORGE    WASHINGTON?  223 

should  have  said  a  great  deal  more,  and  related  fully  circumstances  to 
corroborate  his  insinuations,  or  he  should  have  said  nothing  at  all.  The 
bare  innuendo  is  not  at  all  historical.  And  neither  is  it  historical  to  give 
half  a  fact  or  tell  half  a  story.  We  are  glad  to  see  that  Mr.  Lodge  gives 
the  whole  of  the  story  about  the  mason's  widow  ;  and  it  turns  out  neither 
to  be,  nor  to  indicate  by  any  means,  what  Professor  McMaster  would  lead 
us  to  believe. 

The  towering  excellence  and  nobility  of  George  Washington  is  too 
much  for  some  people.  The  Athenians,  as  Mr.  Lodge  reminds  us,  grew 
very  tired  of  the  "  just  "  Aristides,  and  worked  the  "oyster-shell  "  scheme 
to  get  him  out  of  their  sight.  "  Men  who  are  loudly  proclaimed  to  be 
faultless,"  our  author  justly  remarks,  "  always  excite  a  certain  kind  of 
resentment.  It  is  a  dangerous  eminence  for  any  one  to  occupy."  And  so 
like  the  vulture,  quick  to  scent  carrion,  many  persons  are  eager  to  discover 
a  fault  in  Washington,  and  are  unduly  excited  and  hurry  to  conclusions 
ahead  of  those  the  facts  will  warrant.  It  is  silly  to  suppose  or  maintain 
that  Washington  was  faultless.  He  was  a  splendid,  healthy-natured  man, 
and  no  goody-goody  prig.  But  it  is  mean  to  be  anxious  to  show  that  he 
possessed  traits  of  meanness.  The  story  of  the  mason's  widow  half  told- 
shatters  our  idol  far  worse  than  twice  as  many  oaths  uttered  on  suitable 
occasions.  Were  it  really  so,  a  noble  nature  would  hang  his  head  in  sor- 
row;  but  before  hanging  the  head,  such  a  man  would  want  to  know  the 
whole  truth.  The  iconoclast,  however,  has  not  time  to  read  the  whole 
story,  but  is  ready  with  his  innuendo  at  once. 

And  it  is  certainly  significant,  very  encouraging  to  the  honest  admirers 
of  Washington,  and  to  those  nobler  natures  who  rejoice  in  a  character 
that  towers  far  above  them,  that  one  and  another  of  these  "  bad  "  stories, 
as  they  come  to  be  thoroughly  read  in  all  their  details,  fail  after  all  to 
throw  any  real  discredit  upon  our  hero.  The  latest  case  in  point  is  culled 
from  the  daily  press  at  the  very  time  of  this  writing.  A  paper  was  read 
at  a  woman's  club  by  a  lady;  and  the  report  went  forth  that  this  lady  had 
proved  by  Washington's  own  letters,  that  he  denied  his  mother's  request 
to  visit  him  or  live  with  him  at  Mount  Vernon,  on  the  ground  that  he 
would  be  ashamed  of  her  before  his  distinguished  guests,  and  would  not 
take  the  trouble  to  have  her  meals  sent  to  her  room  by  the  servants. 
Now  this  looked  pretty  black.  The  buzzards  who  like  to  feed  on  ruined 
reputations  were  delighted,  and  fastened  on  this  happy  revelation  at  once. 
One  shouted  forth  his  satisfaction  in  this  wise  :  "  If  the  document  is 
genuine,  and  its  veracity  has  not  been  questioned,  it  would  appear  that 
the  hero  of  the  hatchet  story  was  not  unlike  the  generality  of  sons."     But 


224  DO    WE    KNOW    GEORGE    WASHINGTON? 

a  little  caution  in  receiving,  and  a  little  care  in  investigating,  on  the  part  of 
those  who  did  not  quite  so  much  enjoy  the  odor  of  carrion,  revealed  an 
entirely  harmless  state  of  affairs.  In  the  first  place,  the  authoress  of  the 
paper  read  before  the  woman's  club  had  not  drawn  the  dreadful  inferences 
attributed  to  her.  "  She  simply  meant  to  illustrate,"  says  one  who  asked 
her  the  question,  "  the  enormous  social  pressure  in  those  days  of  which 
we  are  prone  to  think  as  times  of  primitive  simplicity."  And  then  a 
perusal  of  the  letter  of  Washington  itself  discovers  that  there  is  no  rude, 
unfeeling  denial  of  a  request,  but  the  most  tender  solicitude  for  the  comfort, 
the  bodily  and  mental  ease  of  the  aged  and  devoutly  revered  parent. 
Of  course,  if  one  has  an  evil  eye,  the  evil  thing  may  be  read  in  this  very 
letter.  But  the  natural  conclusion  of  the  unbiased,  well-balanced  mind 
will  be  such  as  will  leave  unsullied  the  fair  reputation  of  Washington. 

And  here  again,  as  in  the  case  of  Columbus,  Irving  must  come  in  for 
his  share  of  the  flings  from  the  modern  scientific  historian.  It  is  a  mortal 
offense  for  him  to  have  had  any  admiration  for  the  characters  whose  life- 
story  he  has  so  charmingly  told  us.  The  genial,  gentle,  noble-minded, 
pure-hearted  gentleman  could  not  but  feel  an  admiration  for  his  heroes. 
But  these  qualities  are  not  scientific,  exclaim  the  critics.  Perhaps  not ; 
but  it  is  quite  as  undeniable  that  Irving  was  also  a  truth-loving  gentleman, 
and  he  had  science  enough  to  get  at  the  facts  as  far  as  it  was  possible  in 
his  day.  He  had  no  special  faculty  for  evil  interpretation  of  facts,  but  he 
seems  to  have  had  some  for  a  right  interpretation.  At  any  rate,  this  latest 
book  on  Washington,  written  by  no  contemptible  historical  scholar,  leaves 
the  impression  of  a  character  quite  as  grand  and  lofty  as  Irving  gave  us. 

If  there  is  one  thing  which  we  gain  by  the  reading  of  Mr.  Lodge's  vol- 
umes, it  is  the  answer  to  the  question  suggested  by  Mr.  McMaster's  sneer, 
"  Do  we  know  George  Washington,  as  distinct  from  General  and  President 
Washington?"  We  arise  from  their  perusal  with  a  very  clear  idea  of  the 
real  man  throughout  the  entire  career,  beginning  with  early  youth  and 
manhood,  and  ending  with  the  years  of  retirement  which  preceded  death. 
It  is  a  pity  Mr.  McMaster  could  not  have  read  these  volumes  earlier;  but 
as  many  of  the  facts  and  incidents  upon  which  Mr.  Lodge's  presentations 
of  the  "  man  "  turn  are  not  absent  from  Irving's  earlier  pages,  it  is  some- 
what surprising  that  our  brilliant  historian  should  have  stood  in  such  help- 
less distress  before  the  real  character  of  Washington,  unable  to  fathom  it, 
troubled  with  suspicions  of  coldness  and  hardness,  haunted  by  possibilities 
of  unutterable  meannesses  in  private,  in  contrast  with  splendid  generosity 
in  public. 

We  shall  not  need,  of  course,  in  these  pages  to  tell  the  story  of  a  life 


DO    WE    KNOW    GEORGE    WASHINGTON?  jj: 

so  familiar  as  that  of  Washington.  Our  aim  will  be  to  take  our  cue,  in 
treating  of  it  at  all,  from  the  book  under  consideration,  but  with  special 
reference  to  an  attempt  to  get  before  our  minds  George  Washington  the 
man,  as  his  personality  reveals  itself  in  the  great  dividing  periods  of  his 
life:  in  early  youth  and  manhood;  as  soldier  and  general;  and,  very 
briefly,  as  statesman  and  president. 

Of  the  earlier  years  of  his  life  little  is  known,  but  much  has  been 
invented.  The  cherry-tree  business  we  have  all  heard  about  ad  nauseam. 
For  all  this  mythology  about  Washington  the  world  is  indebted  to  Parson 
Weems.  The  audacity  of  this  man's  lying  has  immortalized  himself,  and 
has  immortalized  a  Washington  of  Weems,  hardly  now  to  be  dissevered 
in  any  mind  from  the  Washington  of  reality.  Mr.  Lodge  perhaps  wisely 
has  devoted  several  pages  to  an  elaborate  and  "  premeditated  "  attempt  to 
kill  this  Weems  as  a  biographer,  but  we  doubt  whether  any  one  book  can 
successfully  extinguish  the  stories  which  this  clergyman  has  scattered 
abroad.  "  To  enter  into  any  serious  historical  criticism  of  these  stories," 
says  Mr.  Lodge,  "would  be  to  break  a  butterfly."  A  whole  battery 
aimed  at  a  butterfly  would  not  be  apt  to  hurt  the  creature  greatly  ;  it 
would  merely  be  pushed  gently  out  of  the  way  by  any  current  of  air 
pressed  on  in  advance  of  the  heaviest  cannon  ball  that  succeeded  in  cross- 
ing its  flight.  Mr.  Lodge's  artillery  of  criticism  we  are  afraid  is  doomed 
to  the  same  disappointment.     Weems'  cherry-tree  story  still  lives. 

When  Washington  is  sixteen  years  of  age,  and  is  entrusted  with  his 
first  serious  task — a  man's  work,  even  at  that  early  age — we  begin  to  get 
a  more  definite  idea  of  who  he  is.  This  task  was  the  result  of  an  esti- 
mate of  Washington  by  an  English  nobleman,  a  thorough  man  of  the 
world,  not  easily  imposed  upon  by  appearances.  And  what  had  Lord 
Fairfax  found  in  this  young  man  ?  "A  high  and  persistent  courage, 
robust  and  calm  sense,  and,  above  all,  unusual  force  of  will  and  character." 
Another  glimpse  of  the  real  George  we  obtain  before  he  is  twenty  years 
old.  His  brother  Lawrence,  from  whom  he  inherited  Mount  Vernon, 
being  very  ill  with  consumption,  he  accompanied  him  on  a  trip  to  the 
West  Indies,  and  they  spent  some  time  at  Barbadoes.  Already  had 
George  Washington  formed  the  habit  of  noting  down  the  happenings  of 
the  days  as  they  pass,  and  these  notes  unmistakably  reflect  the  writer's 
character:  "All  through  these  notes,"  our  author  remarks,  "we  find  the 
keenly  observant  spirit,  and  the  evidence  of  a  mind  constantly  alert  to 
learn.  We  see  also  a  pleasant,  happy  temperament,  enjoying  with  hearty 
zest  all  the  pleasures  that  youth  and  life  could  furnish.  He  who  wrote 
these  lines  was  evidently  a  vigorous,  good-humored  young  fellow,  with  a 

Vol.  XXIX.— No.  3.— 15 


226  DO    WE    KNOW    GEORGE    WASHINGTON? 

quick  eye  for  the  world  opening  before  him,  and  for  the  delights  as  well 
as  the  instructions  which  it  offered."  Thus,  on  the  whole,  George  Wash- 
ington appears  quite  like  some  one  we  can  understand.  There  is  nothing 
mythical  about  him  ;  he  is  quite  a  "  human  "  being,  like  the  rest  of  us, 
only  a  little  better  and  stronger  than  the  most  of  us.  Along  these  lines 
he  will  develop  as  the  years  go  by. 

We  confess  we  like  such  a  "  human  "  view  of  Washington  in  youth 
better  than  the  goody-goody  myth  of  Weems.  We  prefer  it  even  to  the 
well-meant  picture  of  a  greater  romancer  than  Weems,  but  who  was  such 
professedly  and  honestly.  Thackeray,  in  "The  Virginians,"  probably  more 
from  a  study  of  the  subsequent  great  man  than  from  an  actual  knowledge 
of  the  facts  of  his  younger  days,  gives  us  a  fine,  but  a  somewhat  priggish 
and  unnatural  youth  :  "  Mr.  Washington  had  always  been  remarked  for  a 
discretion  and  sobriety  much  beyond  his  time  of  life.  .  .  .  Himself 
of  the  most  scrupulous  gravity  and  good  breeding,  in  his  communication 
with  other  folks  he  appeared  to  exact,  or,  at  any  rate,  to  occasion,  the 
same  behavior.  His  nature  was  above  levity  and  jokes  ;  they  seemed  out 
of  place  when  addressed  to  him.  He  was  slow  of  comprehending  them. 
His  words  were  always  few,  but  they  were  always  wise  ;  they  were  not 
idle  as  our  words  are,  they  were  grave,  sober  and  strong,  and  ready  on 
occasion  to  do  their  duty."  We  can  imagine  a  man  like  Lord  Fairfax 
taking  pleasure  in  the  society  of  such  an  oppressively  proper  young  man  ! 
It  is  by  no  means  strange  that  George  Warrington  in  the  novel  conceived 
an  intense  antipathy  to  such  a  model  youth  ;  we  rather  suspect  many  of 
us  would  have  done  the  same  ourselves. 

But  we  need  not  distress  our  minds  with  the  thought  that  such  was  the 
real  George  Washington.  We  get  another  glimpse  of  him  from  Irving's 
and  Lodge's  pages,  which  represents  him— so  sober,  so  proper,  so  simple, 
etc. — in  the  light  of  a  dude;  and  we  declare  we  very  much  like  that  lighter 
view,  offset  as  it  is  by  so  much  that  is  solid  and  worthy.  Once  when  he 
was  commander-in-chief  of  the  Virginia  colonial  troops,  or  militia,  he 
found  his  operations  for  the  defense  of  the  frontier  interfered  with  by  a 
captain  of  the  regular  army,  who,  by  virtue  of  the  king's  commission,  re- 
fused to  obey  a  field  officer  who  bore  but  a  governor's  commission.  He 
commanded  all  of  thirty  men,  but  Washington  should  not  command  him. 
So  Washington  determined  to  take  a  trip  north  and  interview  General 
Shirley  at  Boston,  in  order  to  settle  the  relations  between  regular  and 
colonial  officers.  His  fame  on  account  of  his  conduct  at  Braddock's 
defeat  had  gone  before  him,  and  he  resolved  to  make  his  personal  appear- 
ance worthy  of  that  fame.     His  observant  eye  had  noticed  the  gay  dress 


DO    WE    KNOW    GEORGE    WASHINGTON?  227 

of  the  young  officers  from  England,  and  he  took  pains  to  be  as  gayly 
bedight  as  any  of  them.  He  sent  to  London  for  '.'  horse  furniture  with 
livery  lace,"  a  fashionable  "  gold  laced  hat,"  two  "  complete  livery  suits 
for  servants,"  and  two  "  silver  laced  hats  for  servants,"  and  other  fine 
belongings  for  his  own  accoutrement.  He  was  received  with  much  enthu- 
siasm at  Philadelphia,  New  York,  and  Boston.  At  New  York  he  nearly 
met  his  fate  in  the  person  of  the  beautiful  and  rich  Mary  Philipse,  de- 
scendant of  patroons  Frederick  and  Adolphus  Philipse,  Dutch  colonial 
magnates  for  a  hundred  years  past.  Upon  this  whole  incident  Mr.  Lodge 
comments  as  follows:  "  How  much  this  little  interlude,  pushed  into  a 
corner  as  it  has  been  by  the  dignity  of  history,  how  much  it  tells  of  the 
real  man  !  How  the  statuesque  myth  and  the  priggish  myth  and  the  dull 
and  solemn  myth  melt  away  before  it  !  Wise  and  strong,  a  bearer  of 
heavy  responsibility  beyond  his  years,  daring  in  fight  and  sober  in  judg- 
ment, we  have  here  the  other  and  the  more  human  side  of  Washington. 
One  loves  to  picture  that  gallant,  generous,  youthful  figure,  brilliant  in 
color  and  manly  in  form,  riding  gayly  on  from  one  little  colonial  town 
to  another,  feasting,  dancing,  courting,  and  making  merry.  For  him  the 
myrtle  and  ivy  were  entwined  with  the  laurel,  and  fame  was  sweetened  by 
youth.  He  was  righteously  ready  to  draw  from  life  all  the  good  things 
which  fate  and  fortune,  then  smiling  upon  him,  could  offer,  and  he  took 
his  pleasure  frankly,  with  an  honest  heart." 

So  much  for  the  George  Washington  of  earlier  days.  Now,  then,  do  we 
know  him  as  George  Washington  during  his  career  as  general  ?  Mr.  Mc- 
Master  says  he  was  cold  of  heart  ;  yet  he  complains  of  his  occasional  oath. 
As  we  have  already  intimated,  such  outbursts  betray  the  presence  of  fire 
somewhere,  however  well  kept  under.  As  Colonel  Robert  G.  Ingersoll  (a 
good  authority,  doubtless)  remarked  the  other  day  :  "  There  are  times 
when  swearing  may  be  regarded  as  a  virtue,  when  it  is  the  blossom  of 
indignation.  There  are  times  when  volcanic  words  burst  from  the  crater  of 
the  heart.'"  George  Washington  was  a  man  of  violent  passions,  held  in 
magnificent  control,  liable  to  break  out  at  critical  moments,  while  the 
habitual  restraint  of  them  necessarily  gave  him  the  appearance  of  "  collect- 
edness,"  perhaps  coldness.  Says  Mr.  Lodge  :  "  Let  us  look  a  little  closer 
through  the  keen  eyes  of  one  who  has  studied  many  faces  to  good  purpose. 
The  great  painter  of  portraits,  Gilbert  Stuart,  tells  us  of  Washington  that 
he  never  saw  in  any  man  such  large  eye-sockets,  or  such  a  breadth  of  nose 
and  forehead  between  the  eyes,  and  that  he  read  there  the  evidences  of 
the  strongest  passions  possible  to  human  nature.  John  Bernard  the  actor, 
a  good  observer,  too,  saw  in  Washington's  face,  in  1797,  the  signs  of  an 


228  DO    WE    KNOW    GEORGE    WASHINGTON  ? 

habitual  conflict  and  mastery  of  passions,  witnessed  by  the  compressed 
mouth  and  deeply  indented  brow." 

This  characteristic  temper  of  the  man  made  of  him  first  of  all  a  splen- 
did soldier,  a  fierce  fighter  with  an  ineffable  contempt  of  danger.  It  was 
the  passionate  George  Washington  who  was  prepared  to  fight  rather  than 
surrender  at  Fort  Necessity,  although  the  odds  were  fearfully  against  him  ; 
and  the  very  boldness  of  his  front  made  the  surrender  possible  on  hon- 
orable terms.  It  was  the  same  George  Washington  who  retrieved,  at  least 
for  himself,  a  glorious  fame  out  of  an  infamous  defeat  in  Braddock's  cam- 
paign. It  was  the  passionate  George  Washington  who  rode  up  alone  into 
the  face  of  the  British  troops  landing  at  Kip's  bay,  New  York  city,  when 
two  or  three  patriot  battalions  played  the  poltroon.  It  was  the  same  old 
spirit,  dating  from  Braddock's  day  and  earlier,  which  bade  George  Washing- 
ton as  man  and  soldier  ride  in  between  the  fire  of  his  own  troops  and  that 
of  the  enemy  at  Princeton,  until  his  aid-de-camp  could  bear  his  anxiety  no 
longer,  and  hid  his  face  in  his  hat  to  prevent  seeing  him  fall.  And  it  was 
just  this  same  fierce  fighter  who  burst  out  in  flaming  wrath  and  angry 
words  against  the  fool  Charles  Lee  at  Monmouth,  because  he  shrunk 
from  giving  a  hard  blow  at  the  enemy  at  the  critical  moment,  when  a  hard 
blow  must  be  successful.  This  was  no  time  for  mincing  words  ;  but  that 
it  was  a  time  for  action,  and  that  a  failure  to  act  then  was  almost  treason, 
able  cowardice,  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  the  day  was  recovered,  even  at 
that  unfavorable  crisis,  by  a  few  prompt  soldierly  dispositions  under  the 
very  fire  of  the  enemy.  So,  last  of  all,  it  was  still  George  Washington  the 
soldier,  the  man  of  passionate  fighting  impulses,  who  broke  out  into  words 
of  anger,  that  frightened  poor  private  secretary  Lear,  when  General  St. 
Clair,  deliberately  disregarding  the  President's  latest  caution,  had  allowed 
himself  to  be  surprised  by  Indians,  so  that  hundreds  of  brave  men  were 
uselessly  slaughtered.  It  is  evident,  indeed,  that  Mr.  McMaster  does  not 
know  George  Washington,  when  he  makes  this  latest  of  Washington's  out 
bursts  of  passion  the  text  of  his  homily  on  the  wickedness  of  swearing  ; 
or,  what  is  worse,  the  occasion  for  sly  hints  as  to  the  possibilities  of  base^ 
ness  hidden  under  publicly  known  excellences  as  general  and  president. 

For  right  here,  too,  we  learn  to  know  the  man  George  Washington  fur, 
ther,  as  most  tender-hearted.  There  is  no  real  brave  man,  however  fierce 
a  fighter  when  it  is  time  for  his  blood  to  be  up,  who  is  not  also  most  kindly 
in  his  feelings.  For  let  us  read  all  he  said  when  the  news  of  St.  Clair's 
defeat  reached  him:  "  To  suffer  that  army  to  be  cut  in  pieces,  hacked, 
butchered,  tomahawked,  by  a  surprise,  the  very  thing  I  guarded  him 
against!     O  God!   O  God!   he's  worse   than   a   murderer!     How   can   he 


DO    WE    KNOW    GEORGE    WASHINGTON?  229 

answer  it  to  his  country?  The  blood  of  the  slain  is  upon  him,  the  curse 
of  widows  and  orphans,  the  curse  of  heaven  !  "  Now  we  do  not  dare 
assert  that  in  what  Mr.  Lodge  has  to  say  in  comment  on  this  he  means 
to  aim  a  severe  blow  at  Mr.  McMaster.  He  speaks  in  complimentary 
terms  of  him  in  the  introduction.  Yet  no  words  could  have  hit  that  his. 
torian  more  squarely  between  the  eyes  than  these  :  "  The  description  of 
this  scene  by  an  eye-witness  has  been  in  print  for  many  years'  and  yet  we 
find  people  who  say  that  Washington  was  cold  of  heart  and  lacking  in 
human  sympathy.  What  could  be  more  intensely  human  than  this? 
What  a  warm  heart  is  here,  and  what  a  lightning  glimpse  of  a  passionate 
nature  bursting  through  silence  into  burning  speech  !  " 

But  this  is  all  of  a  piece  with  the  man  George  Washington  long  before 
he  was  either  general  or  president.  While  still  a  young  man,  commanding 
on  the  Virginia  frontier,  he  was  harassed  by  the  apathy  of  the  legislators, 
who  contemplated  the  desolations  of  Indian  warfare  with  perfect  equa- 
nimity at  a  safe  distance.  Then  he  wrote  :  u  The  supplicating  tears  of  the 
women  and  moving  petitions  of  the  men  melt  me  into  such  deadly  sorrow 
that  I  solemnly  declare,  if  I  know  my  own  mind,  I  could  offer  myself  a 
willing  sacrifice  to  the  butchering  enemy,  provided  that  would  contribute 
to  the  people's  ease."  And  Mr.  Lodge  eloquently  remarks  :  "  This  is  one 
of  the  rare  flashes  of  personal  feeling  which  disclose  the  real  man,  warm 
of  heart  and  temper,  full  of  human  sympathy,  and  giving  vent  to  hot 
indignation  in  words  which  still  ring  clear  and  strong  across  the  century 
that  has  come  and  gone."  It  would  seem  that  Mr.  McMaster's  study  of 
contemporary  newspapers,  including  those  of  the  notorious  Freneau  and 
Bache,  has  been  so  exhaustive  that  there  was  no  time  left  for  him  to 
consult  Washington's  own  letters.  These  might  have  dissipated  some  of 
those  chilly  suspicions  awakened  by  hostile  and  unscrupulous  assailants, 
paid  to  make  assaults  upon  a  character  too  overwhelmingly  great  and 
towering  to  be  quite  endurable  to  such  infinitesimal  creatures  of  the  dust. 

To  know  the  man  George  Washington  as  distinct  from  the  general 
and  president,  we  need  perhaps  also  to  get  a  view  of  him  as  a  thinker. 
There  have  been  as  wrong  impressions  as  to  what  he  was  capable  of  revolv- 
ing in  his  mind  as  there  were  regarding  his  heart  and  temperament.  To 
know  George  Washington  we  must  know  something  of  his  mind.  As  to 
mental  equipment  he  is  supposed  to  occupy  a  very  mediocre  place.  And 
it  is  true  that  he  was  not  very  learned.  The  classic  and  the  modern  lan- 
guages were  unknown  to  him.  Yet  he  had  been  a  good  reader,  was 
well  acquainted  with  history,  and   understood  the   force  of  its  examples. 

1  Italics  are  ours. 


23O  DO    WE    KNOW    GEORGE    WASHINGTON? 

But  above  all  learning  he  had  an  excellent  head  ;  and,  as  Matthew  Arnold 
truly  says:  "  The  valuable  thing  in  letters,  that  is,  in  the  acquainting  one- 
self with  the  best  which  has  been  thought  and  said  in  the  world,  is  the 
judgment  which  forms  itself  insensibly  in  a  fair  mind  along  with  fresh 
knowledge."  And  this  result  of  letters  or  reading,  which  depends  entirely 
upon  the  excellency  of  the  mind  that  addresses  itself  to  them,  and  not 
upon  the  amount  of  learning  acquired,  was  eminently  present  in  the  man 
George  Washington.  "If  you  speak  of  solid  information  or  sound  judg- 
ment," said  Patrick  Henry  at  one  time,  "  Colonel  Washington  is  unques- 
tionably the  greatest  man  in  the  congress." 

This  power  of  mind  shone  forth  both  in  his  generalship  and  statesman- 
ship. He  could  see  occasions  of  great  and  critical  importance,  when  ail 
must  be  risked  if  all  was  not  to  be  lost,  and  could  seize  the  moment  when 
such  occasions  became  ripe.  He  could  retreat,  be  a  true  Fabius,  refuse  to 
fight  when  all  the  soldier  within  him  burned  to  fight,  and  play  a  skillful 
game  of  fence  with  an  antagonist  superior  in  numbers.  Thus  he  withdrew 
through  New  Jersey  before  Cornwallis.  But  then  at  the  right  instant  he 
struck  the  blows  at  Trenton  and  at  Princeton.  "  Moreover,"  as  Mr. 
Lodge  observes,  "  these  battles  show  not  only  generalship  of  the  first 
order,  but  great  statesmanship.  .  .  .  By  Trenton  and  Princeton 
Washington  inflicted  deadly  blows  upon  the  enemy,  but  he  did  far  more 
by  reviving  the  patriotic  spirit  of  the  country,  fainting  under  the  bitter 
experience  of  defeat,  and  by  sending  fresh  life  and  hope  and  courage 
throughout  the  whole  people."  And  he  adds:  "  To  the  strong  brain  grow- 
ing ever  keener  and  quicker  as  the  pressure  became  more  intense,  to  the 
iron  will  gathering  force  as  defeat  thickened,  to  the  high,  unbending  charac- 
ter, and  to  the  passionate  and  fighting  temper  of  Washington,  we  owe  the 
brilliant  campaign  which  in  the  darkest  hour  turned  the  tide  and  saved  the 
cause  of  the  Revolution." 

George  Washington's  generalship  again  shone  brightly  in  the  campaign 
which  included  the  two  battles  of  the  Brandywine  and  Germantown.  Both 
were  defeats  ;  but  the  force  of  the  enemy  was  overwhelming  and  their 
appointments  perfect,  while  Washington's  army  was  small  and  wretchedly 
equipped.  It  was  the  wonder  of  European  military  men  such  as  Fred- 
erick the  Great,  that  such  an  army  as  Washington's  after  the  defeat  at 
Brandywine  should  have  been  ready  to  take  the  offensive  at  Germantown, 
and  so  nearly  snatch  victory.  While,  besides  all  this,  the  Fabian  policy  was 
deliberately  laid  aside  with  a  far-seeing  purpose:  it  was  necessary  to  keep 
1 1  owe  from  going  to  the  aid  of  Burgoyne.  It  was  incredible  to  Washington 
that   he   should    have  gone  off  on   the  expedition   to  Philadelphia  at  that 


DO    WE    KNOW    GEORGE    WASHINGTON?  231 

juncture.  But  being  there,  he  saw  the  necessity  of  keeping  him  busy,  and 
he  did  it,  and  thus  indirectly  Burgoyne's  surrender  was  made  possible  by 
the  operations  of  the  commander-in-chief.  And  as  for  skill  and  prompt- 
ness in  combination,  the  power  of  bold  and  rapid  striking,  as  well  as  that 
of  seeing  the  vital  point  where  to  strike  and  crush,  the  whole  campaign 
issuing  in  the  surrender  of  Yorktown  affords  a  clear  example.  "  It  was  a 
bold  stroke  to  leave  Clinton  behind  at  the  mouth  of  the  Hudson,"  says 
Mr.  Lodge,  commenting  on  this  campaign,  "  and  only  the  quickness  with 
which  it  was  done,  and  the  careful  deception  which  had  been  practiced, 
made  it  possible.  Once  at  Yorktown,  there  was  little  more  to  do.  The 
combination  was  so  perfect,  and  the  judgment  had  been  so  sure,  that  Corn- 
wallis  was  crushed  as  helplessly  as  if  he  had  been  thrown  before  the  car  of 
Juggernaut.  There  was  really  but  little  fighting,  for  there  was  no  oppor- 
tunity to  fight.  Washington  held  the  British  in  a  vice,  and  the  utter  help- 
lessness of  Cornwallis,  the  entire  inability  of  such  a  good  and  gallant 
soldier  even  to  struggle,  are  the  most  convincing  proofs  of  the  military 
genius  of  his  antagonist." 

Even  before  the  career  of  the  general  was  quite  finished,  George  Wash- 
ington begins  to  loom  upon  the  vision  as  an  enlightened,  far-seeing,  prac- 
tical, patriotic  statesman.  He  rose  above  his  surroundings,  the  true  sign 
of  a  great  mind,  whether  it  have  learning  or  not.  While  men  all  around 
him — men  even  like  Samuel  Adams  and  Patrick  Henry — were  bursting 
with  sectional  jealousies,  and  paralyzing  the  confederation  by  the  narrow- 
minded  assertion  and  the  more  mischievous  application  of  the  principle  of 
states'  rights,  Washington's  clear  eye  was  already  fixed  upon  a  national 
existence.  Cherishing  himself  a  truly  national  spirit,  he  saw  far  ahead  the 
need  of  a  strong  national  government.  Taking  farewell  of  the  several 
governors  as  commander-in-chief  of  the  army  he  wrote  :  "  If  a  spirit  of  dis- 
union, or  obstinacy  and  perverseness,  should  in  any  of  the  states  attempt 
to  frustrate  all  the  happy  effects  that  might  be  expected  to  flow  from  the 
union,  that  state  which  puts  itself  in  opposition  to  the  aggregate  wisdom 
of  the  continent  will  alone  be  responsible  for  all  the  consequences.  .  .  . 
It  is  indispensable  to  the  happiness  of  the  individual  states  that  there 
should  be  lodged  somewhere  a  supreme  power  to  regulate  and  govern  the 
general  concerns  of  the  confederated  republic,  without  which  the  union 
cannot  be  of  long  duration,  and  everything  must  very  rapidly  tend  to 
anarchy  and  confusion."  This  voice  of  warning  was  unheeded,  the  anarchy 
and  confusion  came,  and  then  at  last  the  people  learned  to  see  the  wisdom 
of  George  Washington.  Then  came  the  Constitution,  and  after  it  the 
government.     And  constantly  the  mind  of  Washington  penetrated  to  the 


DO    WE    KNOW    GEORGE   WASHINGTON? 

necessities  of  each  situation  as  it  arose,  and  by  the  clearness  of  his  vision 
was  enabled  to  start  the  United  States  upon  a  career  of  national  being  and 
prosperity  which  still  very  closely  follows  the  lines  laid  down  by  him,  or 
with  his  intelligent  approval. 

Mr.  Lodge  apologizes  at  the  close  of  his  volumes  for  their  generally 
eulogistic  tone — "  a  tone  of  almost  unbroken  praise."  "  If  this  be  so,"  he 
says,  "  it  is  because  I  could  come  to  no  other  conclusions,  .  .  .  and 
although  my  deductions  may  be  wrong,  they  at  least  have  been  carefully 
and  slowly  made."  These  deductions  cannot  be  so  very  wrong,  when  we 
contemplate,  in  conclusion,  the  words  in  which  Mr.  Lecky,  the  English 
historian,  speaks  of  Washington  in  his  latest  book:  "  In  civil  as  in  military 
life,  he  was  pre-eminent  among  his  contemporaries  for  the  clearness  and 
soundness  of  his  judgment,  for  his  perfect  moderation  and  self-control,  for 
the  quiet  dignity  and  the  indomitable  firmness  with  which  he  pursued 
every  path  which  he  had  deliberately  chosen.  Of  all  the  great  men  in 
history  he  wras  the  most  invariably  judicious,  and  there  is  scarcely  a  rash 
word  or  action  or  judgment  recorded  of  him.  ...  In  the  dark  hour 
of  national  ingratitude,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  most  universal  and  intoxi- 
cating flattery,  he  was  always  the  same  calm,  wise,  just,  and  single-minded 
man,  pursuing  the  course  which  he  believed  to  be  right,  without  fear  or 
favor  or  fanaticism  ;  equally  free  from  the  passions  that  spring  from 
interest,  and  from  the  passions  that  spring  from  imagination.  .  .  .  He 
was  in  the  highest  sense  of  the  words  a  gentleman  and  a  man  of  honor, 
and  he  carried  into  public  life  the  severest  standard  of  private  morals." 

Other  men  have  been  made  great  by  position  or  success.  George 
Washington  was  great  before  he  reached  these,  in  the  simple  majesty  of 
his  splendid,  symmetrical  manhood.  He  was  General  Washington,  and 
he  was  President  Washington  ;  but  he  was  George  Washington  before 
either.  And  it  is  as  George  Washington  that  the  world  knows  him,  and, 
knowing  him,  admires  and  loves. 


As  illustrating  the  keen  appreciation  by  Washington  of  the  patriotism 
of  men  in  every  section  of  the  country,  and  how  he  could  pour  forth 
unstinted  praise  of  it  wherever  found,  we  present  the  letter  of  which  a 
facsimile  in  part  appears  on  the  following  page.  The  occasion  of  its  writ- 
ing was  the  receipt  of  a  letter  from  a  number  of  New  York  gentlemen, 
dated  November  26,  1783 — or  the  day  after  the  evacuation — expressing 
their  gratification  at  being  once  more  restored  to  their  city,  and  attribut- 
ing that  restoration,  under  Providence,  to  his  "  Wisdom  and  Energy,"  and 


DO   WE   KNOW   GEORGE   WASHINGTON?  233 


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234 


DO    WE    KNOW    GEORGE   WASHINGTON  ? 


assuring  him:  "that  we  shall  preserve  with  our  latest  breath  our  gratitude 
for  your  services,  and  veneration  for  your  character."  The  full  text  of 
Washington's  reply  (of  which  one  paragraph  is  omitted  from  the  facsimile) 

is  as  follows  : 

Gentlemen,  I  thank  you  sincerely  for  your  affectionate  Address,  and  intreat  You  to 
be  persuaded  that  nothing  could  be  more  agreeable  to  me  than  your  polite  Congratula- 
tions :  Permit  me,  in  Turn,  to  felicitate  you  on  the  happy  Repossession  of  your  City. 
Great  as  your  joy  must  be  on  this  pleasing  occasion,  it  can  scarcely  exceed  that  which  I 
feel,  at  seeing  you,  Gentlemen,  who  from  the  noblest  Motives  have  suffered  a  voluntary 
Exile  of  many  years,  return  again  in  Peace  &  Triumph  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  your  Virtu- 
ous Conduct. 

The  Fortitude  and  Perseverance  which  you  and  your  suffering  Brethren  have  exhib- 
ited in  the  Course  of  the  War,  have  not  only  endeared  You  to  your  Countrymen,  but  will 
be  remembered  with  Admiration  and  Applause  to  the  latest  Posterity. 

May  the  Tranquility  of  your  City  be  perpetual.  May  the  Ruins  soon  be  repaired, 
.Commerce  flourish,  Science  be  fostered,"  and  all  the  civil  and  social  Virtues  be  cherished, 
in  the  same  illustrious  Manner,  which  formerly  reflected  so  much  Credit  on  the  Inhab- 
itants of  New  York.  In  fine,  may  every  species  of  Felicity  attend  You  Gentlemen,  & 
your  worthy  fellow  Citizens. 

G°  Washington 


THE  STRUGGLE  OF  TEXAS  FOR  INDEPENDENCE 


By  William  H.   Mayes 

The  history  of  the  various  states  of  the  Union  is  so  blended  with  that 
of  the  nation  that  characteristic  individuality  is  largely  lost,  but  Texas  has 
a  history  peculiarly  and  distinctly  its  own.  The  weird  story  of  the  brief 
struggle  of  the  early  pioneers  of  Texas  for  independence  from  Mexican 
oppression  seems  more  like  a  chivalric  romance  of  the  early  times  than  a 
true  record  of  stern  realities  of  the  present  century.  The  Texas  campaign 
of  1836  furnishes  one  of  the  most  interesting  and  remarkable  chapters  in 

American  history,  yet,  strange  to  say, 
the  great  masses  of  the  people  know 
but  little  of  its  tragic  defeats  and 
resplendent  achievements. 

The  permanent  settlement  and 
colonization  of  the  territory  of  Texas 
by  Anglo-Americans  dates  from  July 
16,  1 82 1,  the  day  on  which  Stephen 
F.  Austin  first  entered  the  wilderness 
with  thirteen  hardy  pioneers  and 
selected  the  rich  valleys  of  the  Brazos 
and  Colorado  rivers  for  the  occupancy 
of  his  colony,  after  having  made,  as  he 
thought,  all  the  necessary  preliminary 
arrangements  with  the  territorial  gov- 
ernor at  San  Antonio.  Arriving  with 
his  colony  the  latter  part  of  the  year, 
he  learned  that  it  would  be  necessary  for  him  to  visit  the  City  of  Mexico  to 
secure  the  sanction  of  the  newly  inaugurated  republican  government.  Leav- 
ing the  colony  in  charge  of  Josiah  H.  Bell,  Austin  proceeded  to  the  City  of 
Mexico,  but  the  unsettled  state  of  Mexican  affairs  made  it  necessary  for  him 
to  remain  a  whole  year  to  secure  the  passage  of  satisfactory  colonization 
laws.  So  favorable  were  these  that  numerous  colonial  grants  were  applied 
for;  settlements  were  rapidly  opened,  and  the  pioneers  enjoyed  a  brief  era 
of  prosperity,  only  interrupted  by  occasional  depredations  of  roving  bands 
of  Indians.  The  government  of  Mexico  was  at  first  very  friendly  to  the 
Austin  colony.  For  six  years  it  was  exempted  from  taxation,  duties,  and 
customs,  while  many  other  liberal  concessions  were  made  in  the  grants. 


GENERAL    SANTA    ANNA. 


236  Till:    STRUGGLE    OF   TEXAS    FOR    INDEPENDENCE 

The  first  revolt  against  Mexico  followed  a  decree  of  April  6,  1830,  issued 
by  President  Bustamente.  It  prohibited  any  further  emigration  from  the 
United  States  to  Texas,  directed  that  Mexican  convicts  should  be  trans- 
ported to  Texas  (thus  converting  the  province  into  a  penal  colony),  and 
ordered  the  opening  of  custom-houses  and  the  collection  of  onerous  taxes 
and  duties.  The  military  sent  to  enforce  these  orders  was  successfully 
repulsed  and  driven  from  the  territory.  Santa  Anna  had  engaged  about 
this  time  in  a  civil  war  with  Bustamente  for  the  restoration  of  the  Mexican 
republican  constitution  of  1824,  and  there  was  great  rejoicing  in  the  colony 
when  he  assumed  the  presidency  in  March,  1833. 

The  republican  government  of  Mexico  consisted  of  several  quasi-inde- 
pendent states,  and  the  province  had  been  attached  as  a  territory  to 
Coahuila  "  until  Texas  possessed  the  necessary  elements  to  prove  a  sepa- 
rate state  of  herself."  The  legislature  of  Texas  was  composed  of  ten 
deputies  from  Coahuila  and  two  from  Texas,  and  all  legislation  became 
decidedly  unfavorable  to  the  colonists.  The  latter  prepared  a  memorial, 
setting  forth  the  reasons  why  Texas  should  be  separated  from  Coahuila, 
and  have  a  state  government  of  her  own.  Austin  was  delegated  to  convey 
the  proposed  constitution  to  the  City  of  Mexico  ancl  to  urge  upon  the 
government  the  admission  of  Texas  into  the  Mexican  confederacy.  When 
he  arrived  in  the  city,  Santa  Anna  was  in  the  midst  of  his  plans  for  chang-. 
ing  the  form  of  government  from  a  republic  to  centralized  despotism,  and 
already  several  states  had  been  reduced  to  submission. 

He  was  alarmed  at  the  rapid  progress  Texas  had  made  in  so  short  a 
time,  and  to  more  effectually  place  the  territory  at  a  disadvantage,  Austin 
was  arrested  and  incarcerated  in  a  foul  dungeon,  without  books  or  writing 
material,  "  where  for  many  months  he  never  saw  a  ray  of  sunshine  nor  the 
hand  that  gave  him  food."  The  Mexican  dictator  was  alarmed  by  the 
superior  industry,  thrift,  enterprise,  and  invention  of  the  colonists,  and 
regretted  that  they  had  been  invited  to  Texas,  preferring  that,  if  occupied  at 
all,  it  should  be  occupied  by  savages,  who  would  effectually  cut  off  all  com- 
munication and  intercourse  with  a  people  who  seemed  to  love  hardships, 
and  who  possessed  such  restless  energy  that  they  prospered  under  the 
severest  reverses.  While  he  was  confident  of  his  ability  to  subjugate  the 
Mexican  states  he  began  to  fear  that  the  progress  and  civilization  of  these 
people  would  make  a  reign  of  despotism  difficult,  and  that  it  might  event- 
ual!}' blot  out  of  existence  his  own  barbarous  government. 

Austin's  petition  was  refused,  and  an  army  of  four  thousand  men 
ordered  to  Texas  on  a  pretense  of  protecting  the  coast  and  frontier,  but  in 
reality  to  carry  forward  a  war  of  extermination.     The  uncalled-for  incarcer- 


THE  STRUGGLE  OF  TEXAS  FOR  INDEPENDENCE 


237 


ation  of  Austin,  and  the  sending  of  military  forces,  as  the  only  response  to 
the  request  for  separate  state  government,  served  to  kindle  the  flame  that 
had  long  been  smoldering ;  and  when  Santa  Anna  issued  an  order  com- 
manding the  people  to  surrender  their  private  arms,  thereby  exposing  their 
wives  and  children  to  the  mercy  of  unfeeling  savages,  as  well  as  to  the 
horrors  of  starvation  (many  being  dependent  on  wild  game  for  their  daily 
food),  the  final  stroke  of  despotic  tyranny  had  been  delivered.  The  will  of 
the  oppressed  subjects  refused  longer  to  bow  to  that  of  so  merciless  a 
ruler,  and  Texans  unitedly  resolved  on  freedom  from  Mexican  misrule. 
The  same  spirit  of  independence  that  had  been  instilled  in  the  breasts  of 
the  early  settlers  of  the  United  States  had  found  a  warm  place  in  the 
bosoms  of  these  descendants  of  a  hardy  race  of  pioneers. 

It  was  a  desperate  measure,  but  the  colonists  saw  in  it  their  only  hope 
of  saving  themselves  and  families  from  further  oppression,  and  their 
country  from  the  despotic  sway  of  tyrannical  monarchism  ;  therefore,  with 
a  total  citizenship  of  scarcely  two  thousand  able-bodied  men,  Texas,  in  con- 
vention, on  March  2,  1833,  formally  declared  her  independence  of  Mexico 
— a  country  with   a   magnificent  array  of  trained   warriors.     Santa  Anna, 

now  having  subdued  in 
turn  each  state  of  the 
republic,  had  already  in- 
vaded the  province  in  per- 
son with  a  well-equipped 
army  of  eight  thousand 
men,  to  reduce  to  subjec- 
tion and  chastise  these 
self-willed  subjects,  and 
thereby  perfect  his  right 
to  the  self-styled  appella- 
tion, the  "  Napoleon  of 
the  West." 

The  Texas  army  hav- 
ing captured  San  Antonio,  the  Mexican  seat  of  government,  in  December, 
and  having  driven  the  Mexican  forces  from  the  city  and  taken  possession 
of  the  fort  of  the  Alamo,  Santa  Anna  first  directed  his  attention  to  retak- 
ing San  Antonio,  and  atoning  for  the  disgraceful  defeat  of  the  Mexican  army. 
He  came  upon  the  town  February  23,  and  the  garrison,  under  com- 
mand of  Colonel  W.  B.  Travis,  at  once  withdrew  to  the  Alamo,  a  structure 
fortified  soon  after  the  Spaniards  settled  that  part  of  Texas,  and  used  as  a 
place  of  safety  for   the  settlers   and  their  property  in    case  of   Indian  hos- 


THE    ALAMO. 


238  THE    STRUGGLE    OF    TEXAS    FOR    INDEPENDENCE 

tility.  It  had  neither  the  strength,  arrangement,  nor  compactness  of  a 
regular  fortification.  The  chapel  was  seventy-five  feet  long,  sixty-two 
wide,  twenty-two  and  a  half  high,  surrounded  by  walls  of  solid  masonry 
tour  teet  thick.  It  was  one  story  in  height,  with  upper  windows,  under- 
neath which  were  platforms  for  mounting  cannon.  There  was  a  barrack, 
one  hundred  and  eighty-six  feet  long,  connected  with  the  church,  and 
another  one  hundred  and  fourteen  feet  in  length.  These  were  eighteen 
teet  high,  and,  like  the  chapel,  built  of  solid  masonry.  The  fortifications 
were  manned  by  fourteen  guns,  but  they  were  so  situated  at  the  windows 
that  the\-  were  of  little  use  for  a  close  engagement. 

On  Sunday,  March  6,  a  little  after  midnight,  the  Mexican  army,  four  thou- 
sand strong,  marched  to  their  assigned  places  for  the  final  attack.  At  four 
o'clock  the  bugle  sounded.  The  Mexican  forces  rushed  upon  the  fort  and 
were  met  by  a  shower  of  grape  and  rifle-balls.  Twice  the  assailants  fell  back 
in  dismay.  Santa  Anna  put  himself  in  front  of  his  men,  and  with  shouts  and 
oaths  led  them  to  the  third  charge.  Above  the  clash  of  arms  and  the  roar  of 
battle  could  be  heard  the  assassin  notes  of  DeQuello,  "  No  quarter !  "  When 
they  reached  the  foot  of  the  wall  ladders  were  placed  in  position,  and  the 
Mexican  officers  forced  their  men  to  ascend  them.  Man  after  man,  column 
after  column,  made  the  attempt  to  scale  the  walls,  only  to  fall  to  the 
ground,  stabbed  or  shot  down  by  the  Texans.  But  the  feeble  garrison, 
worn  out  by  sheer  exhaustion,  could  not  long  withstand  the  assault  of 
such  overwhelming  numbers  ;  a  breach  was  made,  the  defense  of  the  outer 
wall  was  abandoned,  and  the  garrison  took  refuge  in  the  chapel,  where 
further  retreat  was  impossible,  and  where  each  group  of  brave  men  fought 
and  died  on  the  spot  where  it  was  brought  to  bay. 

Travis,  Crockett,  Bowie  (names  that  will  be  ever  honored  in  history), 
together  with  the  entire  band  of  one  hundred  and  eighty-three,  were  cruelly 
slaughtered  after  the  most  bitter  resistance.  Mrs.  Dickinson,  her  infant 
child,  and  a  negro  servant  were  the  only  ones  spared,  every  combatant 
being  put  to  the  sword.  "  Thermopylae  had  its  messenger  of  defeat,  but  the 
Alamo  had  none."  The  bodies  of  the  Texans  were  collected  in  a  huge 
pile  and  burned,  and  as  the  Sabbath  sun  sank  in  the  west,  the  smoke  from 
that  funeral  pyre  of  heroes  ascended  to  heaven. 

General  Urrea  had  advanced  along  the  Texas  coast  simultaneously 
with  Santa  Anna's  march  on  San  Antonio.  He  proceeded  by  way  of  San 
Patricio  to  Goliad,  where  Colonel  J.  W.  Fannin  was  in  command  of  about 
four  hundred  men,  mostly  of  the  Georgia  battalion.  Fannin  was  taken  by 
surprise  at  the  approach  of  Urrea's  army,  and  realizing  the  folly  of  resist- 
ing so  large  a  force,  made  a  retreat,  but  was  intercepted   at   Colita  creek. 


THE   STRUGGLE    OF   TEXAS    FOR    INDEPENDENCE 


239 


SIEGE   Of    THE   ALAMO,    MARCH    6,    1836. 


Two  assaults  were  successfully  repulsed  by  the  little  army,  but  the  despe- 
rate condition  of  the  forces  compelled  them  to  surrender,  which  they  did, 
on  condition  that  they  should  be  treated  as  prisoners  of  war  in  civilized 
countries  and  be  sent  at  once  to  the  United  States.  The  prisoners  were 
taken  back  to  Goliad,  where,  on  the  morning  of  March  27,  without  previous 

warning  and  under  pre- 
text of  starting  them 
home,  they  were  marched 
out  in  four  companies, 
strongly  guarded,  and 
when  a  short  distance 
from  the  walls  were  halted 
and  shot.  Those  who 
were  not  instantly  killed 
were  dispatched  with 
sabres,  except  a  few  who 
made  their  escape.  His- 
tory furnishes  no  record 
of  a  more  cruel  massa- 
cre.    Santa  Anna  offered  no  excuse,   for  there  was  none. 

When  Santa  Anna  learned  that  the  capture  of  the  Alamo  had  been  fol- 
lowed by  the  massacre  of  Fannin's  entire  force,  he  thought  the  conquest  of 
Texas  effected,  and  was  preparing  to  return  to  his  capital  and  leave  his  two 
trusted  generals  to  complete  the  reorganization  of  the  government  of  the 
conquered  province.  But  hearing  that  Houston,  with  a  considerable  army, 
was  encamped  on  the  Colorado  river,  he  concluded  to  remain  and  complete 
his  conquest  and  return  to  Mexico  in  martial  style,  the  hero  of  the  conti- 
nent, the  "  Napoleon  of  the  West." 

The  slaughter  at  the  Alamo  and  the  massacre  at  Goliad  stirred  to  the 
very  depths  the  blood  of  every  Texas  citizen.  They  saw  that  Santa  Anna's 
policy  was  one  of  extermination,  and  that  he  did  not  hesitate  to  undertake 
any  form  of  cold-blooded  barbarity.  The  army  was  now  reduced  to  less 
than  eight  hundred  able-bodied  men,  but  they  determined  to  risk  their 
lives  for  Texas  independence,  sharing,  if  need  be,  the  fate  of  their  brave 
comrades  under  Travis  and  Fannin.  The  women  and  children  of  Texas 
were  dependent  on  this  little  force  of  soldiers  for  their  lives,  and  this  was 
inspiration  enough  to  make  the  Texans  feel  that  they  could  meet  and  con- 
quer on  the  battlefield  any  host  of  Mexicans  that  could  be  arrayed  against 
them.  The  remaining  army  was  hastily  gathered  together,  and  the  women 
and  children  placed  under  the  protection  of  the  soldiers.    A  hasty  march  was 


240 


THE  STRUGGLE  OF  TEXAS  FOR  INDEPENDENCE 


made  to  the  junction  of  Buffalo  Bayou  with  the  San  Jacinto  river,  where  a 
suitable  position  was  selected  to  intercept  Santa  Anna's  army,  then  advanc- 
ing upon  San  Jacinto.  Vince's  Bridge  furnished  the  only  means  of  escape 
from  the  country  for  a  vanquished  army.  This,  at  best,  was  a  very  inse- 
cure exit  for  retreating-  troops,  but  the  Texans  thought  only  of  victory  in 
front  of  them,  protection  for  their  families,  and  revenge  for  the  loss  of  their 
countrymen.  The  little  army  was  drawn  up  on  the  banks  of  the  river  in  a 
beautiful  live-oak  grove,  and  eloquently  addressed  by  General  Sam  Hous- 
ton, the  sturdy  and  beloved  commander,  who  at  the  close  of  an  impassioned 
appeal  gave  them,  as  the  battle-cry,  "  Remember  the  Alamo  !  "  The  words 
were  at  once  taken  up  by  every  man  in 
the  arm}-,  and  one  unanimous  shout 
pierced  the  very  vault  of  heaven, 
"Remember  the  Alamo!  Remember 
the  Alamo  !  "  while  the  green  island 
of  prairie  trees  echoed  and  repeated 
the  cry,  "  Remember  the  Alamo !  "  j 
They  did  not  have  long  to  wait. 
Their  eloquent  leader  had  scarcely  con-  ! 
eluded  his  address  when  the  scouts  5 
came  flying  into  camp  and  announced 
that  Santa  Anna's  army  was  approach-  \ 
ing.  This  was  at  ten  o'clock  on  April 
20.  The  remainder  of  that  day  was 
spent  in  skirmishing,  and  it  was  not 
until  three  o'clock  the  next  afternoon 
that  decisive  action  was  taken.  The 
conscious  disparity  in  numbers  served 
only  to  increase  the  enthusiasm  and  confidence  of  the  Texas  forces  and 
heighten  their  anxiety  for  the  conflict. 

The  moment  had  come  for  victory  or  defeat,  for  independence  or  death. 
The  war-cry  was  sounded,  and  the  shout  of  an  united  army  rent  the  air 
with  the  inspiring  words,  "  The  Alamo  !  The  Alamo  !  "  General  Houston, 
riding  in  front,  called  out,  "  Come  on,  my  fearless  braves,  your  general 
leads  you  !  At  this  moment  Deaf  Smith  dashed  along  the  lines,  swinging 
an  axe  over  his  head  and  shouting,  "I  have  cut  down  Vince's  Bridge  ! 
Now  fight  for  your  lives  and  remember  the  Alamo  !  "  The  Texas  army 
advanced  to  within  sixty  paces  of  the  Mexican  lines,  when  a  storm  of  bul- 
lets went  flying  over  their  heads.  The  volley  was  not  answered  until  a 
shower  of  lead  was  poured  into  the  bosoms  of  the  Mexicans.     The  Texans 


GENERAL    SAM    HOUSTON. 


THE   STRUGGLE   OF   TEXAS    FOR    INDEPENDENCE  241 

charged  with  the  fury  of  madmen,  and  were  soon  engaged  in  a  hand-to- 
hand  conflict,  using  their  guns  as  clubs,  and  with  bowie  knives  literally 
carving  their  way  through  the  lines  of  living  flesh. 

The  Mexicans  were  overcome  by  the  very  fierceness  of  their  foes,  and 
in  fifteen  minutes  the  battle  was  ended  and  independence  was  won.  Only 
eight  Texans  had  lost  their  lives  and  but  thirty  had  been  wounded.  Nearly 
seven  hundred  Mexicans  had  perished  on  the  battlefield,  three  hundred 
had  been  wounded,  and  eight  hundred  captured,  by  an  army  scarcely  ex- 
ceeding seven  hundred.  Santa  Anna  was  captured  and  was  held  a  prisoner 
of  war  for  several  months. 

Scarcely  in  the  world's  history  is  there  a  record  of  such  disastrous  defeats, 
followed  so  closely  by  so  renowned  a  victory  ;  seldom  has  a  successful  war 
for  independence  terminated  so  soon  after  its  inception,  and  never  else- 
where has  so  grand  a  victory  been  achieved  under  such  unfavorable  cir- 
cumstances. On  the  one  side  was  arrayed  a  paid  military,  well  clothed, 
armed  with  all  the  military  equipments  of  the  age,  trained  to  warfare,  and 
encouraged  by  the  personal  command  of  their  ruler  ;  while  on  the  other 
were  a  few  desperate  pioneers,  poorly  clad,  half  starved,  without  suitable 
arms,  disheartened  at  the  loss  of  their  countrymen  at  the  Alamo  and  at 
Goliad,  but  fighting  with  all  the  determination  that  could  be  inspired  by 
unjust  oppression,  the  slaughter  of  relatives  and  friends,  the  perilous  situ- 
ation of  the  country,  and  the  threatened  destruction  of  their  homes  and 
their  helpless  wives  and  children. 

Heaven  could  not  but  smile  on  so  noble  a  warfare,  and  enter  the  decree, 
"  Justice  has  won  and  the  victory  is  yours." 


TEXAS 

Up  the  hillside,  down  the  glen, 
Rouse  the  sleeping  citizen  ; 
Summon  out  the  might  of  men  ! 

Like  a  lion  growling  low, — 
Like  a  night-storm  rising  slow, — 
Like  the  tread  of  unseen  foe, — 

It  is  coming, — it  is  nigh  ! 

Stand  your  homes  and  altars  by  ; 

On  your  own  free  thresholds  die. 

Whoso  shrinks  and  falters  now, 
Whoso  to  the  yoke  would  bow, 
Brand  the  craven  on  his  brow  ! 


— Whittier 


Vol.  XXIX.-No.  3.— 16 


"Hiiffwt  M7fit~  CUoaho 

9       CUT'-  "^McofftiMic*'.^ 

StUc^  aui^t  tfic  waUs,  ouft  cicvrtotpi^  mast, 

Owf  fatcv    6a*tb  /ShaU  dfcf  &<-*•  * 
Vb   (aMl,  6uT  H<rTJ5  Aanc^  fare  voUJL^ 

Ga<~  otvri  tuJTwwewr Country**  foHcJu^j 
7Ci    ft o    ocSftavrviA*  Sf+tJt^'*— 

Our  fnoH4^Hto*3T/llicUL  to'irfbr  aU.  nAQH^ 


Jn,  fiCoodt&r  (iU2>j    ffio&aJtCt.   egv:  " 
CLni.wnchJ  hit  jwa*ri<*f7  <fcuo  ffoSiot— 
Cltanct^  tack  dau^ftlU    nr*rf\ <iTtpCfc3t 

I        tJfr  ?rc<2o»i  <f  6/taJfT  W  tffLS  " 


faHj  /kc*r  ftcua    vrfoe+t  'Hon£/'f6tnaLn-4. 
'IVcU/tuau  fcjJrvAioM*  CMkJcc  to  it/L/ 
7fo*  yr*ul$  and  fa  Am4l2y*D  f/4^ 

CVtoUc)     CLs  lt%OI44a**7)     ioctHOH^  ^COjU%J9 

Vfdk  Ike  auK<xrj  ComfUtHicUr  £  1"*>1*~  ^>ciL^ 


THE    REVOLUTIONARY   TROUBLES   AND    COMMERCE 

By  John  Austin  Stevens 

The  capture  of  Montreal  by  General  Amherst  on  September  8,  1760, 
completed  the  conquest  of  New  France  in  America.  The  capitulation  of 
Vaudreuil  included  all  Canada,  which  was  said  "  to  extend  to  the  crest  of 
land  dividing  branches  of  Erie  and  Michigan  from  those  of  the  Miami,  the 
Wabash,  and  the  Illinois  rivers." 

William  Pitt,  the  master  spirit  of  the  war,  was  not  satisfied  with  this 
partial  subjection,  and  looked  to  English  domination  in  the  West  Indies, 
as  well  as  on  the  mainland.  The  sugar  islands,  as  they  were  called,  were 
a  prolific  source  of  trade  and  wealth.  Angered  by  information  of  a  special 
convention  between  France  and  Spain,  which,  concluded  in  secret  on 
August  15,  1 76 1,  threatened  war  in  the  coming  spring,  the  great  minister 
resolved  to  seize  the  remainder  of  the  French  West  India  islands,  especially 
Martinique,  and  to  capture  Havana.  These  conquests  were  to  be  followed 
by  that  of  Panama,  and  of  the  Philippine  islands.  The  Spanish  monopoly 
in  the  New  World  was  to  be  forever  destroyed.  The  cabinet  refusing  to 
support  his  war  measures, — which  were,  to  withdraw  the  British  ambas- 
sador from  Madrid,  and,  by  intercepting  the  Spanish  treasure-galleons,  to 
cripple  the  resources  of  Spain, — Pitt  resigned  the  seals,  October  6,  1761. 
But  the  diplomacy  of  Choiseul,  inducing  Spain  to  join  with  France  in  a 
demand  upon  Portugal  to  break  off  alliance  with  Great  Britain,  compelled 
a  declaration  of  war  by  England,  which  was  formally  proclaimed  on 
January  4,  1762.  The  desires  of  Pitt  were  shortly  fulfilled  by  the  capture 
of  Martinique  from  the  French  on  February  14,  1762,  by  an  armament 
from  New  York  under  General  Robert  Monckton,  governor  of  that 
province,  supported  by  Admiral  Rodney  with  a  British  fleet ;  and  on  July 
30  following,  (1762),  of  the  city  of  Havana  from  Spain  by  an  army  sent 
from  England  under  command  of  the  Earl  of  Albemarle  (under  whom 
Carleton  and  Howe  served),  aided  by  Admiral  Pococke  with  a  powerful 
fleet.  The  first  of  these  conquests  was  of  Pitt's  planning.  Its  reduction 
was  followed  by  that  of  its  dependent  islands,  comprising  Grenada  and  the 
Grenadines,  St.  Lucia,  St.  Vincent,  and  Tobago — which  included  the  pos- 
session of  all  the  Caribbee  isles.  To  recover  something  of  their  prestige, 
and  at  least  to  maintain  a  claim  on  the  fishing  banks,  the  French  attacked 
and  reduced  St.  John's,  the  capital  of  Newfoundland  ;  but  were  soon  dis- 


244  THE    REVOLUTIONARY    TROUBLES    AND    COMMERCE 

lodged  by  an  expedition  under  command  of  Lord  Admiral  Colville  and 
Colonel  Amherst,  ordered  thither  by  Sir  Jeffrey  Amherst. 

With  these  acquisitions  England  dictated  the  terms  of  peace,  and 
remodeled  the  political  state  of  America  at  her  will.  Spain  gave  up  the 
Floridas,  which  completed  the  English  possession  of  the  Atlantic  coast 
from  Cape  Breton  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  in  compensation  France 
ceded  New  Orleans  to  Spain,  with  Louisiana  west  of  the  Mississippi.  As 
to  the  West  India  captures,  England  restored  Martinique,  Guadeloupe, 
and  Marie  Galante  to  France,  and  Cuba  with  Havana  to  Spain.  Spain 
abandoned  and  France  retained  rights  on  the  northern  fisheries.  Pre- 
liminaries for  peace  on  these  bases,  between  France  and  Spain  on  the 
one  side,  and  England  and  Portugal  on  the  other,  were  signed  at  Fon- 
tainebleau  on  November  3,  1762;  and  the  definitive  treaty,  known  as  the 
Treaty  of  Paris,  received  signature  at  that  city  on  February  10,  1763. 
Had  Pitt  remained  in  power,  not  a  vestige  of  European  power,  other  than 
the  British,  would  have  remained  on  the  North  American  continent. 

In  every  one  of  these  conquests,  even  in  that  of  Havana,  the  colonies 
had  taken  an  active,  in  some  a  decisive,  part.  They  had  been  the  main- 
stay of  Pitt's  policy,  and  had  voted  men  and  money  without  stint  at  his 
call,  in  full  faith  in  his  purpose  and  his  power.  His  fall  from  power  was 
the  shadow  which  fell  upon  their  triumph  at  the  peace.  The  fact  is  a 
familiar  one,  that  the  war  had  enormously  increased  the  national  debt  of 
Great  Britain,  and  the  matter  next  in  order  was  how  to  raise  the  money 
to  pay  it,  or  at  least  its  interest.  Upon  this  pressing  question  and  the 
manner  of  answering  it  hinged  the  issue  of  events  during  the  next  score 
of  years. 

Lord  Halifax,  and  the  other  gentlemen  of  the  Board  of  Trade  and 
Plantations,  to  whom  was  intrusted  the  direction  of  affairs  in  the  colonies, 
had  matured,  even  while  the  war  was  in  progress,  a  scheme  for  governing 
America  and  of  raising  a  revenue  in  the  colonies.  Their  plans  were  inter- 
rupted by  the  death,  in  October,  1760,  of  George  the  Second.  The  en- 
forced retirement  of  Pitt  followed  the  next  October,  1761.  The  plan  of 
the  Board  of  Trade  was  to  lower  and  collect  the  duties  prescribed  by 
the  Sugar  Act  of  1733.  By  this  act  there  was  laid  a  tariff  on  the  products 
of  the  islands — rum,  sugar,  and  molasses — imported  into  any  of  the  English 
colonies,  and  a  drawback  on  all  sugars  refined  in  and  exported  from 
Great  Britain,  over  and  above  all  previous  drawbacks  and  bounties;  a 
provision  which,  apparently  for  the  benefit  of  the  English,  and  probably 
instigated  by  the  Scotch  refiners,  struck  a  blow  at  this  now  thriving  busi- 
ness in  the  New  York  colony. 


THE    REVOLUTIONARY   TROUBLES   AND   COM  MERCK  245 

The  encroachments  of  the  home  government  on  the  chartered  rights 
and  the  unchartered  liberties  of  the  colonies,  reached  every  branch  of 
government.  It  is  difficult,  therefore,  to  measure  the  discontent  with 
each,  but  an  effort  will  be  made  to  confine  this  study  to  the  Acts  of 
Trade.  Massachusetts  opposed  the  writs  of  assistance  to  officers  of  the 
customs  ;  New  York,  the  assumption  of  the  crown  to  appoint  the  judi- 
ciary ;  Virginia,  the  attempt  to  enforce  upon  her  a  continuance  of  the 
traffic  in  slaves,  which  England  had  monopolized  by  one  of  the  conditions 
of  the  Treaty  of  Paris.  All  alike,  having  seaports,  resisted  the  enforcement 
of  the  Acts  of  Trade  by  the  court  of  admiralty,  which,  by  its  nature,  was 
independent  of  the  provinces  and  answerable  only  to  the  king. 

The  restrictions  of  the  Acts  of  Trade  applied  not  only  to  the  colonies, 
but  also  to  Ireland,  and  in  that  application  injured  the  colonies.  No 
ship  from  its  harbors  could  cross  the  Atlantic,  nor  could  it  send  any  of 
its  products  or  manufactures  except  these  were  in  English  bottoms. 
The  navigation  acts  of  Charles  II.  were  strictly  prohibitive  of  export: 
of  woolens,  by  that  of  William  III.,  and  later  by  statute  of  George  II., 
1732.  Export  of  linen  was  permitted  by  Anne,  1704,  and  again  by  George 
II.,  171 5.  Importation  could  only  be  made  of  colonial  produce  through 
or  from  England.  The  Sugar  Act  of  George  II.,  1733,  just  quoted,  by  its 
first  section  forbade  this  importation  except  from  Great  Britain  only. 

The  existing  duty  on  the  trade  of  the  colonies  with  the  French  and 
Spanish  islands  was  prohibitory  from  its  excess,  but  was  regularly  evaded 
by  connivance  between  the  merchants  and  the  British  officials,  from  gov- 
ernors to  customs  officers.  In  March,  1763,  Charles  Townshend,  First 
Lord  of  Trade,  and  charged  with  the  administration  of  the  colonies,  form- 
ulated the  long-meditated  plan  of  reducing  this  duty  and  enforcing  its 
collection.  Parliament  was  anxious  for  it,  as  it  was  known  that  the 
collection  of  less  than  two  thousand  pounds  revenue  in  America  cost  the 
British  customs  establishment  between  seven  and  eight  thousand  pounds 
a  year.  In  the  same  month  George  Grenville,  then  First  Lord  of  the 
Admiralty,  supplemented  this  bill  with  one  giving  authority  to  employ 
the  ships  and  officers  of  the  navy  as  custom-house  officers,  guards,  and 
informers.  It  is  not  probable  that  the  Americans  would  have  revolted 
against  these  or  any  other  customs  regulations.  They  would  have  evaded 
them.  They  did  evade  them,  and  quarreled  with  the  modes  of  their 
enforcement,  but.  they  did  not  deny  the  right  to  Parliament  to  levy  its 
customs  and  to  collect  them.  But  the  revenue  from  the  custosm,  with  the 
restricted  trade  and  the  lowered  duties,  was  insufficient  for  the  support  of 
the  British  military  establishment. 


246  THE    REVOLUTIONARY    TROUBLES   AND    COMMERCE 

In  this  dilemma  the  Lords  of  the  Treasury,  in  September,  1763,  ordered 
the  draft  of  a  bill  to  extend  the  stamp  duties  to  the  colonies.  In  the 
interim  between  this  first  design  of  the  Stamp  Act  and  the  royal  assent  by 
commission,  George  the  Third  being  then  retired  in  a  fit  of  insanity 
'March  22,  1765),  stringent  measures  were  taken  to  enforce  the  acts  of  nav- 
igation. The  American  illicit  trade  with  the  sugar  islands  and  the  Spanish 
main,  which,  in  the  mild  language  of  Bancroft,  "  custom  had  established 
in  the  American  ports  [as]  a  compromise  between  the  American  claim  to 
as  free  a  trade  as  the  English,  and  the  British  acts  of  restriction,"  was 
very  large :  it  being  estimated  that  of  one  million  and  a  half  pounds  of 
tea  consumed  each  year  in  the  colonies,  not  more  than  one-tenth  part 
came  from  England. 

Passing  over  the  familiar  subjects  of  the  non-importation  agreements, 
the  action  of  the  inhabitants  of  Boston,  New  York,  Charleston,  and  other 
cities,  in  regard  to  the  tea  ships,  and  the  initial  events  of  the  Revolution- 
ary war — a  matter  of  great  interest  and  of  special  bearing  on  the  present 
study  is  that  of  privateering  during  the  war,  both  on  the  part  of  the 
English  and  the  Americans. 

The  British  naval  service  had  become  so  irksome  and  distasteful  to  the 
sailors  that  Admiral  Arbuthnot  had  to  resort  to  extreme  measures  to  keep 
his  vessels  manned.  As  a  final  resort  he  laid  an  embargo  on  all  shipping. 
In  September,  1779,  on  assuming  command,  he  had  declared  by  proclama- 
tion :  "  That  in  future  for  every  seaman  or  seafaring  man  that  may  desert 
from  the  king's  ships  or  transports,  I  will  press  man  for  man  out  of  the 
privateers  and  merchant  vessels."  This  continued  as  a  standing  notice, 
and  was  published  in  all  the  newspapers  at  New  York.1  The  merchants, 
distressed  by  the  embargo  and  anxious  to  be  relieved  from  the  daily 
expense  accumulating  on  ships  and  goods,  applied  to  Sir  Henry  Clinton, 
the  commander-in-chief.  Colonel  William  Tryon,  who  had  been  colonial 
governor,  and  continued  to  serve  in  the  British  army  after  the  outbreak  of 
the  Revolution,  also  plainly  set  forth  to  Admiral  Arbuthnot  that  his  proc- 
lamation, however  well  intended  or  proper  for  the  prevention  of  desertion 

1  There  were  three  newspapers  in  New  York  in  1772  :  The  New  York  Gazette  and  Weekly 
Mercury,  printed  by  Hugh  Gaine,  printer  and  bookseller  and  stationer,  in  the  Bible  and  Crown, 
in  Hanover  Square  (established  August  3,  1752,  discontinued  October  13,  1783)  ;  The  New  York 
Journal,  or  The  General  Advertiser,  "containing the  freshest  articles  both  Foreign  and  Domestick," 
printed  and  published  by  John  Holt,  on  Hunter's  Quay,  Rotten  Row  (established  May  29,  1766, 
discontinued  in  1785);  The  New  York  Gazette  or  Weekly  Post  Boy,  "containing  the  freshest 
Advices  Foreign  and  Domestick,"  established  by  James  Parker  in  January,  1742-3 — August 
27,  1770.  Samuel  Inslee  and  Anthony  Carr  published  this  paper  and  continued  it  two  years. — 
Isaiah  Thomas,  History  of  Pointing  in  America. 


THE    REVOLUTIONARY   TROUBLES   AND   COMMERCE  247 

from  the  king's  ships,  could  not  fail  to  damp  the  ardor  of  the  merchants 
and  the  privateers.  These  demonstrations  resulted  in  the  relief  desired. 
Not  long  after,  Governor  James  Robertson,  who  was  the  Governor  of  New 
York  province,  so  far  as  he  could  govern  it  during  the  war — advised  Lord 
George  Germaine  that  he  was  "  in  hopes  soon  to  be  able  to  revive  the 
spirit  of  privateering." 

It  was  necessary  that  the  system  so  effective  on  the  American 
side,  should  be  set  off  by  an  equally  effective  one  on  the  side  of  the 
British.  As  Governor  Robertson  wrote  :  "  The  obstructions  to  their  trade 
had  given  the  rebels  but  too  many  opportunities  lately  of  carrying  into 
their  ports  many  of  our  ships  and  great  numbers  of  their  own."  Insurance 
also  had  risen  greatly.  From  the  beginning  of  the  war  the  rates  had  been 
high,  but  now  were  extreme.  On  February  17,  1778,  the  Duke  of 
Richmond  stated  in  Parliament :  "  The  price  of  insurance  to  the  West 
Indies  and  North  America  is  increased  from  two  to  two  and  one-half,  and 
five  per  cent.,  with  convoy ;  but  without  convoy  and  unarmed  the  said 
insurance  has  been  made  at  fifteen  per  cent.  But,  generally,  ships  under 
such  circumstances  can  not  be  insured  at  all." 

Privateers  in  large  numbers  issued  constantly  from  the  harbors  of  New 
England.  But  the  successes  of  this  class  of  patriotic  fighters  were  not 
confined  to  the  exploits  of  the  vessels  fitted  out  in  New  England.  One  of 
the  boldest  achievements  of  the  war  took  place  in  May,  1780.  On  the  24th, 
four  American  privateers,  three  of  which  were  from  New  London,  caught 
sight  of  the  Carteret  packet  from  Falmouth,  and  giving  chase,  ran  her  on 
shore  at  Sandy  Hook,  although  she  was  armed  with  twenty-two  nine- 
pounders.  Captain  Newman  of  the  packet  barely  escaped  with  his  mail, 
being  pursued  in  his  row-boat  for  several  leagues.  The  packet's  remains 
were  sold  at  auction  in  July.  The  Chamber  of  Commerce  generously 
rewarded  Captain  Newman  with  a  piece  of  plate  of  twenty  guineas'  value, 
with  their  arms  thereon,  for  his  "  attention  and  prudence  in  saving  and 
bringing  at  all  hazards  his  mail  to  New  York,"  all  of  which  was  duly 
engraved.  A  short  time  after  this  daring  feat  the  Mercury  packet,  Cap- 
tain Dillon,  was  captured  and  taken  into  Philadelphia,  and  the  cutter  of 
the  Hon.  Major  Cochrane  was  attacked  off  the  Hook.  Again,  in  the  early 
part  of  June  the  Comet  and  the  Hawk,  cruising  in  company,  were  chased 
by  a  British  warship.  The  Hawk  was  driven  on  shore  on  Long  Island  and 
stranded.  The  Comet  burned  her  wreck,  took  off  or  spiked  her  guns,  and 
continuing  her  cruise  off  Sandy  Hook  about  two  miles,  cut  out  three 
schooners  and  five  sloops,  all  of  which  Captain  Kemp  brought  safe  into 
Philadelphia,  with  twenty-eight  prisoners. 


24^  THE    REVOLUTIONARY    TROUBLES   AND    COMMERCE 

As  the  war  went  on  another  class  of  privateers  appeared.  These  were 
the  New  York  whale-boat  men,  led  by  Captain  Hyler,  the  first  captain  of 
the  Whaling  Company,  whose  business  had  been  arrested  by  the  war. 
The  shallow  waters  about  New  York  bay  afforded  safe  harbor  and  refuge 
to  those  light  craft.  The  Shrewsbury  river  was  the  favorite  resort  of  Cap- 
tain Hyler.  From  these  waters,  which  are  a  continuation  of  Sandy  Hook 
bay,  lie  watched  the  fisheries  on  the  Shrewsbury  banks,  which  were  a  main 
source  of  supply  for  the  New  York  market,  and  pounced  upon  the  fishing 
smacks  as  a  fish-hawk  on  its  prey,  at  his  pleasure.  His  habit  was  to  cap- 
ture the  vessels,  seize  their  cargoes,  let  them  go  free  for  a  ransom  of  one 
hundred  dollars,  and  recapture  them  if  they  appeared  again.  He  neither 
allowed  commutation  nor  granted  passes. 

The  exploits  of  the  regular  privateers,  as  well  as  of  these  whale- 
boat  men,  gave  rise  to  a  rather  sharp  interchange  of  opinions  between 
the  Chamber  of  Commerce  and  Admiral  Arbuthnot.  In  a  memorial 
addressed  to  him  they  advise  that  "  a  couple  of  fast-sailing  frigates  con- 
stantly cruise  between  Delaware  and  Block  Island,  and  making  the  light 
house  at  Sandy  Hook  once  or  twice  a  week  as  the  winds  might  permit, 
would  effectually  protect  the  trade  of  this  port  from  all  invaders."  They 
state  also  the  importance  of  the  fishery  upon  the  banks  of  the  Shrews- 
bury to  the  New  York  garrison,  and  say  that  "  unless  a  proper  armed 
vessel  can  be  appointed  daily  to  protect  the  fishermen  from  the  gun  and 
whale  boats  that  are  preparing  upon  the  adjacent  shores  to  attack  them, 
they  will  find  it  impracticable  to  pursue  that  business."  The  Americans 
had  found  the  fault  in   the  armor  of  the  supposed  invulnerable  foe. 

To  this  representation  Arbuthnot  replied  from  his  flagship,  the  Royal 
Oak,  off  New  York,  that  his  frigates  had  been  constantly  cruising  off  the 
bar,  and  between  the  points  named  by  the  chamber;  but  that  so  limited 
was  his  force,  that  it  had  not  been  in  his  power  to  "  station  a  single  frigate 
for  the  protection  of  the  trade  bound  to  Halifax,  a  port  not  inferior 
to  any  in  America."  Referring  to  the  second  topic,  he  added  :  "  With 
respect  to  the  protection  of  the  fishermen  employed  on  the  banks  of  the 
Shrewsbury  for  supplying  your  market,  I  cannot  help  mentioning  to  you 
that  early  after  I  took  command  on  this  station  I  purchased  a  vessel 
mounting  twelve  carriage-guns  ;  she  was  fitted  out  at  a  considerable 
expense  ;  I  requested  that  the  city  would  man  her,  that  I  would  pay  the 
men,  and  that  her  services  should  never  be  diverted  to  any  other  purpose 
than  giving  such  protection  ;  my  offer  was  received  with  a  strong  degree 
of  coolness,  and  till  now  I  have  never  had  any  further  solicitation  on 
this  subject." 


THE    REVOLUTIONARY    TROUBLES   AND   COMMERCE  249 

To  this  rather  sharp  retort  the  chamber  answered  disclaiming  any 
purpose  of  giving  offense  in  suggesting  their  "  ideas  of  the  mode  (never 
hitherto  altogether  adopted)  of  affording  effectual  protection  to  this  port." 
In  the  matter  of  the  admiral's  reference  to  the  protection  of  Halifax,  they 
scout  the  idea  of  comparison  between  the  two  ports  (that  and  New  York) 
as  harbors  for  large  ships,  or  as  to  the  export  and  import  trade  of  each. 
lt  Though  most  of  the  charts  are  marked  with  only  three  and  one-half 
fathoms  of  water  on  the  bar  outside  of  Sandy  Hook,  yet  the  most  expe- 
rienced pilots  declare  they  have  always  found  the  depth  four  fathoms. 
After  getting  over  the  bar  the  water  deepens  all  the  way  to  New  York. 
Ships  of  war  can  go  up  the  river  through  Hell  Gate  and  the  Sound, 
between  Long  Island  and  the  continent,  into  the  ocean.  Sir  James 
Wallace  in  the  Experiment,  of  fifty  guns,  when  chased  by  the  French  fleet 
off  the  east  end  of  Long  Island  in  1777,  came  through  the  Sound,  Hell 
Gate,  and  the  East  River,  to  New  York.  The  tide  flows  up  Hudson's  or  the 
North  River  one  hundred  and  eighty  miles.  Before  the  Revolution  ships 
went  from  London  Bridge  to  Albany,  which  is  one  hundred  and  seventy 
miles  up  the  river  ;  only  six  miles  below  it,  it  was  necessary  to  lighten 
them  by  taking  out  part  of  the  cargo."  ' 

To  his  remarks  upon  his  offer  to  protect  the  fishing  banks,  they  assure 
him  that  no  application  had  ever  been  made  to  them  on  that  subject,  or 
"they  would  have  taken  it  up  with  the  same  zeal  which  they  doubt  not 
your  excellency  will  admit  they  manifested  to  procure  volunteers  for 
manning  his  majesty's  ships  under  your  command  "  ;  and  they  end  with 
the  engagement  that  if  the  admiral  will  be  "  so  good  as  to  furnish  a  proper 
vessel  with  provisions  and  ammunition  to  protect  the  fishermen  on  the 
banks  of  Shrewsbury  for  the  benefit  of  this  market,  the  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce will  cheerfully  exert  their  endeavors,  and  they  doubt  not  they  will 
be  able  in  a  short  time  not  only  to  procure  as  many  men  as  your  excellency 
may  think  sufficient  for  that  purpose,  but  also  to  raise  funds  for  paying 
them,  provided  protection  from  injuries  can  be  granted  by  your  excellency 
to  the  men,  and  that  they  shall  be  discharged  as  soon  as  the  fishing 
season  is  over." 

The  admiral  took  no  offense  at  the  asperity  of  this  communication.  He 
reminded  them  that  "  offense  to  his  majesty's  enemies,  as  well  as  protec- 
tion to  the  loyal  part  of  the  community,  necessarily  engaged  a  considerable 
part  of  his  attention,"  and  assured  them  that  he  would  "  always  bear  testi- 
mony to  the  ready  and  cheerful  assistance  which  the  city  gave  to  raising 

1  Political  Magazine,  1 78 1. 


250        THE  REVOLUTIONARY  TROUBLES  AND  COMMERCE 

volunteers."     He  made  no  further  allusion  to  the  protection  of  the  fish- 
ing banks. 

The  Chamber  of  Commerce  was  furnished  still  another  opportunity  to 
express  itself  upon  the  subject  of  privateers  ;  and  this  time  they  were 
those  who  were  intended  to  serve  on  the  side  of  the  British.  Admiral 
Dig-bv,  in  command  of  the  station  after  the  surrender  of  Cornwallis  at 
Yorktown,  addressed  the  following  letter  to  Governor  Robertson,  which 
was  referred  by  the  latter  to  the  Chamber  of  Commerce: 

New  York,  April  3,  1782. 
Sir: 

There  are  already  above  one  thousand  men  out  in  privateers,  and  four  more  ready,  to 
man  which  will  take  above  two  hundred  men.  I  must  therefore  beg  your  excellency  will 
withhold  granting  any  more  commissions  till  the  return  of  some  of  the  large  privateers 
whose  cruises  are  expired,  as  there  are  two  frigates  now  in  port  that  cannot  be  sent  to 
sea  for  want  of  men.  At  the  same  time  I  beg  it  may  be  understood  that  I  mean  to  give 
all  the  encouragement  to  privateers  in  my  power,  whenever  the  king's  service  will 
permit.  But  I  must  beg  leave  to  take  this  opportunity  of  informing  your  excellency  that 
unless  they  are  kept  within  bounds  it  will  be  impossible  to  carry  on  the  king's  service, 
and  that  the  Perseverance,  belonging  to  Messrs.  King  &  Kemble,  and  commanded  by  Mr. 
Ross,  has  sailed  without  my  pass,  and  returned  to  the  Hook,  and  sailed  again  after  bid- 
ding defiance  to  the  guardship  and  king's  boats,  which,  if  suffered  to  pass  unnoticed, 
must  in  the  end  prove  a  great  detriment  to  my  intentions.  I  have  the  honor  to  be  your 
excellency's  very  obedient  servant, 

Robert  Digby. 

To  His  Excellency,  Governor  Robertson. 

In  a  lengthy  memorial  replying  to  this  letter,  addressed  to  the  governor, 
the  chamber  observed,  among  other  things,  that  "  past  uniform  experi- 
ence abundantly  justified  them  in  observing  that  however  difficult  it  may 
be  to  carry  on  the  king's  service  unless  privateers  are  kept  within  bounds, 
it  will  be  found  much  more  so  if  these  bounds  be  reduced  to  too  narrow 
a  compass";  that  due  encouragement  to  privateers  is,  in  other  words, 
only  to  tempt  both  landsmen  as  well  as  seamen  by  the  most  powerful 
inducements,  that  of  making  it  their  interest  to  resort  from  all  parts  of 
the  continent  to  this  port,  "  nor  has  any  maxim  obtained  more  universal 
assent  than  that  all  wise  governments  should  assiduously  consult  and 
attend  to  the  temper  and  genius  of  the  people  ;  and  it  is  notorious  that 
the  genius  of  no  people  was  ever  more  peculiar  or  conspicuous  than  that  of 
the  Americans  for  privateering."  They  therefore  recommend,  "  to  impress 
no  man  returning  from  captivity  by  cartel  or  escape,  until  their  return  to 
this  port  after  performing  one  voyage — to  impress  no  man  on  shore  or 
from  any  outward  bound  vessels,  but  that  this  port  should  really  and  truly 


THE    REVOLUTIONARY   TROUBLES   AND   COMMERCE  25  I 

be  an  asylum  to  all  of  the  above  description,  except  as  is  before  men- 
tioned on  some  grand  emergency";  else,  ''rather  than  be  liable  to  an 
impress  on  board  men-of-war  on  their  arrival  here  before  they  have  made 
a  voyage,  experience  has  fully  evinced  they  will  enter  on  board  merchant 
vessels  and  privateers  among  the  rebels."  That  there  was  an  underlying 
sympathy  with  the  patriots  among  the  American  mariners  is  thus  made 
to  appear  by  the  testimony  of  men  loyal  to  the  crown. 

The  grave  difficulties  encountered  by  the  United  States  in  establishing 
its  freedom  abroad  as  well  as  at  home  must  not  be  overlooked.  The  in- 
terests of  the  states  were  not  and  have  never  been  entirely  homogeneous. 
Each  foreign  power  endeavored,  after  the  old-school  diplomacy,  to  intrigue 
for  its  own  interests  in  the  American  domain,  and  the  policy  of  each  to- 
wards the  young  republic  was  governed  by  political  rather  than  economic 
reasons.  But  while  the  continental  powers  sought  closer  relations,  Great 
Britain  stood  aloof,  partly  in  the  hope  that  dissatisfaction  and  distress  would 
be  caused  in  New  England  by  the  continuance  of  her  old  restriction  on  the 
West  India  trade,  which  had  been  the  most  profitable  to  those  colonies  of 
all  their  commerce.  While  under  this  policy  the  annual  exports  from 
Great  Britain  to  the  United  States  had  decreased  nearly  ^4,000,000,  or  ten 
per  cent.,  this  loss  was  partially  compensated  by  an  increase  in  her  exports 
to  the  West  Indies;  and  while  the  imports  from  the  United  States  into 
Great  Britain  had  decreased  annually  about  eight  hundred  thousand  pounds, 
•or  fifty  per  cent.,  the  imports  from  the  West  Indies  had  increased  seven 
hundred  thousand  pounds,  or  twenty  per  cent.  The  decrease  in  the  im- 
ports from  the  United  States  is  accounted  for  by  the  decreased  quantity 
of  rice  and  tobacco  from  the  Carolinas  which  found  foreign  markets  through 
Great  Britain — a  condition  of  trade  which  caused  equal  dissatisfaction  in 
Virginia,  because  of  the  seclusion  of  her  staple  product,  which,  in  fact,  in  a 
few  years  destroyed  her  commercial  importance.  On  the  whole,  however, 
Great  Britain  managed  to  maintain  the  balance  of  trade  with  the  United 
States  in  her  favor,  and  was  content  to  wait  the  course  of  events  at 
home  and  abroad,  under  the  system  of  provisional  annual  legislation  which 
had  prevailed  since  the  war  ;  and  meanwhile  rejected  all  American  over- 
tures for  a  commercial  treaty. 


AN    INCIDENT    IN    THE    LIFE    OF    WEBSTER 
By  W.  I.  Crandall 

To  go  back  fifty  years  in  the  life  of  an  active  man  is  a  long  stretch  for 
the  memory  ;  but  the  incident  to  be  related  is  an  amusing  one,  and  not 
easily  to  be  forgotten.  Half  a  century  ago  the  agricultural  and  mechanical 
interests  of  the  empire  state  acquired  a  new  impetus,  judging  from  the 
numerous  organizations  of  county  fairs  which  were  instituted  in  every  part 
of  the  state,  and  were  maintained  with  enthusiasm  for  successive  years  ; 
followed  later  in  each  autumn,  by  a  state  fair,  to  close  the  season's  enterprise. 
Everything  was  considered  worthy  of  exhibition,  from  a  mouse-trap  to  a 
stage  coach,  or  from  a  rabbit  to  the  best  breeds  of  imported  stock  ;  and,  as 
a  consequence,  the  state  fair  became  the  great  annual  event,  and  a  rallying- 
point  for  all  that  was  worth  seeing  or  hearing,  and  to  which  the  most  intel- 
ligent and  practical  citizens  of  the  country  gathered.  Railroading  was 
limited  in  its  scope  in  those  days,  but  the  Erie  canal  still  retained  its 
usefulness  and  great  popularity,  as  the  chief  artery  of  inter-communication  ; 
so  much  so,  that  the  cities  and  villages  along  its  banks  and  branches  would 
charter  the  canal  boats  to  carry  their  products  and  themselves  to  this  grand 
centre  of  display — the  state  fair — an  event  which  grew  in  importance  each 
year,  the  trip  becoming  a  source  of  pleasure  as  well  as  profit. 

There  was  honorable  rivalry  between  the  inland  cities  to  secure  the 
fair  for  the  succeeding  year.  When  that  point  was  settled,  however,  all 
the  auxiliary  county  societies  vied  with  each  other  to  excel  in  the  display 
and  make  it  a  success;  while  the  fortunate  city  holding  the  prize  left  noth- 
ing undone  to  eclipse  the  fair  of  the  preceding  year.  Not  only  was  lavish 
hospitality  provided  for  the  visitors,  and  the  city  decorated,  but  marked 
efforts  were  made  to  secure  an  eloquent  orator  of  known  ability  and  national 
reputation  to  deliver  the  address  before  the  state  association  and  the  thou- 
sands who  were  sure  to  be  present.  To  fail  in  this  was  an  unpardonable 
sin.  Usually  a  grand  evening  banquet  closed  the  orthodox  festivities,  at 
which  all  the  notables,  far  and  near,  were  honored  guests,  and  the  toasts 
and  responses  were  not  the  least  part  of  the  well-rounded  entertainment. 

In  the  fall  of  1841  or  1842  the  state  fair  was  held  in  the  city  of  Roch- 
ester, then  the  greatest  emporium  of  wheat  and  milling  in  the  United  States, 
for  St.  Paul  and  Minneapolis  at  that  time  were  not  yet  in  existence.  Its 
milling  capacity  and  remarkable  water  power  made   Rochester  a   leading 


AN    INCIDENT   IN   THE   LIFE   OF   WEBSTER  253 

attraction  to  the  dominant  agricultural  interests,  and  the  weather  proving 
favorable,  the  numbers  that  came  were  very  large.  The  canal  and  basins 
were  blockaded  with  the  boats  arriving,  and  the  broad  streets  were  none 
too  spacious  to  accommodate  the  crowds  of  eager  visitors  landing  every 
hour.  To  explain  this  unusual  attendance,  it  may  be  added  that  the  state 
committee  had  secured  the  presence  of  Daniel  Webster  as  the  orator  of 
the  day,  and  this  fact  alone  was  an  incentive  to  multitudes  to  come, 
anxious  to  see  and  hear  the  famous  American  whose  eloquent  orations 
were  the  admiration  of  the  civilized  world. 

The  writer  was  then  a  boy  employed  in  the  leading  jewelry  store  on  the 
corner  of  what  were  known  as  Exchange  and  Buffalo  streets,  whose  pro- 
prietor, a  strong  whig,  had  been  long  in  business,  and  was  an  especial  admirer 
of  the  "  god-like  Daniel,"  as  Mr.  Webster  was  familarly  known  among  his 
warm-hearted  friends.  Before  noon  on  the  day  the  address  was  to  begin,  the 
sidewalk  in  front  of  this  store  was  thronged  with  people,  chiefly  strangers, 
who  had  gathered  around  two  gentlemen  engaged  in  earnest  conversation. 
The  principal  one  of  the  two,  who  seemed  to  be  the  cause  of  this  concourse, 
was  dressed  in  a  blue  swallow-tail  coat  with  brass  buttons,  was  stoutly 
built,  had  a  massive  head,  and  was  quite  dignified  in  his  bearing.  He 
seemed  oblivious  to  his  surroundings  until  the  pressure  of  the  throng 
annoyed  him,  when  he  and  his  friend  pushed  their  way  into  the  jewelry 
store,  only  to  be  crowded  still  more,  as  the  populace  followed  and  filled  the 
place  till  it  was  oppressive. 

Then  Mr.  C ,  the  proprietor,  began  to  fidget  and  dance  about  behind 

his  counters,  glancing  quickly  at  each  of  his  clerks,  as  if  to  say,  "  Look  sharp 
for  thieves  !  "  Though  he,  like  others,  had  counted  upon  a  large  trade, 
this  was  evidently  too  much  of  a  good  thing  in  the  way  of  customers. 
Meantime  the  two  gentlemen  continued  their  earnest  conference,  without 
noticing  the  eager  spectators.  Sometimes  a  sentence  spoken  a  little 
louder  would  be  heard,  but  not  enough  to  make  sense  ;  as,  "  But  you 
must  confess  this!"  exclaimed  the  man  in  blue.  "  It  is  impossible,"  re- 
plied the  other.  "  Why  impossible  ?  "  queried  the  wearer  of  the  brass 
buttons.  "  You  know  all  the  facts,  and  it  should  be  done  at  once."  "  How 
can  I?"  said  the  other,  "  after  my  explanation  to  him  ?"  "  Tell  him  " — 
and  here  the  voices  dropped  to  indistinctness. 

At  this   point   Mr.  C ,  innocent  in  his  way,  thought  he  understood 

what  was  the  matter,  and  became  so  excited  that  he  pushed  through  in 
front,  and,  touching  the  arm  of  the  one  in  blue,  requested  him  very  de- 
cidedly "  to  leave  the  store,"  as  the  best  way  to  get  rid  of  the  crowd.  The 
gentleman  addressed,  pausing,  looked  at  Mr.  C with  marked  surprise ; 


254  AN   INCIDENT   IN   THE   LIFE    OF   WEBSTER 

then  he  appeared  to  realize  the  state  of  affairs,  and  in  a  very  gracious 
manner  bowed  and  apologized  for  the  inconvenience  he  had  caused.  "  In 
truth,"  he  said,  "  he  had  not  observed  how  he  was  trespassing."  He  and 
his  friend  then  returned  to  the  sidewalk,  and  the  people  followed,  leaving 
the  store  alone  to  Mr.  C and  his  clerks. 

How  relieved  the  proprietor  was  as  he  rubbed  his  hands  and  drew  in  a 
long  breath  !  "  Well,"  said  he,  '4  that  was  well  managed.  The  rascals  !  I 
hope  nothing  here  has  been  stolen."     Such  an  affair  amused  the  clerks,  of 

course,  but  what  was  their  astonishment  when   Mr.  A ,  the  horologer 

and  watch  repairer,  a  man  who  had  seen  much  of  the  world,  and  who  was 
showing  a  customer  a  watch  at  the  time,  began  to  laugh  pleasantly,  and 
asked  Mr.  C "  if  he  knew  whom  he  had  just  turned  out  of  doors  ?" 

"  No  sir,"  said  Mr.  C ,  "  except  I'm  positive  the  man  in  blue  has  had 

his  pocket  picked,  and  was  trying  to  make  the  rogue  confess." 

4*  Indeed,  you  are  much  mistaken,"  said  Mr.  A ;  "  that  '  man  in  blue/ 

as  you  call  him,  is  the  '  god-like  '  Daniel  Webster  whom  you  worship  and 
have  been  so  anxious  to  see  for  the  last  month,  while  the  '  rogue '  whom  he 
would  confess  is  a  prominent  personal  friend  of  his  on  the  state  committee." 

"  Impossible,"  faltered  Mr.  C .     But  as  the  truth  began  to  enter  his 

soul,  the  color  fled  from  his  face  ;  he  stood  for  several  minutes  completely 
dazed,  too  mortified  and  overcome  to  move  or  attempt  reparation.  When, 
however,  he  did  recover  his  composure,  he  noticed  a  Rochester  friend  stop 
before  the  door  and  cordially  shake  hands  with  Mr.  Webster  as  an  old 
acquaintance,  for  the  distinguished  senator  of  Massachusetts  was  still 
conversing  with  the  committeeman  in  front  of  the  store.     "  Ah  !  there's  a 

chance,"   said   Mr.  C ,  and   rushing  out    he    button-holed   the   mutual 

friend,  and  begged  an  introduction  to  the  "  great  expounder."  The  clerks 
curiously  followed  to  the  door  to  witness  the  last  scene  in  the  comedy  in 
which  so  great  a  personage  was  the  chief  actor.      The  introduction   was 

kindly  given,  and   when   Mr.  C ,  with  many  salutations,  explained  the 

episode  in  the  store  with  humble  apologies,  a  genial  smile  spread  over 
the  broad  face  of  Webster,  and  grew  into  a  jolly  laugh  so  hearty  and 
contagious,  that  the  writer  and  his  fellow  clerks  forgot  their  manners  and 
joined  in  the  laughter  ;  while  many  spectators,  imagining  they  understood 
the  joke,  increased  the  merriment,  which  mysteriously  spread  around  the 
corner,  for  most  of  the  people  had  not  the  slightest  idea  of  what  they  were 
laughing  at. 

It  took  Mr.  C several  weeks  to  reconcile  his  conscience  to  the  part 

he  had  acted,  but  finally  he  began  to  regard  it  as  an  excellent  joke  and 
worthy  of  remembrance. 


THE    GRAVE    OF   TAMENEND    (TAMMANY) 
By  H.  C.  Mercer. 

If  one  descends  the  Neshaminy  creek  along  its  right  bank  at  Prospect 
Hill,  in  New  Britain  township,  Bucks  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  coming 
out  of  the  hemlock  grove  that  overhangs  the  water,  ascends  the  first  rivu- 
let that  crosses  his  path,  a  walk  of  three  or  four  hundred  yards  will  bring 
him 'to  its  source:  a  small  spring,  half  hidden  by  grass,  in  a  hollow  of  the 
open  hillside  meadow.  About  fifty  feet  downward  from  the  spring,  close 
to  the  rill,  we  find,  by  pulling  away  some  briars,  an  old  stump  much 
decayed,  where  forty  years  ago  stood  a  large  poplar,  and  just  forty-seven 
feet  below  it  some  large  saplings  mark  the  former  site  of  a  chestnut  tree. 
Between  the  two  stumps  stands  a  young  cherry  tree,  and  there  a  little 
nearer  the  rivulet,  at  the  foot  of  the  bank,  eleven  feet  from  the  poplar  and 
thirty-six  from  the  chestnut  (according  to  Aden  H.  Brinker),  is  the  site  of 
an  Indian  grave. 

The  spot  is  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Enos  Detweiler,1  about  a  mile 
up  Neshaminy  creek  from  Godschalk's  dam,  and  there  is  no  doubt  that 
about  the  middle  of  the  last  century  an  Indian  chief  was  buried  there  by 
white  men.  The  local  tradition  of  the  death  and  burial  has  been  often 
referred  to  by  antiquarians,  notably  in  Watsons  Annals  (ii.,  172),  in  a 
quoted  letter  written  from  Bucks  county,  by  one  E.  M.,  in  about  1842,  to  the 
editor;  in  Sherman  Day's  Historical  Collection  (p.  163)  ;  in  Harper 's  Maga- 
zine (vol.  xliv.,  p.  639)  ;  by  W.  J.  Buck  in  the  Doylestown  Democrat  for 
May  6,  1856  ;  and  by  John  Rodgers  within  a  few  years  in  the  Doylestown 
Intelligencer.  It  was  noted  down  by  me  last  year,  from  the  lips  of  Thomas 
Shewell,  Esq.,  of  Bristol,  the  oldest  living  male  descendant — great  grand- 
son— of  Walter  Shewell  (born  1702,  died  1779),  who  superintended  the 
burial  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago. 

A  very  aged  Indian,  too  infirm  to  walk,  so  ran  the  story  as  he  knew  it 
direct  from  his  ancestors,  while  being  carried  by  younger  followers  to  a 
conference  with  the  proprietaries  (probably  at  Philadelphia),  halted  near 

1  I  traced  back  the  ownership  of  the  property  in  the  Doylestown  land  records  to  about  1770. 
From  that  time  (Deed  Book  19,  p.  76)  it  had  come  down  through  David  Caldwell,  William  Forbes, 
William  Dean,  David  Waggoner,  Abram  Moyer,  John  Mover,  Captain  J.  Robbarts,  in  1822  ; 
(Deed  Book  49,  p.  139)  to  John  Q.  Adams  Brinker  and  the  present  owner.  I  cannot  learn  that  it 
was  ever  owned  by  the  Shewells. 


THE    GRAVE    OF   TAMENEND 

the  above-mentioned  spring.1  There,  tired  of  their  burden,  the  young 
Indians  built  a  hut  for  the  old  man,  and  leaving  him  in  charge  of  an  Indian 
girl,2  suddenly,  after  night  came  on,  abandoned  him  and  went  on  to  the 
rendezvous.  So  enraged  and  distressed  was  he,  on  waking,  to  find  him- 
self deserted,  that  he  tried  to  commit  suicide  by  stabbing  himself ;  and 
when  his  weak,  trembling  hand  could  not  thrust  the  knife  with  effect,  at 
last  set  fire  to  his  bed  of  leaves  and  threw  himself  upon  it.3  The  other 
Indians,  who  had  been  refused  a  hearing  by  the  proprietaries  in  his  absence, 
and  sent  back  to  fetch  him,  on  arriving  at  the  hut  found  him  dead,  with  a 
great  hole  burned  in  his  side. 

The  affair  was  noised  abroad,  and  Walter  Shewell,  Esq.,  of  Painswick 
Hall,4  the  most  prominent  man  in  the  neighborhood,  and  once  sheriff  of 
Bucks  county,  had  the  body  buried  in  the  presence  of  the  Indians  near 
the  hut.  All  the  common  versions  repeat  the  incident  omitted  by  Mr. 
Shewell,  that  Walter  Shewell's  son  Robert,  then  a  little  boy,  wanted  to  go 
with  his  father  to  the  funeral,  but  was  forbidden.  The  Misses  Shewell  of 
Doylestown  are  very  certain  of  the  detail  as  forming  part  of  their  family 
tradition.  But  their  cousin,  my  informant,  doubts  it.  Not  long  after,  the 
body  of  a  son  or  descendant  of  Tammany,  or  Tamenend  (for  so  all  the 
traditions  distinctly  name  the  buried  chief)  was  brought  by  Indians  to 
the  spring  and  there  buried  near  the  other  grave,  where  Mr.  Thomas 
Shewell,  my  informant,  remembered  seeing  both  grave-mounds  with  the 
stones  and  the  two  large  trees,  in  about  the  year  1816.5  Still  later,  two 
more  dead  Indians,  supposed  to  have  been  descendants  of  Tamenend, 
were  brought  by  the  tribe  to  the  spot  for  burial,  and  finally,  for  some 
reason  unknown,  interred  in  the  old  New  Britain  (Baptist)  churchyard, 
where  all  trace  of  their  unmarked  graves  has  been  lost.6 

On  January  31,   1892,  I   visited  the  spring   and   site  of  "Tammany's 

1  The  common  version  and  that  of  Sherman  Day,  taken  from  some  member  of  the  Shewell 
family  about  1840  {Hist.  Coll.,  p.  163),  says  distinctly  that  the  old  chief  fell  ill  on  the  road. 

'l  The  current  versions  describe  the  girl  as  his  daughter. 

3  All  the  other  versions  say  that  he  first  tried  to  burn  himself,  but  was  prevented,  and  after- 
wards stabbed  himself  while  the  girl  was  at  the  spring. 

*  Painswick  Hall  named  after  an  ancestral  country  seat  of  the  Shewells  in  England.  The  old 
house  recently  sold  by  the  Misses  Shewell  of  Doylestown  still  stands  on  the  left  of  the  road 
leading  from  New  Britain  to  Castle  Valley,  the  first  building  on  the  left  after  crossing  the  road 
to  Godschalk's  mill.  Early  in  the  last  century  it  belonged  to  an  estate  of  five  hundred  acres. 
The  Shewells  were  in  New  Britain  in  1729. 

1  The  Misses  Shewell  knew  nothing  of  this  grave. 

6  The  Misses  Shewell  had  not  heard  of  these  graves.  Neither  had  the  present  sexton  at 
New  Britain.  Eugene  James,  Esq.,  had  an  indistinct  recollection  of  having  heard  them 
mentioned. 


THE   GRAVE   OF   TAMENEND  257 

grave  "  in  the  company  of  the  only  two  persons  now  living  who  probably 
could  positively  identify  the  spot — Aden  H.  Brinker  of  New  Britain,  and 
Edward  Brinker,  sons  of  John  Quincy  Adams  Brinker,  who  had  bought 
the  Detweiler  farm  from  Captain  Robbarts  and  sold  it  to  its  present 
owner.  Knowing  the  need  of  exactness  in  these  facts,  I  took  the  greatest 
care  in  learning  from  the  Brinker  brothers  that  Captain  Robbarts  had 
been  a  particular  friend  of  the  Shewells  and  a  frequent  guest  at  Pains- 
wick  Hall,  scarcely  a  mile  away;  that  through  Nathaniel  Shewell  the  then 
owner  (uncle  of  Mr.  Shewell  of  Bristol)  and  others  of  the  family,  he  had 
been  fully  acquainted  with  the  particulars  of  the  tradition.  That  after 
his  sale  of  the  farm  to  the  Brinkers,  he  had  boarded  at  the  house  until 
his  death,  and  had  frequently  shown  the  boys  and  their  father  the  graves 
by  the  spring. 

Aden  H.  Brinker  was  about  fourteen  years  old  when  his  father  ordered 
him  to  remove  the  grave  stones.  They  were  flat,  unhewn  slabs  of  red 
slate,  about  three  feet  long  and  one  and  a  half  wide,  with  no  marks  upon 
them,  standing  at  Tammany's  grave,  six  or  seven  feet  apart,  and  protrud- 
ing about  eight  inches  from  the  ground.  Much  less  account  was  made  of 
the  second  grave  than  of  the  first,  but  both  brothers  remember  their  father 
and  Captain  Robbarts  pointing  it  out,  about  fifty  feet  away,  across  the 
gully.  Thus  the  spot  has  changed  much  since  the  graves  were  visible.  So 
much,  that  perhaps  Mr.  Shewell,  who  has  not  seen  it  for  nearly  eighty  years, 
would  not  recognize  it.  The  steep  overhanging  bank  has  been  much 
graded  down  by  plowing.  The  source,  according  to  Mr.  Brinker,  has 
receded  nearly  one  hundred  feet  from  the  poplar  stump.  The  trees  are 
gone  and  the  hillside  is  bare.1  Still,  if  there  is  any  certainty  in  human 
evidence,  we  are  here  within  a  few  feet  of  the  historic  grave.  Here,  no 
doubt,  a  rusty  iron  knife  or  hatchet,  a  few  glass  beads  bought  from  white 
men,  and  possibly  a  brass  medal,  might  be  dug  up  to  tell  the  tale  of  this 
memorable  interment.  It  is  to  be  hoped,  however,  that  no  relic  hunter, 
for  the  sake  of  a  few  comparatively  modern  trinkets  (since  he  need  expect 
to  find  no  implements  of  the  stone  age),  will  venture  to  disturb  the  spot. 

There  is  no  doubt,  then,  as  to  the  burial  of  the  Indian,  and  little  doubt 
as  to  our  having  found  the  spot.  The  only  remaining  question  is  as  to 
the  identification  of  the  chief.     Was  it  Tamenend? 

Sherman  Day  {Historical  Collections,  p.  163)  answers  the  question  in 
the  negative,  and  adduces  in  proof  an  ingenious  and,  at  first,  a  convincing 

1  Besides  the  two  large  trees  referred  to,  a  walnut  and  two  other  chestnuts  on  the  slope  just 
above  the  spring  and  opposite  Tammany's  grave,  were  cut  down  by  the  Brinkers  for  barn  building 
at  the  same  time,  1850-60. 

Vol.  XXIX.— No.  3.- 17 


258  THE    GRAVE    OF   TAMENEND 

argument.  He  fixes,  and  I  think  correctly,  the  date  of  burial  after  1740; 
because  Robert  Shewell,  the  "  little  boy"  who  asked  in  vain  (according  to 
the  common  tradition")  to  go  to  the  funeral,  was  born  then.1  Tammany, 
he  thinks,  could  not  possibly  have  been  living  so  late  and  escaped  the 
notice  of  the  Moravian  missionaries  who  explored  the  forks  of  the  Dela- 
ware in  1742,  and  the  Susquehanna  soon  after.  But  this  is  only  a  sugges- 
tion of  Mr.  Day's,  and  so  is  my  answer  to  it.  I  suggest  that  Tamenend 
might  have  been  living  after  1740,  unnoticed  by  white  men,  and  for  the 
following  reasons : 

First,  Tamenend  was  present  at  a  council  in  Philadelphia  on  July  6, 
1694,  when  the  Iroquois  wanted  the  Delawares  to  attack  the  settlers 
{Colonial  Records,  i.  447),  when  he  made  this  speech:  "We  and  the 
Christians  of  this  river  have  always  had  a  free  roadway  to  one  another, 
and,  though  sometimes  a  tree  has  fallen  across  the  road,  yet  we  have  still 
removed  it  again,  and  kept  the  path  clear,  and  we  design  to  continue  the 
old  friendship  that  has  been  between  us  and  you."  And,  again,  on  July 
6,  1697  {Pennsylvania  Archives,  i.  124),  when  with  "  Wehiland,  my  brother, 
and  Weheequickhou,  alias  Andrew,  who  is  to  be  king  after  my  death,"  he 
again,  for  the  third  time,  sells  his  land  between  Pennypack  and  Neshaminy 
creeks.  This  is  the  last  official  notice  of  him  thus  far  discovered.  If  he 
was  forty  3'ears  old  then,  he  would  have  been  ninety-three  in  1750;  or  if 
fifty,  one  hundred  and  three  at  the  later  date,  which  is  in  general  accord 
with  the  Bucks  county  tradition  of  his  great  age ;  upon  which  tradition 
Cooper  bases  his  description  in  the  Last  of  the  Mohicans. 

Secondly,  the  lands  lying  between  Pennypack  and  Neshaminy  creeks 
constituted  the  particular  territory  of  Tamenend  himself,  which  he  sold 
three  times  over  to  William  Penn,  in  1683,  1692,  and  1697.     Then  and  for 

1  But  it  is  useless,  I  think,  to  assign,  as  he  does,  T749,  or  tne  date  of  any  known  public  con- 
ference, to  the  journey  of  the  old  man  and  his  followers  over  Prospect  hill.  Examination  of  the 
signed  treaties  proves  that  no  one  chief,  whatever  his  rank  as  sachem,  was  present  at  any  of  the  land 
conferences  which  did  not  concern  him  personally.  Tamenend,  who  was  head  sachem  of  the  whole 
Lenape  system  until  1718,  was  not  present  at  the  Jersey  land  treaty  of  1673,  or  the  lower  Bucks 
county  sale  in  1692,  or  the  Chester  and  Pennypack  sale  in  1685,  nor  that  for  the  Schuylkill  and 
Pennypack  lands  in  1683,  or  Susquehanna  and  Delaware  lands  in  1683  (see  Colonial  Records  and 
Pennsylvania  Archives).  When,  in  1683,  selling  lands  between  the  Neshaminy  and  Pennypack  {Pa. 
Arch.,  i.,  62),  Tamenend  concerned  himself  with  his  own  patrimony.  A  study  of  the  deeds  throws 
little  light  on  the  governmental  system  of  the  Lenape  ;  we  find  appended  to  each  a  list  of  strange 
names,  and  the  same  tract  sold  several  times  by  different  individuals,  with  no  hint  of  a  general 
tribal  supervision.  Doubtless  dozens  of  informal  conferences  were  never  recorded,  to  anyone  of 
which  Tamenend  may  have  been  called.  The  1749  conference  concluded  a  sale  of  lands  beyond 
the  Blue  mountains.  At  that  time  Tamenend,  if  living,  had  been  deposed  from  the  office  of  chief 
sachem  for  thirty-one  years. 


THE    GRAVE   OF   TAMENEND  259 

years  after  the  word  Tamcnend  must  have  been  identified  with  the  region, 
and  is  it  likely  that  the  Shewells,  who  came  there  in  1729,  only  thirty-one 
years  after  the  last  sale,  would  have  made  a  mistake  in  the  name? 

Third,  there  is  some  corroborative  evidence  for  the  tradition  in  a  song 
composed  in  honor  of  the  American  saint,  Tammany,  in  1783,  at  one  of 
the  meetings-  of  the  then  celebrated  Tammany  brotherhood  in  Phila- 
delphia, beginning: 

"  Of  Andrew,  of  Peter,  of  David,  of  George, 
What  mighty  achievements  we  hear." 

It  must  have  been  written  later  than  the  date  of  the  first  Philadelphia 
almanac  that  dubbed  Tamenend  a  saint,  about  1760-70.  While  its  last 
verse — 

"  At  last  growing  old  and  quite  worn  out  with  years, 
As  history  doth  truly  proclaim, 
His  wigwam  was  fired,  he  nobly  expired, 
And  flew  to  the  skies  in  a  flame — " 

infers  either  that  the  composer  had  heard  the  story  of  his  death  on 
Neshaminy,  or  had,  which  is  rather  unlikely,  confused  him  with  the  well- 
known  Tedyuskung,  who  was  burned  to  death  in  his  wigwam,  at  Wyoming, 
in  1763,  while  intoxicated. 

At  one  of  the  society's  meetings  in  1781,  a  delegation  of  Senecas 
visited  the  society's  "  wigwam  "  on  the  Schuylkill,  where  hung  a  portrait 
of  "  Tammany,"  on  which  occasion  Cornplanter  made  a  speech,  and,  point- 
ing to  the  picture,  poured  a  libation  of  wine  on  the  ground,  saying:  "  If 
we  pour  it  on  the  ground,  it  will  suck  it  up  and  he  will  get  it."  It  was 
this  merry-making  brotherhood,  founded  in  Philadelphia  before  the 
Revolution,  who  set  in  vogue  the  myth  that  the  three  white  balls  on 
Penn's  coat  of  arms  represented  three  dumplings  which  Tammany  had 
cooked  for  him  at  the  treaty  tree.  They  adopted  Indian  names,  and 
paraded  in  Indian  dress  on  Tammany's  day  (the  1st  of  May).1  They 
invented  all  manner  of  myths,  stories,  and  sayings  about  the  great  Indian, 
and  had  him  dubbed  a  saint  by  certain  almanac  makers.  In  short,  they 
set  going  the  word  Tammany,  so  to  speak,  over  the  country,  and  gave 
rise  to  all  the  other  so-called  Tammany  societies  in  the  United  States ; 
among  them  the  Independent  Order  of  Red  Men,  and  the  New  York 
political  organization  known  as  Tammany  Hall,  founded  in  Borden's  City 
Hotel,  in  New7  York,  in    1789.     Thus   also   originated   the   name   of  Tam- 

1  The  frequent  elaborate   Indian    costumes   still  common  at  city  parades  in  Philadelphia  are 
unquestionably  a  relic  of  these  processions. 


260  THE    GRAVE    OF   TAMENEND 

manytown,  Juniata  county,  Pennsylvania;  of  Mount  Tammany,  near 
Williamsport,  Maryland;  of  Tamenend,  Schuylkill  county,  Pennsylvania; 
of  Tammany  street,  Philadelphia,  now  Buttonwood ;  of  St.  Tammany 
parish,  Louisiana;  of  Tammany,  Mecklenburgh  county,  Virginia,  and  of 
a  hundred  other  places  similarly  designated. 

But  lastly,  to  return  to  our  subject,  there  is  no  question  that  the  three 
clans  of  the  Lenape — the  wolf,  turtle  and  turkey — were  in  a  vague  way 
presided  over  by  a  head  sachem,  chosen  from  the  turtle  clan  by  the  mem- 
bers of  the  two  other  clans  {Lenape  and  their  Legends,  p.  47).  Just  what 
his  powers  were  is  not  definitely  known.  He  certainly  had  little  or 
nothing  to  do  with  the  land  sales  of  his  fellow  chiefs  to  the  whites. 
Loskiel  says  that  "  he  arranged  treaties  and  conventions  of  peace"  and 
kept  the  wampum  peace  belt  of  the  tribe  (Mission,  p.  135).  He  held  his 
office  during  good  behavior,  and  so  generally  until  death.  Such  a  chief 
was  Tamenend,  and  the  others — Allumpees  (died  1747) ;  Nutimus,  probably 
Tatemy  (died  1761);  Netatawces  (in  the  west)  and  Tedyuscung(in  the  east, 
died  1763) — who  came  after  him  until  the  removal  of  the  Delawares  from 
eastern  Pennsylvania.1  Such  were  the  many  who  came  before  him  if  we 
are  to  believe  the  testimony  of  the  wallum  olum,  or  Lenape  bark  record, 
an  historic  song  illustrated  by  mnemonic  pictographs,  and  sung  by  med- 
icine men  at  sacred  occasions,  recounting  the  tribal  migrations.  They 
appear  also  on  the  full  list  of  head  sachems,  discovered  by  the  eccentric 
antiquarian  C.  A.  Rafinesque,  and  recently  published  by  Dr.  Brinton, 
[Lenape  and  their  Legends,  1 70). 

The  wallum  olum  tells  us  that  Tamenend,  or  "  the  affable,"  was  not 
the  first  of  his  name,  but  that  long  before,  counting  back  by  the  names 
of  scores  of  rulers  before  the  coming  of  the  whites,  there  were  two  other 
Tamenends,  the  first,  a  celebrated  head  sachem  in  the  far  west  before 
the  tribe  had  migrated  eastward.  Taking  this  and  Reichel's  Memoirs  of 
the  Moravian  Church  as  our  authority,  we  learn  that  our  Tamenend  was 
preceded  by  Ikwahou,  and  probably  succeeded  by  Allumpees  or  Sassoonan, 
who  was  made  chief  in  1718,  and  held  the  orifice  till  his  death  in  1747- 

Here  is  an  important  date:  the  certain  end  of  Tamenend's  reign  in 
1 718.  If  he  died  then,  that  is  the  end  of  our  story.  But  that  he  did  so  is 
by  no  means  certain.  For  some  reason  not  thoroughly  explained,  the 
Iroquois  at  about  this  time  obtained  that  curious  moral  and  physical 
influence  over  the  Delawares  which  has  been  the  subject  of  much  curious 
speculation.     Then    it   was  that  governors   were  sent  down   from  the  Six 

1  These  and  many  other  interesting  and  uncollected  data  I  find  in,  an  annotated  edition  of 
Reichel's  Memorials  of  the  Moravian  Church,  at  the  Pennsylvania  Historical  Society. 


THE   GRAVE   OF   TAMENEND  261 

Nations  to  look  after  them,  and  they  were  referred  to  as  "  women  "  and 
"  in  petticoats,"  and  took  that  position  of  a  conquered  people  which  they 
held  down  to  the  outbreak  of  the  Revolution.  What  the  details  of  this 
sudden  decadence  were,  whether  a  defeat  in  battle  or  a  weakening  internal 
dispute,  no  one  has  as  yet  authoritatively  learned.  The  Moravians  did 
not  come  into  the  upper  Delaware  and  Susquehanna  region  until  1742, 
and,  as  Heckewelder  testifies,  the  Indians  were  very  reticent  on  these 
subjects.  Allumpees,  made  sachem  in  17 18,  was  a  weak  character,  and  died 
a  drunkard  in  1747.  As  the  tool  of  the  Iroquois  he  may  have  been  elected 
by  their  powerful  influence  to  supersede  Tamenend,  nor  is  it  impossible  to 
suppose  that  the  latter,  by  a  patriotic  resistance  to  the  majority  of  his 
people  at  the  time  of  their  degradation,  had  become  distasteful  to  the 
Six  Nations. 

If  it  be  not  unfair  to  suggest  this,  we  have  a  ready  explanation  of 
the  several  apparent  contradictory  facts,  that  he  had  a  great  reputation 
among  his  tribe,  and  yet  that  they  said  so  little  about  him  ;  that  he  lived 
until  about  1750,  and  yet  was  unnoticed  by  early  settlers  and  missionaries, 
and  in  public  documents.  Yet  this  is  but  supposition,  and  I  have  thus  far 
tried  in  vain  to  sift  to  the  bottom  the  stories  that  Tamenend  once  lived 
upon  the  site  of  Easton  ;  was  buried  where  Nassau  Hall  now  stands  at 
Princeton  college ;  lived  in  the  State  of  Delaware,  or  at  the  place  in 
Damascus  township,  Wayne  county,  called  by  the  early  Connecticut 
settlers  "  St.  Tammany's  flat,"  in  1757. 


SERGEANT    LEE'S    EXPERIENCE    WITH    BUSHNELL'S 
SUBMARINE    TORPEDO    IN    1776 

Communicated  by  Professor  Henry  P.  Johnston 

As  to  Captain  David  Bushnell,  of  the  Revolutionary  Army,  sometimes 
mentioned  as  the  father  of  modern  submarine  warfare,  and  who  in  Wash- 
ington's recollection  was  "  a  man  of  great  mechanical  powers,  fertile  in 
inventions  and  master  of  execution,"  one  must  be  referred  for  details 
of  life  and  service  to  the  monograph  issued  in  1881  by  General  Henry  L. 
Abbot,  of  the  United  States  Engineer  Corps,  who  had  gathered  all  the 
information  then  to  be  had  respecting  this  comparatively  obscure  genius 
of  '76.  It  is  a  graceful  and  valuable  tribute  from  an  accomplished  branch 
of  our  military  service  to  the  American  pioneer  in  the  profession.1 

In  brief,  Bushnell,  while  a  student  in  college,  during  the  years  1771-75, 
endeavored  to  solve  the  problem  of  conducting  without  detection  a  power- 
ful explosive  under  a  ship,  and  igniting  it  without  danger  to  the  operator. 
He  succeeded  in  perfecting  a  remarkable  machine  or  craft  for  the  pur- 
pose, and  made  his  first  offensive  attempts  with  it  in  New  York  harbor  in 
the  summer  of  1776.  That  the  attempts  proved  futile  was  due  more  to 
incidental  circumstances  than  to  defect  in  the  principle  or  design  ;  and 
had  opportunities  been  given  him  for  repeated  experiments,  he  would 
doubtless  have  made  good  all  that  was  claimed  for  his  invention.  Lieu- 
tenant F.  M.  Barber,  of  the  United  States  navy,  after  careful  study  of 
the  machinery  of  the  torpedo  as  described  by  the  inventor  himself,  has 
expressed  the  opinion  that,  notwithstanding  its  failures,  "  it  seems  to  have 
been  the  most  perfect  thing  of  its  kind  that  has  ever  been  constructed, 
either  before  or  since  the  time  of  Bushnell." 

Ezra  Lee,  sergeant  and  then  ensign  in  the  Connecticut  line  of  the 
Revolutionary  army,  who  operated  the  torpedo,  contributed  much  infor- 
mation regarding  it  to  others,  which  appears  in  General  Abbot's  mono- 
graph ;  but  in  the  following  letter  we  have  for  the  first  time  any  facts  in 
the  case  from  his  own  pen  : 

-  The  Beginning  of  Modem  Submarine  Warfare,  under  Captain  David  Bushnell,  Sappers 
and  Miners,  Army  of  the  Revolution.  Being  a  Historical  Compilation  arranged  by  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Henry  L.  Abbot,  Corps  of  Engineers,  U.  S.  A.,  Brevet  Brigadier-General.  Printed  at 
the  Engineer  School  of  Application,  Willet's  Point,  New  York,  1881.  See  Magazine  of  American 
History,  volume  for  1882, 


SERGEANT   LEE'S   EXPERIENCE   WITH    BUSHNELL'S   TORPEDO         263 

Lyme  [Conn.],  20th  Feb'y,  1815. 
To  General  David  Humphreys, 

Dear  Sir, — Judge  Griswold  and  Charles  Griswold  Esq.,  both  informed  me  that  you 
wished  to  have  an  account  of  a  machine  invented  by  David  Bushneli  of  Saybrook  at  the 
commencement  of  our  Revolutionary  War. 

In  the  summer  of  1776  he  went  to  New  York  with  it  to  try  the  "Asia"  man  of  war  : 
— his  brother  being  acquainted  with  the  working  of  the  machine,  was  to  try  the  first 
experiment  with  it,  but  having  spent  untill  the  middle  of  August,  he  gave  out  in  conse- 
quence of  indisposition.  Mr.  Bushneli  then  came  to  General  Parsons  (of  Lyme)  to  get 
some  one  to  go  and  learn  the  ways  and  mystery  of  this  new  machine  and  to  make  a  trial 
of  it.  General  Parsons  sent  for  me  and  two  others,  who  had  given  in  our  names  to  go 
in  a  fire-ship  if  wanted,  to  see  if  we  would  undertake  the  enterprise.  We  agreed  to  it  ; 
but  first  returned  with  the  machine  clown  Sound  and  on  our  way  practised  with  it  in 
several  harbours.  We  returned  as  far  back  as  Say-Brook  with  Mr.  Bushneli,  where 
some  little  alterations  were  made  in  it,  in  the  course  of  which  time  (it  being  8  or  10  days) 
the  British  had  got  possession  of  Long  Island  and  Governor's  Island.  We  went  back  as 
far  as  New  Rochelle  and  had  it  carted  over  by  land  to  the  North  River. 

Before  I  proceed  further,  I  will  endeavour  to  give  you  some  idea  of  the  construction 
of  this  machine,  turtle  or  torpedo,  as  it  has  since  been  called. 

Its  shape  was  most  like  a  round  clam,  but  longer,  and  set  up  on  its  square  side.1  It 
was  high  enough  to  stand  in  or  sit  as  you  had  occasion,  with  a  composition  head  hang- 
ing on  hinges. Q  It  had  six  glasses  inserted  in  the  head  and  made  water  tight,  each  the 
size  of  a  half  Dollar  piece  to  admit  light.  In  a  clear  day  a  person  might  see  to  read  in 
three  fathoms  of  water.  The  machine  was  steered  by  a  rudder  having  a  crooked  tiller, 
which  led  in  by  your  side  through  a  water  joint  ; 3  then  sitting  on  the  seat,  the  navigator 
rows  with  one  hand  and  steers  with  the  other.  It  had  two  oars  of  about  12  inches  in 
length,  and  4  or  5  in  width,  shaped  like  the  arms  of  a  windmill  which  led  also  inside 
through  water  joints,  in  front  of  the  person  steering,  and  were  worked  by  means  of  a 
wench  (or  crank)  ;  and  with  hard  labour,  the  machine  might  be  impelled  at  the  rate  of  3 
nots  an  hour  for  a  short  time. 

Seven  hundred  pounds  of  lead  were  fixed  on  the  bottom  for  ballast,  and  two  hundred 
weight  of  it  was  so  contrived  as  to  let  it  go  in  case  the  pumps  choked,  so  that  you  could 
rise  at  the  surface  of  the  water.  It  was  sunk  by  letting  in  water  by  a  spring  near  the 
bottom,  by  placing  your  foot  against  which  the  water  would  rush  in,  and  when  sinking 
take  off  your  foot  and  it  would  cease  to  come  in  and  you  would  sink  no  further;  but  if 
you  had  sunk  too  far,  pump  out  water  until  you  got  the  necessary  depth.  These  pumps 
forced  the  water  out  of  the  bottom,  one  being  on  each  side  of  you  as  you  rowed.  A 
pocket  compass  was  fixed  in  the  side,  with  a  piece  of  light  wood  on  the  north  side, 
thus  +,  and  another  on  the  east  side  thus  — ,  to  steer  by  while  under  water.4  Three 
round  doors  were  cut  in  the  head  (each  3  inches  diamater)  to  let  in  fresh  air  untill  you 
wished  to  sink,  and  then  they  were  shut  clown  and  fastened.  There  was  also  a  glass 
tube  12  inches  long  and  1  inch  diameter,  with  a  cork  in  it,  with  a  piece  of  light  wood 
fixed  to  it,  and  another  piece  at  the  bottom  of  the  tube  to  tell  the  depth  of  descent  ;  5  one 
inch  rise  of  the  cork  in  the  tube  gave  about  one  fathom  water. 

It  had  a  screw  that  pierced  through  the  top  of  the  machine  with  a  water  joint  which 
was  so  very  sharp  that  it  would  enter  wood  with  very  little  force  ;  and  this  was  turned 


264    SERGEANT  LEE'S  EXPERIENCE  WITH  BUSHNELL'S  TORPEDO 

with  a  wench  or  crank,  and  when  entered  fast  in  the  bottom  of  the  ship  the  screw  is 
then  left  and  the  machine  is  disengaged  by  unscrewing  another  one  inside  that  held  the 
other.  From  the  screw  now  fixed  on  the  bottom  of  the  ship  a  line  let  to  and  fastened  to 
the  magazine  to  prevent  its  escape  either  side  of  the  ship.  The  magazine  [of  powder] 
was  directly  behind  you  on  the  outside,  and  that  was  freed  from  you  by  unscrewing 
a  screw  inside.  Inside  the  magazine  was  a  clock  machinery,  which  immediately  sets  a 
going  after  it  is  disengaged,  and  a  gun  lock  is  fixed  to  strike  fire  to  the  powder  at  the 
set  time  after  the  clock  should  run  down.  The  clock  might  be  set  to  go  longer  or 
shorter  ;  20  or  30  minutes  was  the  usual  time  to  let  the  Navigator  escape.  This  maga- 
zine was  shaped  like  an  egg  and  made  of  oak  dug  out  in  two  pieces,  bound  together 
with  bands  of  iron,  corked  and  paid  over  with  tar  so  as  to  be  perfectly  tight  ;  and  the 
clock  was  formed  so  as  not  to  run  untill  this  magazine  was  unscrewed. 

I  will  now  endeavour  to  give  you  a  short  account  of  my  voyage  in  this  machine. 

The  first  night  after  we  got  down  to  New  York  with  it  that  was  favourable  (for  the  time 
for  a  trial  must  be  when  it  is  slack  water  and  calm,  as  it  is  unmanagable  in  a  swell  or  a 
strong  tide)  the  British  fleet  lay  a  little  above  Staten  Island.  We  set  off  from  the  city  ; 
the  whale  boats  towed  me  as  nigh  the  ships  as  they  dared  to  go  and  then  cast  me  off.  I 
soon  found  that  it  was  too  early  in  the  tide,  as  it  carried  me  down  by  the  ships.  I  how- 
ever hove  about  and  rowed  for  5  glasses  by  the  ships'  bells  before  the  tide  slacked,  so 
that  I  could  get  alongside  of  the  man  of  war  which  lay  above  the  transports.  The  moon 
was  about  2  hours  high,  and  the  daylight  about  one.  When  I  rowed  under  the  stern  of 
the  ship  I  could  see  the  men  on  deck  and  hear  them  talk.  I  then  shut  down  all  the 
doors,  sunk  down  and  came  under  the  bottom  of  the  ship.  Up  with  the  screw  against 
the  bottom  but  found  that  it  would  not  enter.6  I  pulled  along  to  try  another  place,  but 
deviated  a  little  one  side  and  immediately  rose  with  great  velocity  and  come  above  the, 
surface  2  or  3  feet  between  the  ship  and  the  daylight,  then  sunk  again  like  a  porpoise. 
I  hove  about  to  try  again,  but  on  further  thought  I  gave  out,  knowing  that  as  soon  as 
it  was  light  the  ships'  boats  would  be  rowing  in  all  directions,  and  I  thought  the  best 
generalship  was  to  retreat  as  fast  as  I  could,  as  I  had  4  miles  to  go  before  passing  Gov- 
ernor's Island.  So  I  jogg'd  on  as  fast  as  I  could,  and  my  compass  being  then  of  no  use 
to  me,  I  was  obliged  to  rise  up  every  few  minutes  to  see  that  I  sailed  in  the  right  direc- 
tion, and  for  this  purpose  keeping  the  machine  on  the  surface  of  the  water  and  the 
doors  open.  I  was  much  afraid  of  getting  aground  on  the  island,  as  the  tide  of  the  flood 
set  on  the  north  point. 

While  on  my  passage  up  to  the  city,  my  course,  owing  to  the  above  circumstances, 
was  very  crooked  and  zigzag,  and  the  enemy's  attention  was  drawn  towards  me  from 
Governor's  Island.  When  I  was  abreast  of  the  fort  on  the  Island,  3  or  400  men  got  upon 
the  parapet  to  observe  me  ;  at  leangth  a  number  came  down  to  the  shore,  shoved  off  a 
12  oar'd  barge  with  5  or  6  sitters  and  pulled  for  me.  I  eyed  them,  and  when  they  had 
got  within  50  or  60  yards  of  me  I  let  loose  the  magazine  in  hopes  that  if  they  should  take 
me  they  would  likewise  pick  up  the  magazine,  and  then  we  should  all  be  blown  up 
together.  But  as  kind  Providence  would  have  it,  they  took  fright,  and  returned  to  the 
island  to  my  infinite  joy.  I  then  weathered  the  Island,  and  our  people  seeing  me,  came 
off  with  a  whale  boat  and  towed  me  in.  The  magazine,  after  getting  a  little  past  the 
Island,  went  off  with  a  tremendous  explosion,  throwing  up  large  bodies  of  water  to  an 
immense  height.' 

Before  we  had  another  opportunity  to  try  an  experiment  our  army  evacuated  New 


SERGEANT   LEE'S    EXPERIENCE    WITH    BUSHNELL'S    TORPEDO         265 

York  and  we  retreated  up  the  North  River  as  far  as  fort  Lee.  A  Frigate  came  up  and 
anchored  off  Bloomingdale.  I  now  made  another  attempt  upon  a  new  plan.  My  inten- 
tion was  to  have  gone  under  the  ship's  stern  and  screwed  on  the  magazine  close  to 
the  water's  edge,  but  I  was  discovered  by  the  watch,  and  was  obliged  to  abandon  this 
scheme  ;  then  shutting  my  doors  I  dove  under  her,  but  my  cork  in  the  tube  (by  which  I 
ascertained  my  depth)  got  obstructed  and  deceived  me,  and  I  descended  too  deep  and 
did  not  touch  the  ship  ;'I  then  left  her.  Soon  after,  the  Frigate  came  up  the  river,  drove 
our  "Crane"  galley  on  shore  and  sunk  our  sloop,  from  which  we  escaped  to  the  shore. 


I  am,  &c. 


E.  Lee 


Notes  to  the  Letter. 


1.  The  machine  was  built  of  oak  in  the  strongest  manner  possible,  corked  and  tarred, 
and  though  its  sides  were  at  least  six  inches  thick,  the  writer  of  the  foregoing  told  me 
that  the  pressure  of  the  water  against  it  at  the  depth  of  two  fathoms  was  so  great  that 
it  oozed  quite  through  as  mercury  will  by  means  of  the  air  pump.  Mr.  Bushnell's  machine 
was  no  larger  than  just  to  admit  one  person  to  navigate  ;  its  extreme  length  was  not 
more  than  7  feet.  When  lying  in  the  water,  in  its  ordinary  state  without  ballast,  its 
upper  works  did  not  rise  more  than  6  or  7  inches  out  of  water. 

2.  This  composition  head  means  a  composition  of  metals  something  like  bell  metal, 
and  was  fixed  on  the  top  of  the  machine,  and  which  afforded  the  only  admission  to  the 
inside. 

3.  The  steering  of  this  machine  was  done  on  the  same  principles  with  ordinary  ves- 
sels, but  the  rowing  her  through  the  water  was  on  a  very  different  plan.  These  oars 
were  fixed  on  the  end  of  a  shaft  like  windmill  arms  projected  out  forward,  and  turned  at 
right  angles  with  the  course  of  the  machine  ;  and  upon  the  same  principles  that  wind- 
mill arms  are  turned  by  the  wind  these  oars,  when  put  in  motion,  as  the  writer  describes, 
draws  the  machine  slowly  after  it.  This  moving  power  is  small,  and  every  attendant 
circumstance  must  cooperate  with  it  to  answer  the  purpose — calm  waters  and  no  current. 

4.  This  light  wood  is  what  we  sometimes  call  fox  fire,  and  is  the  dry  wood  that 
shines  in  the  dark  : — this  was  necessary  as  the  points  of  the  compass  could  not  readily  be 
seen  without. 

5.  The  glass  tube  here  mentioned,  which  was  a  sort  of  thermometer  to  ascertain  the 
depth  of  water  the  machine  descended,  is  the  only  part  that  is  without  explanation.  The 
writer  of  the  foregoing  could  not  recollect  the  principles  on  which  such  an  effect  was  pro- 
duced, nor  the  mechanical  contrivance  of  it.  He  only  knows  that  it  was  so  contrived 
that  the  cork  and  light  wood  rose  or  fell  in  the  tube  by  the  ascent  or  descent  of  the 
machine. 

6.  The  reason  why  the  screw  would  not  enter  was  that  the  ship's  bottom  being  cop- 
pered, it  would  have  been  difficult  under  any  circumstances  to  have  peirced  through  it  ; 
but  on  attempting  to  bore  with  the  augur,  the  force  necessary  to  be  used  in  pressing 
against  the  ship's  bottom  caused  the  machine  to  rebound  off.     This  difficulty  defeated 

1  The  notes  at  the  end  of  Sergeant  Lee's  letter  appear  to  have  been  appended  by  Mr.  Griswold, 
of  Lyme,  before  the  letter  was  forwarded  to  General  Humphreys. 


266  HYMN   TO    CONCORD    MONUMENT 

the  whole  ;  the  screw  could  not  enter  the  bottom,  and  of  course  the  magazine  could  not 
be  kept  there  in  the  mode  desired. 

7.   When  the  explosion  took  place,  General  Putnam  was  vastly  pleased,  and  cried  out 
in  his  peculiar  way — "  God'scurse  'em,  that'll  do  it  for  'em." 


HYMN    TO    CONCORD    MONUMENT 

By  the  rude  bridge  that  arched  the  flood, 
Their  flag  to  April's  breeze  unfurled, 

Here  once  the  embattled  farmers  stood, 
And  fired  the  shot  heard  round  the  world. 

The  foe  long  since  in  silence  slept, 

Alike  the  conqueror  silent  sleeps  ; 
And  Time  the  ruined  bridge  has  swept 

Down  the  dark  stream  which  seaward  creeps. 

On  this  green  bank,  by  this  soft  stream, 

We  set  to-day  a  votive  stone  ; 
That  memory  may  their  deed  redeem, 

When,  like  our  sires,  our  sons  are  gone. 

Spirit,  that  made  those  heroes  dare 
To  die,  and  leave  their  children  free, 

Bid  Time  and  Nature  gently  spare 
The  shaft  we  raise  to  them  and  thee. 

— Emerson 


AN    ALLEGORICAL    DRAWING    BY    COLUMBUS 

The  fac-simile  which  appears  on  another  page  has  been  presented  in 
American  works  only  twice  (which  really  amounts  to  once),  in  Winsor's 
Narrative  and  Critical  History  and  in  his  Christopher  Columbus.  But  in 
neither  case  is  the  complete  original  reproduced,  the  marginal  explanations 
of  the  drawing  being  omitted.  The  sketch  was  made  by  Columbus  in  1502, 
and  sent  by  him  from  Seville  to  Genoa,  where  it  is  preserved  to  this  day 
in  the  city  hall.  In  May,  1502,  Columbus  departed  from  Spain  on  his  fourth 
and  last  voyage  to  America,  in  the  course  of  which  he  was  destined  to  be 
disappointed  in  finding  either  the  golden  Chersonesus  or  a  strait  out  of  the 
Caribbean  sea  into  the  Indian  ocean.  He  found,  however,  the  gold  mines 
of  Veraguas,  the  country  which  has  provided  a  title  for  his  descendants 
which  they  bear  to  the  present  day.  The  whole  story  of  this  last  journey 
was  filled  with  distresses  and  disasters  on  sea  and  on  land.  Columbus  suf- 
fered shipwreck  on  Jamaica,  and  even  after  his  compatriots  at  Domingo 
had  learned  of  his  plight,  he  was  left  to  linger  for  months  in  his  precarious 
situation,  so  that  his  sojourn  on  that  coast  rounded  out  the  full  year.  In 
November,  1504,  Columbus  again  reached  Spain,  and  in  May,  1506,  he  died. 

There  are  some  circumstances  gathering  about  Columbus  in  the  year 
1502,  before  he  sailed,  which  seem  to  lend  countenance  to  the  idea  that 
he  really  perpetrated  this  drawing.  He  certainly  was  a  draughtsman  ;  at 
one  period  he  had  made  his  living  by  drawing  maps,  and  was  considered 
"  a  master  in  makynge  cardes  for  the  sea."  Winsor  remarks,  with  his  usual 
caution  when  he  has  something  commendatory  to  say  of  Columbus :  "  If 
some  existing  drawings  are  not  apocryphal,  he  had  a  deft  hand,  too,  in 
making  a  spirited  sketch  with  a  few  strokes."  Some  of  these  drawings  are 
given  in  a  recent  edition  of  Irving's  Columbus.  There  were  three  in  a 
letter  of  the  Admiral  written  in  1493:  one  represents  Columbus  on  the 
deck  of  his  ship  with  an  astrolabe  in  his  hand,  standing  on  the  forecastle, 
and  the  foremast  shown  broken  short  off ;  the  other  represents  a  caravel 
under  full  sail  in  mid-ocean  ;  the  third  shows  his  ship  in  the  foreground, 
with  the  recently  discovered  islands  in  a  rather  crude  perspective  in  the 
background.  Two  other  drawings  are  purported  to  have  come  from 
Columbus's  hand  :  one  representing  Fort  Isabella,  with  the  town  in  process 
of  building;  another  showing  a  galley  coasting  the  island  of  Hispaniola. 


^X  My 

5q>oT£t£Nf//. 


ORIGINAL   DOCUMENT  269 

The  latter  was  made  to  illustrate  a  letter  written  by  Columbus  to  Don 
Raphael  Xansis,  treasurer  of  the  king,  an  extremely  rare  edition  of  which 
is  preserved  in  the  library  of  Milan. 

How  the  drawing  of  which  we  give  a  fac-simile  came  to  be  in  Genoa 
may  be  explained  by  the  fact  that  at  this  very  time,  in  1502,  before  pro- 
ceeding on  his  voyage,  Columbus  sent  more  than  one  important  communi- 
cation to  his  native  city.  At  that  time  he  caused  several  elaborate  papers 
and  documents  to  be  copied  and  bound  in  book  form,  setting  forth  his 
titles  and  privileges;  one  or  two  of  which  copies  were  sent  to  the  Genoese 
ambassador  in  Spain.  On  April  2,  1502,  he  wrote  that  famous  letter  to  the 
bank  of  St.  George  at  Genoa,  in  which  he  directed  them  to  use  the  in- 
terest of  a  certain  sum  to  be  deposited  there,  for  the  relief  of  the  poor  of 
the  city.  Hence,  with  these,  other  letters  may  have  gone  to  his  native 
city,  in  one  of  which  the  illustration  under  discussion  may  have  been 
included.  This  we  would  suppose  because  the  drawing  is  now  found  in 
Genoa,  although  of  course  it  may  have  been  presented  to  the  city  later 
as  a  valuable  curiosity.  Lastly  there  is  a  probability  that  Columbus 
made  such  a  drawing,  just  because  of  its  allegorical  character,  for  about 
this  time  he  was  in  a  frame  of  mind  for  that  sort  of  thing.  He  was 
composing  the  Libros  de  las  Proficias  (Books  of  the  Prophets),  in  which 
he  labored  to  prove  that  his  exploits  were  'not  so  much  the  result  of 
conclusions  based  upon  premises  warranted  by  the  science  of  the  times, 
as  the  blind  and  passive  fulfillment  on  his  part  of  what  was  writ  by 
holy  men  of  old.  "  He  had  simply  been  impelled  by  something  that 
he  had  not  then  suspected  ;  and  his  was  but  a  predestined  mission  to 
make  good  what  he  imagined  was  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah  in  the  Apoc- 
alypse." He  went  on  also  to  speculate  about  the  end  of  the  world ;  and 
now  that  we  have  just  celebrated  the  four  hundredth  anniversary  of  his 
achievement  of  1492,  it  is  a  little  refreshing  to  read  that  he  calculated 
the  world  would  hardly  continue  longer  than  one  hundred  and  fifty-five 
years  after  1502. 

But  much  more  apposite  to  the  actual  allegory  which  he  depicted  with 
his  pencil,  Columbus  wrote  at  this  time  a  letter  to  the  pope,  in  which  he 
expressed  it  as  his  belief  that  his  then  distressed  condition — deprived  of 
titles  and  rights,  superseded  by  other  men — "was  the  work  of  Satan,  who 
came  to  see  that  the  success  of  Columbus  in  the  Indies  would 'be  only  a 
preparation  for  the  Admiral's  long-vaunted  recovery  of  the  Holy  Land." 
Impressed  with  this  idea,  in  a  general  frame  of  spiritual  exaltation,  he 
drew  the  picture  here  represented.  Columbus  places  himself  in  a  vehicle, 
half  chariot,  half  ship,   gliding  over  the    sea.      The  figure  beside  him  is 


270  ORIGINAL   DOCUMENT 

Providence,  Envy  and  Ignorance  are  the  monsters  following  in  his  wake. 
Fairer  creatures  attend  him  and  prosper  his  way :  Constancy,  Tolerance, 
the  Christian  Religion,  Victory  and  Hope.  Over  the  whole  floats  the 
figure  of  Fame,  blowing  two  trumpets;  out  of  one  proceeds  the  name 
"  Genoa,"'  out  of  the  other  is  sounded  the  li  Fame  of  Columbus."  Harisse 
states  that  the  marginal  writing  explaining  these  allegorical  features  in 
Italian  is  in  the  handwriting  of  Columbus.  To  us  the  script  seems  almost 
too  modern.  It  does  not  appear  from  his  manner  of  reference  to  the  copy 
of  this  drawing  in  the  city  hall  of  Genoa,  that  Harisse  himself  had  seen  it. 
It  is  more  probable  that  some  later  hand  has  written  the  explanation.  But 
the  signature  of  Columbus  is  the  one  usually  attached  to  his  letters  after 
the  discovery.  The  characters  have  never  been  interpreted  quite  to  the 
satisfaction  of  everybody.  Winsorsays:  "  Perhaps  as  reasonable  a  guess 
as  any  would  make  them  stand  for  '  Servus,  Supplex,  Altissimi  Salvatoris 
Christus,  Maria,  Yoseph,  Christoferens.'  Others  read:  I  Servidor,  Sus, 
Altegas,  Sacras,  Christo,  Maria, Ysabel  [or  Yoseph].'  The  'Christoferens' 
is  sometimes  replaced  by  '  El  Almirante.'  " 

Note. — This  reduced  fac-simile  on  the  opposite  page  was  obtained  from  a  vol- 
ume in  the  Boston  Public  Library,  through  the  kindness  of  the  trustees  and  librarian. 
The  exact  description  of  the  Italian  authority  (from  which  our  copy  is  taken)  has 
been  kindly  written  out  by  the  librarian,   Mr.   Theodore  F.   Dwight,   as  follows  : 

La  taroca  di  bronzo,  il  pallio  di  seta  ed  il  Codice 
Colombo  Americano  nuovamente  illustrati  per 
cura  di  Giuseppe  Banchero. 

8°  Genova,  1857. 
Tavola  VIII  following  page  548. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES    IN    PARAGRAPHS 

By  Charles  Ledyard  Norton 

{Continued  from  page  63] 

Colorado 


A  state  of  the  South  Central  group — 
area,  103,925  square  miles  ;  dimensions-- 
270  miles  north  and  south,  390  miles 
east  and  west.  Latitude,  370  to  41  °  N.; 
longitude,  1020  to  1090  W.  The  name 
is  Spanish,  meaning  "  red,"  from  the 
prevailing  color  of  the  rocks,  originally 
applied  to  the  principal  river  of  the 
region.  State  motto,  "  Nil  sine  Nu- 
mine  " — "  Nothing  without  God."  Nick- 
name, "  The  Centennial  State,"  from 
the  year  of  its  admission  to  the  Union 
— the  centenary  of  the  Republic  (1876). 

1682.  The  whole  continent  west  of 
the  Mississippi  (including  Colorado) 
claimed  for  France  by  La  Salle,  and 
named  Louisiana.  He,  however,  never 
went  west  of  middle  Texas. 

1763.  Spain  claims  the  country  by 
virtue  of  adjacent  settlements. 

1776,  August  5.  Marching  from 
Santa  Fe,  Francisco  Silvestre  Velez 
Escalante,  with  a  considerable  following 
of  Spaniards  and  Indian  converts, 
reaches  Nieves,  on  the  headwaters  of 
the  San  Juan  river.  This  is  the  first 
place  within  the  state  mentioned  by 
undoubted  European  authority. 

September  9.  Escalante,  having 
crossed  the  southwestern  corner  of 
Colorado,  passes  into  what  is  now 
Utah,  near  where  the  White  river  crosses 


the  line.  In  the  diary  of  his  march,  cliff 
dwellings,  parks,  rivers,  and  mountains 
are  described  so  that  they  can  be  iden- 
tified. Some  of  the  names  that  he  gave 
to  localities  are  still  retained.  He 
returned  to  Santa  Fe  by  a  circuitous 
route  through  Utah  and  Arizona. 

1 80 1.  Louisiana  retroceded  to  France 
by  a  secret  treaty. 

1802.  Small  parties  of  hunters  and 
trappers  penetrate  the  Colorado  region, 
but  have  left  few  authentic  records. 

1803.  April  30.  Colorado,  as  included 
in  Louisiana,  ceded  to  the  United  States 
by  France  under  the  first  Napoleon  for 
$15,000,000. 

1805,  July  15.  Under  orders  from 
General  Wilkinson,  Lieutenant  Zebulon 
Montgomery  Pike  leads  an  exploring 
expedition  up  the  Arkansas  river. 

1805,  November  15.  Lieutenant  Pike 
sights  the  peak  that  bears  his  name,  and 
spends  several  months  in  exploration. 
{Pike's  Narrative,  Phila.,  18 10.) 

181 2.  Creation  of  the  territory  of 
Missouri,  including  Colorado. 

1819.  Expedition  of  Major  Stephen 
S.  Long.  He  reports  the  region  between 
the  thirty-ninth  and  forty-ninth  parallels 
as  "The  Great  American  Desert." 

1828-1830.  James  Baker  settles  on 
Clear  creek,  four  miles  north  of  Denver. 


-, 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES   IN    PARAGRAPHS 


1830.  A  French  trader,  Maurice  by 
name,  is  believed  to  have  made  a  settle- 
ment on  Adobe  creek  in  the  Arkansas 
Valley  ;  positive  proof  is  lacking. 

1  S3 2.  The  Bent  brothers  build  Fort 
William,  on  the  north  branch  of  Arkansas 
river.  This  is  the  first  authentic  settle- 
ment in  the  state.  During  the  same 
year,  one  Louis  Vasquez  opened  a  trad- 
ing post  five  miles  northeast  of  Denver. 

1838.  First  attempt  at  farming. 
American  and  Mexicans  began  irriga- 
tion for  agricultural  purposes  at  El 
Pueblo,  near  Fort  William. 

1 84 1.  Transit  through  Colorado,  en 
route  for  the  Pacific  Coast,  of  the  first 
"  prairie  schooner." 

1842  (about).  A  settlement  formed 
by  Bent,  Lupton,  Beaubain,  and  others 
on  headwaters  of  Adobe  creek  ;  exter- 
minated by  Indians  in  1846.  Town  of 
La  Junta  founded  by  James  Bonney, 
on  a  Mexican  grant  subsequently  con- 
firmed by  the  United  States. 

Captain  (afterward  General)  John  C. 
Fremont  leads  an  expedition  into  the 
territory. 

1843.  Fremont's  second  expedition. 
He  finds  a  few  scattered  fortified 
ranches  ;  but  many  of  the  early  settlers 
had  intermarried  with  Mexicans  or 
Indians  and  were  in  a  fair  way  to  relapse 
into  barbarism. 

1845.  The  section  south  of  the 
Arkansas  river,  originally  part  of  Texas, 
now  included  in  Colorado,  is  annexed 
to  New  Mexico  and  Kansas. 

1846.  That  part  of  the  state  lying 
west  of  the  Great  Divide  ceded  to  the 
United  States  by  Mexico  under  the 
Gadsden  purchase. 

1846-1847.        The     first     "Mormon 


battalion,"  forcibly  expelled  from  Illi- 
nois, passes  the  winter  at  Pueblo.  (See 
Tylers  History,  Salt  Lake  City,  1881.) 
Birth  of  the  first  white  American  child 
in  Colorado — Malinda  Catherine  Kelley. 
1849.  Wagon  trains  of  gold  hunters 
begin  to  cross  Colorado  en  route  to  Cali- 
fornia. 

185 1.  September  17.  Treaty  of  the 
United  States  with  the  Sioux,  Chey- 
ennes,  and  Arapahoes  as  to  boundaries. 

1852.  Gold  discovered  on  Ralston 
creek  by  a  cattle  trader,  Parks  by  name. 

Fort  William  removed  to  the  mouth 
of  Purgatoire  river,  on  the  Arkansas. 

1853.  Congress  passes  an  act  author- 
izing surveys  of  railroad  routes  from  the 
Mississippi  to  the  Pacific. 

October  26.  Captain  J.  W.  Gunni- 
son, U.  S.  A.,  killed  with  his  escort  by 
Indians. 

A    party     from      Lawrence, 


Massachusetts,  lay  out  El  Paso  on  the 
present  site  of  Colorado  Springs,  and 
St.  Charles  on  the  present  site  of  Den- 
ver. During  the  winter  the  St.  Charles 
site  was  "  jumped  "  by  settlers  who  saw 
its  advantages,  and  the  name  was 
changed  to  Denver. 

November  6.  The  settlers  of  Auraria 
(now  East  Denver)  send  Hiram  J.  Gra- 
ham and  Albert  Steinberger  (afterward 
"  King "  of  the  Samoan  Islands)  to 
Washington,  as  territorial  delegates. 
They  were  not  officially  recognized. 

1859.  Misled  by  a  publication  en- 
titled A  Guide  to  Pikes  Peak  (Pacific 
City,  Iowa,  1858),  as  many  as  one 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  immigrants 
move  into  Colorado.  In  the  autumn 
about  one-third  of  them  return,  disap- 
pointed, to  the  Mississippi. 


HISTORY    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES   IN   PARAGRAPHS 


273 


January  15.  Gold  discovered  at 
Gold  Run,  Boulder  Canon,  by  John 
Rothrock,  Charles  Clouser,  and  others. 
The  product  of  this  gulch  for  the  first 
season  was  one  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars, all  washed. out  in  hand  rockers. 

Formation  of  the  "  El  Paso  Claim 
Club,"  with  the  purpose  of  formulating 
and  enforcing  provisional  land  laws. 

May.  John  H.  Gregory  discovers 
gold  at  Blackhawk. 

First  school  in  Colorado  opened  at 
Denver  by  O.  J.  Goldrick. 

Autumn.  Gold  discovered  in  what  is 
now  the  Leadville  region. 

Colorado  gold  coined,  $622,000. 

December  19.  Denver  incorporated 
as  a  city  by  the  provisional  legislature  ; 
population,  34,277. 

Fort  William  leased  to  the  government, 
and  named  Fort  Wise  after  the  governor 
of  Virginia. 

1 860-1 863.  A  state  of  law-respect- 
ing anarchy  prevailed — Kansas  laws, 
miners'  law,  and  territorial  law  being  en- 
forced in  different  localities,  often  over- 
lapping each  other's  territory  without 
serious  friction. 

i860.  Population,  34,277.  Gold 
coined,  $2,091,000. 

March  28.  Election  held  under  the 
laws  of  Kansas,  to  organize  Arapahoe 
county. 

May  7.  Preliminary  steps  taken  to 
draft  a  constitution. 

October  5.  An  election  was  held. 
Beverly  D.  Williams  chosen  delegate 
to  congress,  and  Richard  Sopris  to  the 
Kansas  legislature.  Mr.  Sopris  only 
was  recognized. 

University  of  Colorado  incorporated. 
(See  1877.) 

Vol.  XXIX.-No.  3.— 18 


October  10.  Territorial  convention 
at  Auraria. 

October  24.  R.  W.  Steele  chosen 
territorial  governor  of  Jefferson  (other- 
wise known  as  "  Pike's  Peak  "). 

November  7.  Meeting  of  the  first 
legislature,  remaining  in  session  forty 
days.     R.  W.  Steele,  governor. 

1861,  February  8.  Colorado  admitted 
as  a  territory  by  act  of  congress.  Wil- 
liam Gilpin,  governor  ;  Lewis  Ledyard 
Weld,  lieutenant-governor. 

September  9.  Meeting  of  the  first 
territorial  legislature  at  Denver.  Colo- 
rado Springs  selected  as  the  capital. 

November  7.  Denver  reincorporated 
by  the  territorial  legislature.  Charles 
A.  Cook,  mayor. 

The  territory  of  Colorado  organized 
from  parts  of  Utah,  New  Mexico,  Kan- 
sas, and  Nebraska. 

Boundaries  defined  along  parallels  of 
latitude  and  longitude,  cutting  off  large 
tracts  from  Utah,  Kansas,  Nebraska,  and 
New  Mexico. 

1861-1862.  William  Gilpin  territorial 
governor  by  appointment  of  President 
Lincoln. 

The  confederates,  under  General 
Sibley,  invade  New  Mexico  with  a  view 
to  cutting  off  communication  between 
California  and  the  east. 

The  territory  repudiates  the  secession 
movement,  though  attempts  were  made 
in  the  interest  of  the  confederacy. 
Governor  Gilpin  organizes  the  1st  Colo- 
rado regiment,  which  did  good  service 
in  New  Mexico. 

1861-1865.  4,903  men  furnished  the 
Union  Army  during  the  civil  war. 

1862.  Capital  removed  to  Golden 
City.     (See  1868.) 


■■-- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES    IN    PARAGRAPHS 


1S62-1S65.     John  Evans,  governor. 

1863.  April  19.  Fire  destroys  the 
business  section  of  Denver. 

October  1.  Telegraphic  communica- 
tion opened  between  Denver  and  the  east. 

1864.  General  Indian  war,  thou- 
sands of  settlers  massacred,  and  hun- 
dreds of  homes  broken  up. 

The  University  of  Denver  (Metho- 
dist) established.     Silver  discovered. 

1865.  Congress  passes  a  bill  admit- 
ting Colorado  as  a  state,  but  the  presi- 
dent (Andrew  Johnson)  vetoes  the 
measure,  there  being  no  proof  of  the 
required  population. 

1 865-1 867.  Alexander  Cummings, 
governor. 

1 867-1 869.  A.  Cameron  Hunt,  gov- 
vernor. 

1869-1873.  Edward  M.  McCook, 
governor. 

1870.  Population,  39,864.  Popula- 
tion of  Denver,  4,749. 

187 1.  Colorado  Springs  founded  as 
a  health  resort  (6,000  feet  above  the 
sea).  The  Denver  &  Rio  Grande  rail- 
road begun.     (See  1878.) 

November.  Boulder  City  incorporated. 

1872.  Completion  of  the  first  tram- 
way in  Denver. 

1 873-1 874.   Sam'l  H.  Elbert,  governor. 

1874.  Colorado  college  opened  at 
Colorado  Springs. 

1874-1876.     John  L.  Routt,  governor. 

1876.  Discoveries  of  rich  silver  de- 
posits in  the  Leadville  region. 

The  Ute  war.  Terrible  atrocities  by 
Indians,  and  bloody  vengeance  on  the 
part  of  the  whites. 

August  1.  Colorado  admitted  to  the 
Union  as  a  state. 

{Conclusion 


October  3.  First  state  election.  John 
L.  Routt,  governor  ;  Lafayette  Head, 
lieutenant-governor. 

November  1.  Meeting  of  the  first 
state  legislature.  Jerome  B.  Chaffee  and 
Henry  M.  Teller  chosen  United  States 
senators. 

Estimated  population,  135,000. 

1877.  University  of  Colorado  opened 
at  Boulder,  endowed  by  congress,  the 
state,  and  private  gifts. 

1877-1879.  John  L.  Routt,  first  state 
governor. 

1878.  Completion  of  the  Denver  & 
Rio  Grande  railroad.     (See  187 1.) 

1879.  Phenomenal  growth  of  Lead- 
ville. More  than  $25,000,000  of  pre- 
cious metals  mined  during  the  year. 
Strikes  and  lawless  proceedings  sup- 
pressed with  difficulty. 

1 87 9-1 883.    Fred.W.  Pitkin,  governor. 

1880.  Population,  194,327.  Popula- 
tion of  Denver,  35,629. 

1883-1885.    James  B.  Grant,  governor. 
1885.     Population,  243,910. 
1885-1887.    Benj.  H.  Eaton,  governor. 

1887,  August.  Border  fighting  with 
the  Utes,  begun  by  lawless  whites. 

1 887-1 889.     Alva  Adams,  governor. 

1888.  Soldiers'  and  Sailors'  Home  pro- 
vided by  the  legislature  at  San  Luis  Park. 

1889-1891.    Job  A.  Cooper,  governor. 

1890.  Population,  412,198.  Assessed 
valuation,  $220,544,064.62.  Pike's  Peak 
railway  completed.  January  to  April 
session  of  the  legislature  marked  by  a 
struggle  of  rival  factions  in  the  lower 
house.  It  was  settled  by  an  appeal  to 
the  U.  S.  Supreme  Court.  Passage  of 
an  Australian  ballot  law. 

1 891-1893.     John  L.  Routt,  governor. 

of  the  series. ) 


The  First  Portrait  of  Washing- 
ton.— The  frontispiece  to  this  number 
is  a  copy  of  the  first  portrait  ever  made 
of  George  Washington.  In  a  letter  to 
the  Rev.  Jonathan  Boucher,  the  rector 
of  the  parish  which  included  Mount 
Vernon,  dated  May  21,  1772,  Washing- 
ton thus  playfully  speaks  of  the  ordeal 
of  having  his  portrait  painted  :  "  In- 
clination having  yielded  to  importunity, 
I  am  now,  contrary  to  all  expectation, 
under  the  hands  of  Mr.  Peale  ;  but  in  so 
sullen  a  mood,  and  now  and  then  under 
the  influence  of  Morpheus  when  some 
critical  strokes  are  making,  that  I  fancy 
the  skill  of  this  gentleman's  pencil  will 
be  put  to  it,  in  describing  to  the  world 
what  manner  of  man  I  am." 

The  Mr.  Peale  here  referred  to  was 
Charles  Willson  Peale,  the  celebrated 
portrait  painter  of  those  days.  In  1872 
Washington  was  just  turned  of  forty. 
Yet,  although  young,  he  was  already 
famous,  and  had  been  so  for  nearly 
seventeen  years,  or  ever  since  Brad- 
dock's  defeat  in  1755.  Hence,  there 
seemed  to  be  great  reason  that  his  por- 
trait should  be  painted  ;  yet  not  till  this 
date  had  he  consented  to  have  it  done. 
This  was  therefore  the  earliest  portrait. 
He  was  then  still  a  colonel  in  the  Vir- 
ginia colonial  militia,  and  in  this  uniform 
he  sat  for  his  picture.  The  artist  used 
it  as  the  study  from  which  to  prepare 
the  three-quarter  length  portrait  of 
Washington  known  as  the    "Arlington 


portrait."  But  as  events  progressed,  a 
few  changes  were  made  in  colors.  The 
colonial  colonel's  uniform  became  the 
continental  general's  blue  and  buff. 

Peale  retained  the  original  study  in 
his  own  possession,  and  it  formed  part 
of  his  exhibition  at  his  museum  in  Phila- 
delphia. He  died  in  1827,  but  not  till 
twenty-seven  years  later,  or  in  1854,  was 
his  gallery  offered  for  sale  and  dispersed. 
Then  this  first  portrait  of  Washington 
came  into  the  possession  of  Mr.  Charles 
S.  Ogden.  On  Washington's  birthday, 
1892,  this  gentleman  adopted  a  very 
nice  mode  of  celebrating  the  day,  by 
presenting  this  exceedingly  interesting 
piece  of  canvas  to  the  Pennsylvania  His- 
torical Society. 

The  mover  of  the  resolution  of  thanks, 
in  closing  his  remarks,  said  :  "  In  the 
history  of  American  portraiture  this 
portrait  of  Washington,  in  consequence 
of  its  being  the  first  authentic  original, 
will  always  occupy  a  prominent  position, 
and  the  members  of  the  society  have 
good  reason  to  congratulate  themselves 
on  its  acquisition." 

An  Injustice  Done  to  Winthrop — 
No  historian  or  editor  is  infallible.  The 
most  scrupulous  and  painstaking  must 
answer  for  sins  of  omission  and  commis- 
sion. But  not  unfrequently  these  blun- 
ders are  so  gratuitous  and  palpable  as 
to  occasion  astonishment.  An  unhappy 
and  injurious  mistake  of  this   sort  is  the 


276 


HISTORY   IN   BRIEF 


editorial  note  to  page  220  of  vol.  ii.  of 
Winthrop's   History   of    New   England 

[By  James  Savage. — Little,  Brown  &  Co., 
Boston,  1S53]. 

The  matter  is  so  interesting  in  itself, 
while  the  comment  does  certain  fathers 
of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  and  Plymouth 
colonies  so  great  an  injustice,  that  the 
note  should  be  given  entire.  The  error 
may  have  been  pointed  out  before,  but 
as  the  work  is  in  common  use,  it  cannot 
be  amiss  to  speak  of  it  here.  It  con- 
cerns the  attitude  of  the  people  of  New 
England,  and  especially  of  Boston,  in 
the  year  1644,  toward  La  Tour  and  his 
adversary,  D'Aulnay  Charnisay,  some  ac- 
count of  which  has  already  been  given 
in  the  preceding  number  of  this  maga- 
zine. Those  stern  religionists,  men  of 
conscience,  truth,  and  sobriety,  as  we 
naturally  esteem  them,  this  editor  con- 
victs, not  only  of  putting  a  very  loose 
construction  upon  the  obligations  of 
neutrality  in  respect  to  the  rival  gov- 
ernors, but  he  goes  further  and  demon- 
strates to  his  own  satisfaction  their  in- 
sincerity, nay  their  injurious  misrepre- 
sentation, their  injustice  and  falsehood 
in  attributing  to  one  party  an  offense 
well  known  to  have  been  committed  by 
the  other.  In  an  off-hand  way,  with  lit- 
tle consideration  apparently  of  the  seri- 
ousness of  the  charge,  he  supposes  them 
quite  capable  of  knowingly  holding  a 
man  responsible  for  what  he  never  did, 
while  the  real  and  known  offender  they 
thus  acquit.  Were  this  really  true,  no 
allowance  for  the  times  could  excuse  or 
even  palliate  such  a  course.  The  ver- 
dict of  downright  hypocrisy  could  not 
be  withheld.  Now  to  the  note  and  the 
evidence.     Mr.  Savage  remarks  : 


"  Very  inadequate  ideas  of  the  obliga- 
tions of  neutrality,  or  very  slight  regard 
for  its  laws,  must  be  observable  in  the 
management  of  affairs  here,  in  which 
the  rival  French  governors  felt  any  in- 
terest. For  La  Tour  the  greater  num- 
ber had  engaged  in  actual  war  on 
D'Aulnay  in  the  former  year,  and  had 
met  no  better  success  than  their  cause 
deserved.  But  the  acts  of  injury  or 
violence  done  by  one  of  these  strangers 
would  have  been  imputed  to  the  other, 
perhaps,  without  hesitation,  if  reparation 
could  by  such  a  course  have  been  ob- 
tained. A  curious  document  to  illustrate 
this  point  was  given  me  by  the  late  Judge 
Davis: 

Whereas  about  two  yeares  since  Movms'r 
D'Aulnay  under  pretence  or  color  of  comerce  did 
violently  and  injuriously  take  possession  out  of 
the  Hands  and  custody  of  the  Agents  and  servts. 
of  Edward  Winslow,  William  Bradford,  Thomas 
Prence,  and  others  their  ptners  at  Matchebigua- 
tus  in  Penobscot,  together  with  divers  and  sun- 
dry goods  to  their  great  losse,  even  to  the  valew 
of  five  hundred  pounds  or  thereabout  ;  And  for- 
asmuch as  no  satisfaces'  hath  ever  been  made 
and  tendered  by  the  sd  Mouns'r  D'Aulnay,  for 
the  sd  Possession  or  goods  by  any  his  Agents  ; 
The  sd  Edw.  Winslow  for  himself  and  ptners 
hath  and  doth  by  these  prnts  fully  surrender  and 
make  over  his  and  their  pp  right  and  title,  not 
only  to  the  said  possession  of  lands  in  Mache- 
biguatus  aforesaid  but  to  their  fortificon,  bows- 
ing, losse  and  damages,  right  and  privileges 
thereunto  belonging  to  Joh.  Winthrop,  Junior, 
Esq,  Serjant  Major  Edw.  Gibbons  and  Captain 
Thomas  Hawkins,  all  of  Boston,  in  New  Engld, 
to  them,  their  heires,  associats,  and  assignes 
forever.  Allowing  and  investing  them  with  all 
such  lawfull  power  by  force  of  Arms  or  other- 
wise to  recover  the  said  Possession,  fortificacons, 
howsing,  lands,  goods,  etc.,  to  them  the  said 
Edw.,  William,  Thomas,  and  other  their  ptners 
at  Machebiguatus  aforesaid  apptayning.  And  the 
same  to  have  and  to  hold,  occupy  and  enjoy,  to 


TI STORY    IN    BRIE] 


277 


them  the  said  Joh.  Winthrop,  Esq.,  Serjant 
Major  Gibbons,  and  Captain  Thomas  Hawkins, 
their  heires,  Associats  and  Assignes  forever, 
together  with  all  such  priviledges  as  apptayneth 
thereunto.  In  witness  whereof  the  said  Edward 
Winslow  hath  put  his  hand  and  seale  the  last  of 
August,   1644. 

Per  me  Edward  Winslow,  Gov'r  at 
prnt  of  New  Plym. 
Witnesses  hereunto 

Herbert  Pelham  j     Seale     \ 

John  Brown  {  A  Pelican  ) 

"  The  seal,"  our  editor  continues,  "  is 
very  perfect,  the  whole  instrument  in 
excellent  preservation.  One  very  re- 
markable thing  about  this  transaction  is, 
that  the  contemporary  relation  of  the 
French  act  at  Machias  in  1633  by  Gov- 
ernor Winthrop  charges  it  as  done  by 
La  Tour,  and  in  the  following  year  a 
reference  to  it  uses  the  same  command- 
er's name. 

"We  can  construe  this  deed  by  Wins- 
low, at  this  late  date,  only  as  his  desire 
to  hold  D'Aulnay  responsible  for  the 
wrong  done  so  many  years  before  by  La 
Tour  ;  and  it  might  seem  an  unfair 
attempt  to  retaliate  by  force.  Luckily 
D'Aulnay  was  too  strong,  or  we  might 
have  had  to  blush  for  outrages  under  such 
letters  of  marque,  perpetrated  by  Major 
Gibbons  or  Captain  Hawkins." 

So  we  are  asked  to  believe  that  Wins- 
low, Bradford,  Prence,  John  Winthrop 
junior,  Gibbons,  Hawkins,  with  their 
partners  and  associates,  were  implicated 
in  such  a  business  as  that  !  How  with 
the  facts  and  documents  before  one  such 
an  unjust,  false,  and  slanderous  construc- 
tion could  have  been  entertained  for  one 
moment  will  remain  the  inexplicable 
thing.  The  inference  has  scarcely  a 
shadow    of    foundation.       A    complete 


refutation  lies  within  the  manuscript 
this  writer  was  editing.  It  is  evident  in 
the  very  materials  of  the  notes.  The 
opening  clause  of  the  deed  recites  that 
D'Aulnay 's  offense  occurred  "  about 
two  years  since,"  that  is,  in  1642,  while 
as  the  writer  shows  by  Winthrop's  testi- 
mony, the  La  Tour  affair  happened  in 
1633,  or  nine  years  earlier.  One  event 
took  place  "at  Matchebiguatus  in  Penob- 
scot," the  other  at  Machias,  which  the 
writer  assumes  to  be  the  same  place. 
Whatever  part  of  Penobscot  might  be 
intended,  it  remains  that  the  Bay  of 
Penobscot  is  from  Machias  Bay  eighty 
miles  distant  as  the  crow  flies,  and  in- 
stead of  the  places  being  identical,  they 
must  have  been  one  hundred  miles 
or  more  apart  by  the  sailing  route. 
Lastly,  the  parties  in  interest  in  the  two 
cases  were  different  persons  and  from 
different  localities.  Although  in  the 
first  instance  of  the  La  Tour  affair  a 
Plymouth  man  is  mentioned  as  princi- 
pal, it  is  neither  Winslow,  Bradford,  nor 
Prence,  but  Mr.  Allerton  ;  and  it  after- 
ward appears  that  a  Mr.  Vines  of  Saco 
controlled  the  goods  and  established  the 
port  such  as  it  was.  Moreover  there 
was  at  Machias  at  that  time  no  planta- 
tion, fortification,  or  appropriated  lands 
as  mentioned  in  the  Penobscot  deed, 
but  only  "  a  wigwam  "  or  cabin  occupied 
by  five  of  Mr.  Vines's  men  for  trading 
purposes. 

All  this  appears  in  Mr.  Savage's  own 
volumes  under  the  faithful  hand  of  Gov- 
ernor John  Winthrop,  by  whom  the  case 
is  recited  upon  the  testimony  before 
himself  of  both  Mr.  Vines  and  Lord  La 
Tour  face  to  face,  the  year  previous  to 
the  making  of  the  Penobscot  deed.    The 


278 


HISTORY    IN    BRIEF 


2  giousness  and  almost  unpardonable 
nature  of  this  error  will  be  manifest 
when  we  give  Winthrop's  accounts  en- 
tire. His  first  note  in  the  autumn  of 
1633  is  as  follows  : 

"  News  of  the  taking  of  Machias  by 
the  French,  Mr.  Allerton  of  Plimouth 
and  some  others  had  set  a  trading  wig- 
wam there,  and  lost  in  it  five  men  and 
store  of  commodities.  La  Tour,  gov- 
ernor of  the  French  in  those  parts,  mak- 
ing claim  to  those  parts,  came  to  displant 
them,  and,  finding  resistance,  killed  two 
men  and  carried  away  the  other  three 
and  the  goods." 

About  ten  years  later,  in  June,  1643, 
when  La  Tour  came  to  Boston  in  the 
ship  Clement,  seeking  aid  to  raise  the 
siege  of  Fort  La  Tour,  this  old  matter 
came  up,  and  we  get  the  story  in  detail 
from  the  two  parties  in  interest,  one  of 
them  an  eye-witness.     Winthrop  writes  : 

"  And  whereas  he  [La  Tour]  was 
charged  to  have  killed  two  Englishmen 
at  Machias  not  far  from  his  fort  and  to 
have  taken  away  their  goods  to  the  value 
of  five  hundred  pounds,  Mr.  Vines  of 
Saco,  who  was  part  owner  of  the  goods 
and  principal  trader,  etc.,  being  present 
with  La  Tour,  the  Governor  heard  the 
cause  between  them,  which  was  thus  : 
Mr.  Vines  being  in  a  pinnace  trading  in 
those  parts  La  Tour  met  him  in  another 
pinnace  and  bought  so  many  of  his  com- 
modities as  Mr.  Vines  received  then  of 
him  four  hundred  skins,  and  although 
some  of  Mr.  Vines  his  company  had 
abused  La  Tour,  whereupon  he  had  made 
them  prisoners  in  his  pinnace,  yet  at  Mr. 
Vines  entreaty  he  discharged  them  with 
grave  and  good  counsel,  and  acquainted 
Mr.  Vines  with  his   commission  to  make 


prize  of  all  such  as  should  come  to  trade 
in  those  parts,  and  thereupon  desired  him 
peaceably  to  forbear,  etc.,  yet  at  his 
request  he  gave  him  leave  to  trade  the 
goods  he  had  left,  in  his  way  home,  so  as 
he  did  not  fortify  or  build  in  any  places 
within  his  commission,  which  he  said  he 
could  not  answer  it  if  he  should  suffer 
it ;  whereupon  they  parted  friendly. 
Mr.  Vines  landed  his  goods  at  Machias, 
and  there  set  up  a  small  wigwam,  and 
left  five  men  and  two  murderers  to 
defend  it,  and  a  shallop,  and  so  returned 
home.  Two  days  after  La  Tour  comes, 
and  casting  anchor  before  the  place,  one 
of  Mr.  Vines'  his  men  came  on  board 
his  pinnace,  and  while  they  were  in  par- 
ley four  of  La  Tour  his  men  went  on 
shore.  One  of  the  four  which  were  in 
the  house  seeing  them,  gave  fire  to  a 
murderer,  but  it  not  taking  fire,  he  called 
to  his  fellow  to  give  fire  to  the  other 
murderer,  which  he  going  to  do,  the  four 
French  retreated,  and  one  of  the  muskers 
went  off  (La  Tour  sayeth  it  was  by 
accident  and  that  the  shot  went  through 
one  of  his  fellow's  clothes,  but  Mr. Vines 
could  say  nothing  to  that).  It  killed 
two  of  the  men  on  shore,  which  La  Tour 
then  professed  himself  innocent  of,  and 
very  sorry  for  ;  and  said  further  that  the 
five  men  were  at  that  time  all  drunk,  and 
not  unlikely,  having  store  of  wine  and 
strong  water,  for  had  they  been  sober, 
they  would  not  have  given  fire  on  such 
as  they  had  conversed  friendly  with  but 
two  days  before,  without  once  bidding 
them  stand,  or  asking  wherefore  they 
came.  After  this  La  Tour  coming  to 
the  house  and  finding  some  of  his  own 
goods  (though  of  no  great  value)  which 
had  a  little  time  before  been  taken  out  of 


HISTORY   IN    BRIEF 


279 


his  fort  at  St.  Johns  by  the  Scotch  and 
some  English  of  Virginia  (where  they 
had  plundered  all  his  goods  to  a  great 
value  and  abused  his  men,)  he  seized  the 
three  men  and  the  goods  and  sent  them 
to  France  according  to  his  commission, 
where  the  men'were  discharged,  but  the 
goods  adjudged  lawful  prize.  Mr.  Vines 
did  not  contradict  any  of  this,  but  only 
that  he  did  not  build  or  fortify  at 
Machias,  but  only  set  up  a  shelter  for 
his  men  and  goods.  For  the  value  of 
the  goods  Mr.  Vines  showed  an  invoice 
which  came  to  three  or  four  hun- 
dred pounds,  but  La  Tour  said  he  had 
another  under  the  men's  hands  that  were 
there  which  came  not  to  half  so  much. 
In  courtesy  he  promised  that  he  would 
refer  the  cause  to  judgment,  and  if  it 
should  be  found  that  he  had  done  wrong, 
he  would  make  satisfaction." 

The  above  account  in  the  main  bears 
the  unmistakable  marks  of  truth;  though 
as  to  La  Tour's  story  of  the  "  musker  " 
discharging  accidentally  through  a 
friend's  clothing  and  killing  two  ene- 
mies on  the  shore,  the  event  is  so  ex- 
traordinary we  may  be  pardoned  for 
taking  it  with  a  grain  of  salt,  or  even 
dismissing  it  as  a  sailor's  or  (worse  yet) 
a  fur-trader's  yarn.  Yet  the  thing  is 
within  the  range  of  possibility,  and  to 
swallow  the  tale  whole  without  a  wink 
would  seem  no  tax  upon  credulity  at  all 
in  comparison  with  what  is  required  in 
gratuitously  supposing  a  conspiracy  of 
such  prominent  men  of  character  to 
saddle  the  notorious  affair  of  La  Tour 
upon  another — a  studious  scheme  to 
make  reprisals  upon  a  party  known  to 
be  innocent,  and  that  for  a  matter  already 
settled. 


The  well-known  truth  is  that  D'Aulnay 
Charnisay  did  seize  Penobscot  and  hold 
it  for  years,  having  dispossessed  the 
Plymouth  people,  who  in  turn  had  seized 
it  previously,  dispossessing  Claude,  the 
father  of  Charles  La  Tour. 

An  Eye-witness  of  Burgoyne's 
Surrender1 — The  following  letter  was 
written  by  Colonel  Dudley  Colman,  of 
Newbury,  Mass.,  to  his  friend,  Colonel 
Moses  Little,  member  of  the  House  of 
Representatives,  and  affords  a  unique 
view  of  the  surrender  of  Burgoyne,  by 
an  eye-witness  of  that  important  event 
in  the  war  of  the  Revolution  : 

"  Camp  Albany,  Oct.  28,  1777. 
Dear  Sir  : — I  have  the  pleasure,  though  late, 
to  congratulate  you  on  the  surrender  of  Gen. 
Burgoyne  and  his  army.  Some  of  them  doubt- 
less you  will  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  before 
this  reaches  you.  It  may  I  think  be  reck- 
oned among  the  extraordinary  events,  history 
furnishes  us  with,  to  have  5,000  and  upwards 
of  veteran,  disciplined  troops,  besides  followers 
of  the  army,  surrounded,  and  their  resources 
and  retreat  so  cut  off  in  the  field,  as  to  oblige 
them  to  surrender  prisoners  of  war,  without 
daring  to  come  to  further  action,  is  an  event 
I  do  not  recollect  to  have  met  with  in  his- 
tory, much  less  did  I  ever  expect  to  see  it  in 
this  war,  I  confess  I  could  hardly  believe  it  to 
be  a  reality  when  I  saw  it,  the  prospect  was 
truly  extremely  pleasing  to  see  our  troops 
paraded  in  the  best  order,  and  to  see  march  by 
as  prisoners,  after  they  had  laid  down  their 
arms,  those  who  but  a  few  days  before  had  pre- 
tended to  despise  us  (although  at  the  same  time 
I  believe  they  did  not  think  so  lightly  as  they 
pretended).  I  can  but  mention  the  good  order 
observed  by  our  troops  on  seeing  them  march 
by,  no  laughing  or  marks  of  exultation  were  to 
be  seen  among  them,  nothing  more  than  a 
manly  joy  appeared  on  the  countenances  of  our 

]  Contributed  by  Lida  C.  Tulloch,  Washington,  D.C. 


jSo 


HISTORY   IN   BRIEF 


troops,  which  showed  that  they  had  fortitude  of 
mind  to  bear  prosperity  without  being  too  much 
elated,  as  well  as  to  encounter  the  greatest 
hardships  and  dangers.  It  has  likewise  been 
observed  to  me  by  several  of  the  British  officers 
that  they  did  not  expect  to  be  received  in  so 
polite  a  manner,  and  that  they  never  saw  troops 
behave  with  more  decency,  or  a  better  spirit  on 
such  an  occasion. 

We  have.  I  think,  for  the  present,  restored 
peace  in  the  northern  quarter,  and,  although 
for  a  little  time  past  viewed  the  evacuation  of 
Ticonderoga  as  a  misfortune,  we  may  now  see 
it  has  proved  a  means  of  destroying  this  enemy. 

Gen.  Clinton  has  of  late  made  an  attempt 
to  come  up  the  river,  and  has  destroyed  several 
places  in  order  to  make  a  diversion  in  favor  of 
Gen.  Burgoyne,  but  he  was  too  late.  We  ex- 
pect orders  to  strike  our  tents  every  day,  as  we 
have  been  under  marching  orders  these  three 
days,  and  part  of  the  army  are  gone.  I  know 
not  where  we  are  to  march  to,  but  suppose  it  to 
be  down  the  river,  when  if  we  can  get  between 
the  enemy  and  their  ships,  we  shall  endeavor  to 
convince  them  that  they  are  not  to  proceed  in 
the  way  they  have  done,  of  destroying  the 
property  of  our  fellow-countrymen.  Please  to 
give  my  best  regards  to  Mr.  Gray  and  family, 
and  all  friends,  and  I  shall  be  happy  to  have  a 
line  from  you. 

I  am,  dear  sir, 
Your  most  obedient,  humble  servant, 
Dudley  Colman. 

To  Col.  Moses  Little,  member  of  the  House 
of  Representatives." 

"  How  we  Lose  our  History  " — 
Under  this  caption  a  Charleston  journal 
raises  a  cry  of  distress  over  the  neglect 
to  secure  valuable  documents  relating  to 
the  history  of  the  State  of  South  Caro- 
lina, manifested  by  its  own  citizens,  as 
contrasted  with  the  commendable  appre- 
ciation of  these  on  the  part  of  citizens 
of  other  States.     It  says: 

"  It  appears  that  our  historian  and 
novelist,    William     Gilmore     Simms,     in 


1 868,  broken  in  fortune  by  the  results 
of  the  war,  and  unable  even  with  his 
brilliant  pen  to  avert  the  res  angusti 
domi,  was  compelled  to  part  with  his 
collection  of  letters  and  manuscripts, 
the  labor  of  many  years  and  the  fruit 
of  unremitting  study  and  investigation. 
Messrs.  J.  Carson  Brevoort,  H.  E. 
Pierrepont,  and  sixteen  other  gentle- 
men of  New  York  contributed  the  sum 
of  $1,500,  which  was  paid  Dr.  Simms  in 
1868  for  his  invaluable  manuscripts,  now 
to  be  found  in  the  archives  of  the  Long 
Island  Historical  Society.  An  idea  of 
the  character  and  value  of  the  collec- 
tion is  fully  set  forth  in  a  report  of  the 
society." 

The  application  of  the  homily  then 
follows,  and  should  find  an  echo  in  every 
community  that  must  plead  guilty  to  the 
same  inexcusable  indifference. 

"  Only  a  Carolinian  with  a  dead  soul 
would  not  feel  a  pang  of  deep  mortifica- 
tion and  regret  at  reading  such  a  state- 
ment, and  yet  it  is  gratifying  to  know 
that  citizens  of  other  States  have  not 
shown  the  same  apathy  and  neglect 
which,  with  a  few  rare  exceptions,  have 
characterized  our  people  for  many  years, 
and  which  it  is  the  endeavor  of  the 
trustees  of  the  Charleston  Library  to 
remedy. 

"  There  are  now  scattered  throughout 
the  State,  in  private  hands,  numbers  of 
letters  and  manuscripts  which  should,  at 
least,  be  carefully  preserved  for  publica- 
tion in  after  times,  if  sufficient  funds 
cannot  be  raised  for  their  publication 
now.  But  there  must  be  an  institution, 
be  it  a  library,  historical  society,  State 
bureau  of  historical  information,  or  what 
not,  founded  on  so  solid  a  financial  basis 


HISTORY    IN    BRIEF 


J. Si 


as  will  permit  no  doubts  as  to  its  safety 
and  stability,  in  which  their  owners 
could  deposit  such  documents  for  pres- 
ervation. Otherwise,  many  valuable 
records  may  suffer  the  fate  of  ten  boxes 
of  the  archives  of  the  Confederate 
States  which  were  burned  in  the  resi- 
dence of  a  gentleman  in  one  of  the 
upper  counties  of  South  Carolina  some 
years  ago;  or  may  be  fished  out  of  a 
heap  of  old  papers  and  rags  in  a  junk 
shop,  mutilated  and  almost  entirely 
illegible,  as  was  the  case  with  a  manu- 
script diary  of  a  Confederate  naval  officer 
who  served  in  Charleston  harbor  during 
the  war." 

A  Story  of  a  Brave  Deed  Brave- 
ly Told. — The  article  on  Texas  in  the 
present  number  leads  us  to  note  that 
Mr.  Richard  Harding  Davis,  in  The 
West  from  a  Car  Window,  relates  in 
his  first  chapter  the  story  of  the  brave 
defense  of  the  Alamo,  in  Texas.  He 
approaches  the  subject  with  becoming 
modesty,  it  being,  as  he  says,  "  more 
than  a  thrice-told  "  tale  ;  but,  neverthe- 
less, he  does  not  spoil  it  in  telling  it 
again,  as  he  fears  he  will.  We  select 
some  passages  from  his  spirited  account: 

"  On  the  23d  of  February,  1836,  Gen- 
eral Santa  Anna  himself,  with  four 
thousand  Mexican  soldiers,  marched 
into  the  town  of  San  Antonio.  In  the 
old  mission  of  the  Alamo  were  the 
town's  only  defenders,  one  hundred 
and  forty-five  men,  under  Captain 
Travis,  a  young  man  twenty-eight  years 
old.  With  him  were  Davy  Crockett, 
who  had  crossed  over  from  his  own 
State  to  help  those  who  were  freeing 
theirs,  and  Colonel  Bowie  (who  gave  his 


name  to  a  knife,  which  name  our  gov- 
ernment gave  later  to  a  fort),  who  was 
wounded  and  lying  on  a  cot.  .  .  .  On 
the  3d  of  March,  1836,  there  was  a  ces- 
sation in  the  bombardment,  and  Captain 
Travis  drew  his  men  up  into  single  rank 
and  takes  his  place  in  front  of  them 
Captain  Travis  tells  them  that  all  that 
remains  to  them  is  the  choice  of  their 
death,  and  that  they  have  but  to  decide 
in  which  manner  of  dying  they  will  best 
serve  their  country.  They  can  surren- 
der and  be  shot  down  mercilessly,  they 
can  make  a  sortie  and  be  butchered 
before  they  have  gained  twenty  yards, 
or  they  can  die  fighting  to  the  last, 
and  killing  their  enemies  until  that  last 
comes.  He  gives  them  their  choice,  and 
then  stooping,  draws  a  line  with  the  point 
of  his  sword  in  the  ground  from  the  left 
to  the  right  of  the  rank.  '  And  now,' 
he  says,  '  every  man  who  is  determined 
to  remain  here  and  to  die  with  me  will 
come  to  me  across  that  line."  Tapley 
Holland  was  the  first  to  cross.  He 
jumped  it  with  a  bound,  as  though  it 
were  a  Rubicon.  '  I  am  ready  to  die 
for  my  country,'  he  said.  And  then  all 
but  one  man,  named  Rose,  marched 
over  to  the  other  side.  Colonel  Bowie, 
lying  wounded  in  his  cot,  raised  himself 
on  his  elbow.  ■  Boys,'  he  said,  'don't 
leave  me.  Won't  some  of  you  carry  me 
across  ? '  And  those  of  the  sick  who 
could  walk  rose  from  the  bunks  and  tot- 
tered across  the  line  ;  and  those  who 
could  not  walk  were  carried.  Rose,  who 
could  speak  Spanish,  trusted  to  this 
chance  to  escape,  and  scaling  the  wall 
of  the  Alamo,  dropped  into  a  ditch 
on  the  other  side,  and  crawled,  hidden 
by  the    cactus,  into   a   place    of    safety. 


282 


HISTORY   IN    BRIEF 


Through  him  we  know  what  happened 
before  that  final  day  came.  He  had  his 
reward. 

"  Three  days  after  this,  on  the  morning 
of  the  6th  of  March,  Santa  Anna  brought 
forward  all  of  his  infantry,  supported  by 
his  cavalry,  and  stormed  the  fortress. 
The  infantry  came  up  on  every  side  at 
once  in  long  black  solid  rows,  bearing 
the  scaling-ladders  before  them,  and  en- 
couraged by  the  press  of  great  numbers 
about  them.  ...  At  the  third  trial 
the  ladders  are  planted,  and  Mexicans 
after  Mexicans  scale  them,  and  jump 
down  into  the  pit  inside,  hundreds  and 
hundreds  of  them,  to  be  met  with  bullets 
and  then  by  bayonet-thrusts,  and  at  last 
with  desperate  swinging  of  the  butt, 
until  the  little  band  grows  smaller  and 
weaker,  and  is  driven  up  and  about  and 
beaten  down  and  stamped  beneath  the 
weight  of  overwhelming  and  unending 
numbers.  They  die  fighting  on  their 
knees,  hacking  up  desperately  as  they 
are  beaten  and  pinned  down  by  a  dozen 
bayonets,  Bowie  leaning  on  his  elbow 
and  shooting  from  his  cot,  Crockett 
fighting  like  a  panther  in  the  angle  of 
the  church  wall,  and  Travis  with  his 
back  against  the  wall  to  the  west.  The 
one  hundred  and  seventy-two  men  who 
had  held  four  thousand  men  at  bay  for 
two  sleepless  weeks  are  swept  away  as  a 
dam  goes  that  has  held  back  a  flood,  and 
the  Mexicans  open  the  church  doors 
from  the  inside  and  let  in  their  comrades 
and  the  sunshine  that  shows  them  horrid 
heaps  of  five  hundred  and  twenty-two 
dead  Mexicans,  and  five  hundred  more 
wounded.  There  are  no  wounded  among 
the  Texans  ;  of  the  one  hundred  and 
seventy  two    who    were    in     the    Alamo 


there  are  one  hundred  and  seventy-two 
dead. 

"  With  an  example  like  this  to  follow, 
it  was  not  difficult  to  gain  the  indepen- 
dence of  Texas,  and  whenever  Sam 
Houston  rode  before  his  men  crying, 
'  Remember  the  Alamo  !  '  the  battle  was 
already  half  won." 

First  Suggestion  of  Lincoln's 
Name — In  Mount  Vernon,  Ohio,  there 
died  not  long  ago  Mr.  Israel  Green.  He 
had  built  up  a  comfortable  drug  business 
at  Findlay,  Ohio,  in  the  early  fifties  of 
this  century,  but  was  a  keen  observer  of 
political  events,  as  well  as  a  capable 
judge  of  their  drift  and  significance. 
He  was  not  a  politician  himself,  and  not 
an  office-holder  except  to  the  extent  of 
being  a  member  of  the  State  legislature 
for  one  term.  He  was  a  man  of  inde- 
pendent mind,  and  had  given  himself 
heart  and  soul  to  the  anti-slavery  cause. 
He  had  watched  with  eager  zest  the 
famous  debates  between  Lincoln  and 
Douglas,  and  had  come  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  Abraham  Lincoln  was  a  man 
not  only  of  alertness  and  ability  in  con- 
troversy, but  possessed  of  the  more 
solid  qualities  of  the  statesman,  and  en- 
dued with  the  unflinching  moral  courage 
of  the  reformer.  Mr.  Green,  there- 
fore, became  strongly  convinced  that 
Lincoln  was  the  man  to  lead  the  hosts 
of  anti-slavery  to  victory  in  the  ap- 
proaching presidential  campaign.  Ac- 
cordingly, on  November  6,  1858,  he 
wrote  to  the  Cincinnati  Gazette,  suggest- 
ing the  name  of  Abraham  Lincoln  as 
presidential  candidate.  The  letter  was 
published  in  that  journal,  and  appeared 
in  its  columns  as  follows  : 


HISTORY   IN   BRIEF 


283 


A  TICKET  FOR  i860. 

Correspondence  of  the  Cincinnati  Gazette. 
FlNDLAY,  Ohio,  Nov.  6,  1858. — Permit  a  daily 
reader  of  your  valuable  paper,  residing  in  the 
Northwest,  to  suggest  to  the  consideration  of  the 
triumphant  and  united  opposition,  the  names  of 
the  following  distinguished  and  patriotic  states- 
men as  standard  bearers  in  the  approaching  pres- 
idential election  : 

For  President, 

ABRAHAM  LINCOLN, 

of  Illinois. 
Vice  President, 

JOHN  P.   KENNEDY, 

of  Maryland. 

There,  sir,  is  a  ticket  that  can  command  and 
receive  the  united  support  of  the  entire  opposi- 
tion. With  the  above  ticket  in  the  field,  with  a 
banner  on  which  shall  be  inscribed  union  and 
harmony  ;  protection  to  American  capital  and 
American  labor,  skill  and  enterprise  ;  improve- 
ments of  Western  rivers  and  harbors  ;  free  labor 
and  unrelenting  opposition  to  the  interference  of 
the  general  government  in  favor  of  the  spread 
of  slavery  ;  opposition  to  any  further  acquisition 
of  foreign  territory  ;  to  humbug  squatter  sover- 
eignty ;  to  the  principles  involved  in  the  Dred 
Scott  decision.  Let  us  oppose  the  appointment 
to  offices  of  profit  members  of  either  branch  of 
Congress  during  the  term  for  which  they  shall 
be  elected  ;  oppose  extravagance  and  favoritism 
in  the  public  expenses,  and  favor  a  return  to  the 
early  principles  and  practices  of  the  founders  of 
our  government.  Let  us  preserve  the  elective 
franchise  pure  and  untarnished. 

With  such  standard  bearers  and  such  a  plat- 
form the  great  opposition  or  American  Repub- 
lican party  can  go  before  the  people  of  the  nation 
in  i860  with  the  full  assurance  of  a  triumphant 
victory  over  the  present  pro-slavery  filibustering, 
border  ruffian  Democracy. 

(Signed) 
A  Member  of  the  Philadelphia  Convention 

in  1856. 


This  is  believed  to  have  been  the  first 
public  suggestion  of  President  Lincoln's 
name.  Newspapers  and  politicians  every- 
where took  it  up,  with  the  result  that  in 
i860  the  nomination  of  the  head  of  the 
ticket  at  least,  was  made.  Mr.  Green 
deserves  to  be  remembered  with  grati- 
tude. 

Resolutions  Passed  by  the  So- 
ciety of  Colonial  Dames  of  America 
on  the  Death  of  Mrs.  Martha  J. 
Lamb. 

Whereas,  Mrs.  Martha  J.  Lamb  has 
been,  in  the  Providence  of  God,  called 
from  life ;  and  whereas,  she  was  one  of 
the  founders  of  the  Society  of  Colonial 
Dames  of  America,  and  was  among 
those  to  whom  the  members  are  partic- 
ularly indebted  for  the  organization  and 
inspiration  at  the  start ;  therefore  be  it 

Resolved,  That  this  society  hereby  ex- 
press its  sense  of  loss  and  sorrow  in  the 
removal  of  this  eminent  and  valued  mem- 
ber ;  and 

Resolved,  That  we  do  hereby  formally 
express  our  appreciation  and  admiration 
of  her  as  conspicuous  in  the  literary 
world,  profound  and  painstaking  and 
accurate  as  an  historian,  so  illustrious  as 
the  writer  of  the  history  of  our  city  and 
country,  so  widely  and  respectfully  re- 
garded both  at  home  and  abroad,  so 
affectionately  held  by  those  admitted  to 
her  friendship  ;  and 

Resolved,  That  we  record  this  action 
in  our  minutes. 


QUERIES 


House    occupied    by    lafayette —  August  14,  16 14,  preserved  among  the 

Either  while  recovering  from  his  wound  archives   at   the   Hague.     As   I   do   not 

received  at  the  battle  of  the  Brandywine,  find  such  document  among  Brodhead's 

or  during  some  other  sickness,  Lafayette  collection   of   papers  published    by   the 


occupied  a  farmhouse  in  a  New  Jersey 
village,  not  far  from  the  Delaware.  Can 
any  of  your  readers  state  the  exact  loca- 
tion of  this  house,  and  whether  it  is  still 
in  existence  ?  P.  Q.  W. 


state,  will  some  one  of  your  readers  inform 
me  whether  such  document  is  now  at  the 
Hague,  or  whether  Mrs.  Lamb  was  mis- 
informed as  to  its  existence  ?    R.  B.  S. 


David  Crockett — Was  not  an  auto- 
biography of  David  Crockett  published  ? 
Can  a  copy  be  had,  or  is  the  work  out  of 

print  ? 


Burning  of  the  tiger — Mrs.  Lamb, 
in  her  History  of  New  York  City,  states 
that  an  account  of  the  burning  of  this 
vessel  in  New  York  bay,  in  the  winter  of 
1613-14,  is  found  in  a  document  dated 


The  first  place  of  worship  on 
Manhattan  island — When  Peter  Min- 
uit  came  over  (in  1626)  to  establish 
colonial  government  in  New  Nether- 
land,  he  brought  with  him  two  lay  read- 
ers, and  worship  was  conducted  by 
them,  and  afterwards  by  Dominie  Jonas 
Michaelius,  from  1628  to  1633,  in  the 
loft  of  a  "  horse-mill."  Can  any  of  your 
readers  tell  just  where  that  mill  stood  ? 

Clericus 


REPLIES 


First  college  periodical  [xxviii. 
No.  4] — In  reply  to  inquiry  about  col- 
lege journalism,  allow  me  to  say  that 
The  Literary  Cabinet  was  founded  at 
Yale,  1806.  The  Harvard  Lyceum  was 
started  at  Harvard,  1810,  and  Edward 
Everett  was  one  of  the  editors.  Before 
either  of  these,  The  Gazette  was  started 
at  Dartmouth,  and  as  Daniel  Webster 
was  one  of  the  principal  contributors, 
and  he  graduated  in  the  class  of  1801, 
it  was  almost  undoubtedly  a  product  of 
the  last  century. 

So  The  North  Carolina  University 
Magazine  of  1844  is  decidedly  not  "  the 
first  college  periodical  in  the  United 
States." 

W.  Armitage  Beardslee 

Yonkers,  New  York 


Oldest  dwelling  house  erected 
in  new  york  state  [xxix.  185] — It 
may  be  that  the  house  in  Southampton, 
L.  I.,  built  in  1648,  is  the  oldest  house  in 
the  sense  that  it  has  been  preserved  in- 
tact since  it  was  built.  But  the  writer 
will  not  claim  surely  that  it  was  the  first 
house  erected  within  the  bounds  of  the 
state.  It  may  be  permitted  to  mention 
in  this  connection  that  there  are  portions 
of  the  foundations  still  extant  of  the 
city  tavern  built  by  Director  Kieft  in 
1642,  which  became  the  city  hall  in 
1653,  and  was  used  as  such  until  1700. 
It  is  still  in  order,  however,  for  some  one 
to  indicate  if  there  be  any  dwelling-house 
in  complete  preservation,  older  than  the 
Southampton  house  of  1648. 

J.  G.  G. 


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ll»IMl 


,,•/-.'■  '.i' 


Alabama — A  colored  Literary  and 
Historical  Society  was  organized  on 
January  2,  1893,  at  Birmingham,  and  a 
paper  appointed  to  be  read  at  the  first 
regular  meeting  on  "  The  Nature,  Neces- 
sity, and  Object  of  such  Society." 


California — The  California  Histor- 
ical Society  held  its  seventh  annual 
meeting  for  the  election  p£  a  board  of 
directors,  and  a  committee  on  publica- 
tion, on  January  10,  1893.  A  paper  was 
read,  entitled  "  Early  California  Schools 
and  the  Primitive  Modes  Employed  in 
the  Pre- American  Era." 

— The  Historical  Society  of  South- 
ern California,  Los  Angeles — Perhaps 
the  most  valuable  property  owned  by 
this  association  from  a  historical  stand- 
point is  the  complete  files  of  Southern 
California  newspapers  from  1850  to 
the  present  day.  Great  pains  are  taken 
to  authenticate  all  documents  coming  to 
the  society,  so  that  when  they  pass 
upon  its  shelves  they  can  be  accepted 
with  confidence  by  any  Hume,  Mac- 
aulay,  or  Carlyle  who  may  happen  to 
crop  up  to  write  a  history  for  Southern 
California. 


Connecticut. — The  Connecticut 
Historical  Society  of  Hartford  at  a  recent 
meeting  voted  not  to  allow  out  of  its 
possession  the  tape  printed  with  Professor 
Morse's  first  telegraphic  message,  which 
is  requested  by  the  Western  Union 
Telegraph  company  for  its  museum. 
The  society  will  permit  it  to  be  photo- 
graphed. The  society  has  also  in  its 
possession  the  identical  United  States 
flag  that  General  B.  F.  Butler  raised  over 
the  New  Orleans  custom  house  after  the 
first  flag  was  pulled  down  and  torn  to 
shreds  by  the  people  of  New  Orleans,  on 
the  occupation  of  the  city  by  federal 
troops.  It  was  in  relation  to  this  flag 
and  the  threats  of  the  women  of  New 
Orleans  to  insult  it,  that. Butler's  famous 
order  was  issued  for  the  arrest  and  pros- 
ecution of  every  woman  found  on  the 
streets  of  the  city  after  seven  o'clock  in 
the  evening.  The  flag  is  a  large,  hand- 
some silk  one  of  regulation  style,  and 
shows  no  signs  of  wear  or  injury.  After 
the  war  the  flag  was  given  to  Gideon 
Welles,  Lincoln's  secretary  of  the  navy, 
and  by  him  was  presented  to  the  Histor- 
ical Society. 

— At  the  last  regular  meeting  of  the 
Fairfield  County  Historical  Society,  at 
Bridgeport,  it  was  reported  that  the  con- 


Note. — This  department  aims  to  present  such  notes  of  the  proceedings  of  historical  societies 
throughout  the  country  as  are  of  general  historical  interest,  with  such  items  of  a  local  nature  as 
will  serve  to  stimulate  the  formation  of  new  societies,  or  to  encourage  the  activities  of  those 
already  established.  Thus  we  hope  to  furnish  a  comprehensive  survey  of  the  character  of  the 
actual  historical  work  done  by  these  organizations,  and  to  indicate  the  growth  everywhere  of 
the  historical  spirit. 


286 


NOTES   FROM    THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


tributions  of  books  during  the  month 
include  fifty  volumes  of  the  New  Eng- 
ender, by  Rev.  C.  R.  Palmer.  They 
form  a  consecutive  series  from  1843  to 
the  present  time.  Mr.  Palmer  also  do- 
nated various  other  volumes,  including 
one  year  of  the  London  Spectator,  which 
completes  a  set  from  many  years  back  to 
the  present. 


District  of  Columbia — At  a  recent 
meeting  of  the  Ladies'  Historical  So- 
ciety of  Washington,  the  attention  of  the 
members  was  given  to  various  treatments 
of  Scandinavian  history  and  mythology. 

— There  has  been  some  talk  among 
those  interested  in  the  Georgetown  of 
years  gone  by,  of  forming  an  historical 
society,  whose  main  object  will  be  to 
secure  from  the  towns  throughout  Mary- 
land and  Virginia,  and  wherever  they 
may  exist,  the  scattered  records,  old 
maps,  early  newspapers,  and  other  things 
of  a  historical  nature  relating  to  the 
town,  and  to  preserve  them  in  the  rooms 
of  the  society  with  other  historical  docu- 
ments that  from  time  to  time  will  make 
their  appearance.  Local  relics  of  all 
descriptions  will  be  collected,  and  officers 
periodically  chosen  to  care  for  them.  It 
is  urged  that  such  a  society  would  re- 
ceive earnest  support  from  the  best  peo- 
ple of  the  place.  It  is  said  many  of  the 
documents  which  would  be  gathered  to- 
gether are  now  in  possession  of  people 
residing  at  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Hagers- 
town,  Rockville,  Frederick,  Baltimore, 
and  Alexandria. 


cured,  through  the  liberality  of  Mr. 
Marshall  Field,  a  valuable  collection  of 
historical  documents.  They  are  eight 
large  volumes  of  letters  of  James  Madi- 
son ;  one  large  volume  of  letters  of 
General  James  Armstrong,  minister  to 
France  under  Jefferson,  and  secretary  of 
war  during  the  war  of  181 2  ;  also  let- 
ters of  Joseph  Jones,  Washington's  col- 
league in  the  constitutional  convention  ; 
and  of  Edmund  Randolph,  attorney- 
general  of  the  United  States  under 
Washington.  They  were  purchased  by 
J.  C.  McGuire  of  Washington,  several 
years  ago,  from  a  member  of  Madison's 
family  ;  at  one  time  the  state  depart- 
ment offered  a  thousand  dollars  for 
them,  which  was  refused.  Mr.  Field 
paid  the  price  at  which  they  are  now 
held,  seventy-five  hundred  dollars,  and 
generously  presented  them  to  the  Chi- 
cago society. 


Illinois — The     Chicago     Historical 
Society  is  fortunate  in  having    just  se- 


Kansas — The  eighth  biennial  report 
of  the  Kansas  Historical  Society,  just 
issued,  shows  the  work  of  the  society 
and  the  condition  of  its  library  and  col- 
lections up  to  November  15  last.  There 
have  been  added  to  the  library  of  the 
society  during  the  two  years,  2,183  vol- 
umes of  books  ;  unbound  volumes  and 
pamphlets,  7,710;  volumes  of  news- 
papers and  periodicals,  2,499  5  single 
newspapers  containing  matter  of  special 
historical  interest,  734  ;  maps,  atlases, 
and  charts,  3,253  ;  manuscripts,  556  ; 
pictures  and  other  works  of  art,  183  ; 
scrip,  currency,  and  coin,  81  ;  war  relics, 
23  ;  miscellaneous  contributions,  443. 
Hon.  George  T.  Pierce  of  Goodrich, 
Kansas,  has  given  the  society  a  copy  of 


NOTES    FROM    THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


287 


a  pamphlet  containing  a  satirical  poem 
on  De  Witt  Clinton,  who  was  a  presi- 
dential candidate  in  181 2  ;  also  a  pam- 
phlet containing  a  political  lampoon  on 
John  Hancock,  the  bold  signer  of  the 
Declaration  of  Independence,  who  was 
at  the  time  of  this  publication,  1789, 
a  candidate  for  governor  of  Massachu- 
setts. 


Louisiana — There  was  a  meeting  at 
Tulane  university  in  January  last,  for 
the  purpose  of  forming  in  New  Orleans 
a  society  whose  aim  will  be  to  collect 
historical  literature  and  relics  of  any  his- 
torical significance,  so  as  to  preserve 
them  for  reference.  This  meeting  will 
be  about  the  first  of  its  kind  in  the 
south,  but  it  is  in  line  with  the  organi- 
zation in  New  York  known  as  the 
"  Daughters  of  1776  and  1812." 


Maine — At  the  last  meeting  of  the 
Maine  Historical  Society  a  paper  was 
read  on  "  Pre-Columbian  Discovery." 
The  members  of  the  Society  were  greatly 
interested  and  delighted  in  the  witty 
and  sarcastic  comments  made  in  the 
paper  on  the  theories  of  the  "  Norse 
maniacs."  Yet  the  reader  regarded  the 
sagas  as  legitimate  and  valuable  sources 
of  proof  of  Norse  discoveries  in  America, 
but  thought  they  should  be  supplement- 
ed, not  by  unauthenticated  relics  such  as 
towers  and  mythical  cities,  but  by  study 
of  the  ancient  records. 


Maryland — Friday,  January  27,  was 
the  49th  anniversary  of  the  organization 
of  the  Maryland  Historical  Society.    On 


the  corresponding  day  of  the  month  of 
January,  1844,  some  eighteen  or  twenty 
gentlemen  assembled  in  the  office  of  the 
Maryland  Colonization  Society  to  organ- 
ize an  institution  "  for  the  purpose 
of  collecting  the  scattered  materials 
of  the  early  history  of  this  state  and 
for  other  collateral  objects."  A  stimu- 
lus was  immediately  given  to  literary 
taste  in  Baltimore  by  the  establishment 
of  the  society.  The  first  record  of  mem- 
bership published  in  1844  shows  that 
there  was  hardly  a  gentleman  in  pro- 
fessional or  mercantile  life  noted  for 
cultivation  who  did  not  join  the  organi- 
zation. 

— Recently  the  Frederick  County  His- 
torical Society  was  organized,  and  this 
was  made  the  occasion  for  the  following 
sensible  observations  on  the  part  of  the 
Baltimore  News  :  "  The  organization  of 
the  Frederick  County  Historical  Society 
is  a  matter  that  calls  for  more  than  pass- 
ing note.  Such  bodies  are  urgently 
needed  in  each  county  in  the  state  to 
preserve  the  local  traditions  and  records 
which  go  to  make  up  the  story  of  its 
life.  For  years  the  Maryland  Historical 
Society,  located  in  this  city,  has  been 
doing  a  great  work,  and  one  which  future 
generations  will  richly  appreciate  ;  but 
even  its  efforts  have  been  hampered  to 
an  incalculable  extent  by  the  almost  en- 
tire lack  of  interest  taken  in  historical 
research  by  residents  of  the  counties. 
Otherwise  well-informed  and  intelli- 
gent people  in  the  state  are  lamentably 
deficient  in  knowledge  concerning 
past  events  of  their  localities  and  of 
the  individuals  who  have  figured  there- 
in." 


288 


NOTES    FROM    THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


Massachusetts — At  a  regular  meet- 
ing of  the  New  England  Historical  Ge- 
nealogical Society  held  in  November, 
Protessor  John  Fiske  read  a  paper  on 
"  Charles  Lee,  the  Soldier  of  Fortune." 
Professor  Fiske  reviewed  at  length  Lee's 
well-known  treachery  to  the  American 
cause,  and  shed  some  additional  light 
upon  it  ;  and  his  subsequent  incapable 
conduct  at  the  battle  of  Monmouth,  re- 
sulting, as  it  did,  in  one  of  Washington's 
few  recorded  bursts  of  anger,  was  vividly 
narrated.  He  drew  an  instructive  moral 
from  the  petulant  and  unprovoked  out- 
break which  ultimately  severed  his  rela- 
tion with  the  army  for  the  last  time, 
although  he  had  deserved  cashiering  in 
much  more  aggravated  instances  often 
before.  At  the  January  meeting  the  an- 
nual election  of  officers  took  place,  ex- 
Governor  William  Claflin  being  re-elected 
president. 

— Charles  Francis  Adams  has  offered 
to  erect  a  memorial  to  Miles  Standish  if 
the  Weymouth  Historical  Society  will 
secure  a  site  in  the  Wessagussett  settle- 
ment, where  Standish  fought  his  decisive 
conflict  with  the  Indians,  April  6,  1623. 

— At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  pro- 
prietors of  the  Nantucket  Athenaeum 
initiatory  steps  were  taken  to  secure  the 
establishment  of  an  Historical  Genea- 
logical Society. 

— The  Old  Colony  Historical  Society 
met  at  Taunton,  in  January,  and  listened 
to  a  paper  by  Rev.  P.  W.  Lyman  of  Fall 
River,  on  "  The  Shay's  Rebellion  in  Mas- 
sachusetts." One  or  two  interesting  epi- 
sodes of  that  alarming  affair,  which  seri- 


ously threatened  the  foundations  of  the 
newly  established  government,  occurred 
in  Taunton,  to  which  the  speaker  paid 
especial  attention.  The  librarian  re- 
ported a  number  of  documents  received 
during  the  year,  among  them  a  "  History 
of  Fall  River  for  One  Hundred  and  Sixty 
Years  to  1841,  by  Rev.  Orrin  Fowler, 
M.  C."  ;  also  the  "  Brown  University 
Alumni  of  Fall  River  ;  Sketches  by  Hon. 
John  S.  Bray  ton  in  1888  " — from  the 
latter.  The  present  number  of  members 
is  five  hundred  and  thirty-seven.  Captain 
George  A.  Washburn  presented  an  old 
subscription  paper,  bearing  the  names  of 
prominent  citizens  of  Taunton  who  had 
subscribed  various  sums  for  the  benefit 
of  the  families  of  the  Taunton  Light 
Guard  when  they  were  called  away  at 
the  outbreak  of  the  rebellion.  The 
society  has  recently  come  into  posses- 
sion of  an  ancient  document  of  local 
interest,  being  a  sermon  preached  by 
Elder  Hinds  of  Middleboro  in  1758. 
The  manuscript  was  very  well  preserved. 

— The  annual  meeting  of  the  Fitch- 
burg  Historical  Society  was  held  in  Jan- 
uary last.  A  letter  written  in  1776,  and 
signed  by  the  selectmen  of  Fitchburg, 
was  presented  to  the  society.  The  let- 
ter was  addressed  to  the  "  Committee  of 
Clothing  for  the  Colony  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Bay,"  and  asked  pay  of  the 
colony  for  the  benefit  of  the  heirs  of 
John  Gibson  of  Fitchburg,  who  was 
killed  at  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill. 

— A  new  society  was  organized  in  Bos- 
ton last  January  by  a  number  of  gentle- 
men interested  in  preserving  and  per- 
petuating the  historical  records  of   this 


NOTES   FROM    THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


289 


commonwealth,  to  be  known  as  "  The 
Massachusetts  Society."  The  aims  and 
object  of  the  society  are  announced  to 
be  "to  collect  and  preserve  mementos 
of  our  colonial  ancestors  ;  to  propagate 
knowledge  of  their  lives  and  deeds  by 
the  publication  of  ancient  documents 
and  records ;  to  cultivate  an  interest  in 
the  history  of  our  country,  and  more 
especially  of  the  colonies  of  Plymouth 
and  the  Massachusetts  Bay  ;  to  encour- 
age individual  research  into  the  part 
taken  by  our  forefathers  in  the  building 
of  our  nation  ;  to  promote  intelligent 
discussion  of  events  in  which  the  people 
of  our  commonwealth  have  been  con- 
cerned, in  order  that  justice  may  be 
done  to  participants  and  false  claims 
silenced ;  and  to  inspire  among  our 
members  a  spirit  of  fellowship  based 
upon  a  proper  appreciation  of  our  com- 
mon ancestry." 

— The  Watertown  Historical  Society 
held  its  regular  monthly  meeting  in  Jan- 
uary. Mr.  O.  W.  Dimick,  principal  of 
Wells  School,  Boston,  delivered  an  ad- 
dress on  "  Marco  Polo  and  his  Book." 
This  paper  was  prepared  for  the  Old 
South  lectures,  and  was  considered  so 
excellent  that  the  author  was  invited  to 
deliver  it  before  the  Brooklyn  Institute 
of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  Miss  Ellen  M. 
Crafts,  secretary  of  the  society,  read 
Joel  Barlow's  "  Vision  of  Columbus." 
The  evening  was  termed  "  Columbus 
night,"  and  "  Columbus  "  was  the  topic 
of  discussion. 

— The  Roxbury  Military  Historical 
Society,  Colonel  Horace  T.  Rockwell 
president,  held  its  annual  dinner  in  Bos- 

VOL.   XXIX.-NO.    3.-19 


ton,  January  26.  Several  prominent 
gentlemen  interested  in  historical  mat- 
ters were  present  on  the  occasion.  This 
society  has  already  reached  a  member- 
ship of  over  three  hundred,  composed 
of  the  residents  of  the  Roxbury  district, 
and  will  soon  commence  the  publication 
of  interesting  reminiscences  connected 
with  the  military,  political,  and  literary 
celebrities  of  Old  Roxbury.  The  society 
is  specially  interested  in  furthering  the 
proposition  for  the  erection  of  a  statue 
to  Major-General  Joseph  Warren. 


Minnesota  —  The  monthly  meeting 
of  the  State  Historical  Society  was  held 
at  the  capitol  last  night.  The  erection 
of  a  commodious  building  in  which  to 
house  the  society's  treasures  was  recom- 
mended, and  will  be  presented  for  leg- 
islative action.  In  the  library  and 
museum  there  are  twenty-five  thousand 
bound  volumes,  twenty-nine  thousand 
unbound  volumes,  one  hundred  and 
forty-eight  framed  pictures,  two  hundred 
and  eighty-two  curios,  one  thousand 
manuscripts,  and  five  hundred  coins. 
In  case  the  legislature  does  not  provide 
funds  for  the  erection  of  a  new  capitol 
building,  it  will  be  asked  to  make  an 
appropriation  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars  for  a  fire-proof  build- 
ing for  the  society. 


Nebraska  —  The  annual  meeting  of 
the  State  Historical  Society  was  held 
January  10  and  11,  1893,  in  the  chapel 
of  the  State  university,  Lincoln.  The 
sessions  were  of  more  than  ordinary  in- 
terest, and  there  will  be  an  effort  to  get 


290 


NOTES   FROM    THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


the  recognition  from  the  legislature  this 
winter  that  will  be  more  commensurate 
with  the  importance  of  the  objects  of 
the  association.  The  older  settlers  are 
beginning  to  see  the  need  of  gathering 
up  the  threads  of  their  earlier  history 
before  the  sources  of  the  best  informa- 
tion are  silenced  in  the  grave. 


New  Jersey — The  forty -eighth  annual 
meeting  of  the  New  Jersey  Historical 
Society  was  held  in  January  at  the  state 
house,  Trenton,  with  Judge  Clement  of 
the  court  of  errors  and  appeals  in  the 
chair  as  president.  One  of  the  most  in- 
teresting features  was  the  reading  of  a 
paper,  by  corresponding  secretary  Wil- 
liam Nelson,  on  "  The  Indians  of  New 
Jersey:  Their  Origin  and  Development ; 
Their  Language,  Religion,  and  Govern- 
ment." Mr.  Nelson  said  that  while 
there  was  not  a  society  in  America  for 
the  purpose  of  studying  this  subject, 
there  was  one  in  Paris,  the  Societe 
Americain ;  and  of  the  international  so- 
ciety organized  for  the  same  purpose — 
the  Congres  International  des  Ameri- 
canistes — about  half  of  the  six  hundred 
members  were  Frenchmen,  and  only 
about  twenty-five  residents  of  the  United 
States. 


New  York— The  Jefferson  County 
Historical  Society  has  addressed  itself 
to  the  task  of  trying  to  erect  a  building. 
Pledge  papers  are  to  be  circulated  in 
Watertown  and  other  places.  The  ob- 
ject is  heartily  commended  by  the  press 
of  the  county. 


— The  Long  Island  Historical  Society 
has  entered  upon  its  records  testimony 
of  the  high  esteem  in  whic*h  its  mem- 
bers held  Abiel  Abbott  Low,  who  died 
on  January  7,  and  Samuel  McLean,  who 
died  on  January  10.  Mr.  Low  was  a 
member  of  the  board  of  directors  of  the 
society  from  the  year  of  its  organization, 
1863,  until  his  death.  He  was  always 
active  in  its  councils  and  gave  much 
material  assistance  to  it.  Mr.  McLean 
became  a  member  of  the  board  of 
directors  in  1876.  He  had  supervision 
of  the  erection  of  the  society's  present 
handsome  home. 

— The  Onondaga  Historical  Associa- 
tion held  its  regular  annual  meeting  at 
Syracuse,  on  January  3,  for  the  election 
of  officers  and  the  annual  organization 
of  the  board  of  directors.  There  was  a 
large  attendance  of  new  members,  and 
they  were  given  representatives  on  the 
board  for  the  ensuing  year.  Of  the 
eighteen  directors  of  the  board  six  re- 
tire each  year.  President  Kirkpatrick 
brought  before  the  board  the  idea  of 
noticing  by  some  resolution  or  memorial 
the  recent  death  of  Martha  J.  Lamb, 
editor  of  the  Magazine  of  American 
History,  and  a  woman  who  has  done 
much  in  the  way  of  historical  research 
throughout  the  state.  A  committee 
was  appointed  to  make  a  report  on  the 
suggestion. 

— The  Buffalo  Historical  Society  held 
its  annual  meeting,  in  its  rooms  in  the 
library  building,  January  10.  Two  be- 
quests were  made  to  the  society,  one  of 
five  thousand  dollars  from  the  estate 
of  the  late  Jonathan  Scoville,  and  one  of 


NOTES    FROM    TIIK    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


29I 


five  hundred  dollars  from  the  estate 
of  the  late  William  Moffatt.  The  retir- 
ing president  in  his  address  said  among 
other  things  :  "  A  gift  of  rare  value  to 
the  people  of  the  western  counties  of 
this  state  from  the  Hon.  Henry  F.  Glo- 
wacki  of  Batavia  was  the  original  title 
deeds,  surveys,  field  notes,  maps,  a 
voluminous  correspondence,  and  other 
interesting  details  of  the  celebrated 
'  Holland  Land  Company's  '  purchase 
of  several  million  acres  of  land  in  the 
territory  now  known  as  the  counties  of 
Erie,  Niagara,  Genesee,  Chautauqua, 
Cattaraugus,  Allegheny,  Wyoming,  and 
Orleans.  These  records  supplemented 
by  those  previously  in  possession  of  this 
society  are  of  inestimable  value  in  de- 
termining vexed  questions  regarding 
original  titles  and  boundaries  of  farm 
lands,  and  even  of  village  and  city  lots, 
within  the  limits  of  the  above  named 
counties." 

— The  Oneida  Historical  Society, 
which  has  its  headquarters  in  Utica,  is 
planning  to  erect  a  monument  to  Gen- 
eral Nicholas  Herkimer,  the  hero  of  the 
battle  of  Oriskany.  The  grave  of 
General  Herkimer  is  in  the  town  of 
Danube,  Herkimer  county,  within  sight 
of  the  railroads  running  along  the  Mo- 
hawk, and  all  travelers  would  see  the 
monument  and  be  reminded  of  the  scenes 
enacted  in  that  valley  in  the  early  days 
of  the  country.  The  battle-ground  at 
Oriskany  already  bears  a  monument, 
and  it  is  only  fitting  that  the  hero  of  the 
conflict  should  be  similarly  honored. 
The  brave  soldier's  last  resting  place  is 
by  no  means  wholly  neglected,  but  the 
modest  headstone  which  marks  the  grave 


of  the  famous  fighter  is  not  befitting  his 
services  to  his  country  and  to  his  native 
valley.  The  Herkimer  house  stands 
close  by  the  general's  grave,  and 
measures  for  the  restoration  and  preser- 
vation of  this  home  merit  the  attention 
of  every  citizen  of  the  Mohawk  valley. 
The  Herkimer  house  is  one  of  the  finest 
specimens  of  colonial  architecture. 

— The  Rochester  Historical  Society 
arranged  for  a  historical  exhibition,  rep- 
resenting scenes  in  the  early  history  of 
the  city,  which  were  given  in  the 
Lyceum  theatre  on  the  evenings  of 
January  23  and  24.  See  editorial 
notes. 


Ohio — The  Ohio  State  Archaeological 
and  Historical  Society,  Wednesday  of 
last  week,  presented  its  eighth  annual 
report  to  the  governor.  Among  other 
things,  it  says  on  the  subject  of  Fort 
Ancient  :  "  This  ancient  fortification  is 
the  largest  and  most  prominent  work  of 
the  kind  in  America.  Were  it  in  Europe 
it  would  long  before  this  time  have  been 
under  the  control  of  a  society  or  state, 
and  would  have  been  restored  to  its 
ancient  condition  and  carefully  pre- 
served." A  model  of  Fort  Ancient 
park  in  papier  mache  has  been  made  by 
the  National  world's  fair  commission 
for  exhibition  there,  at  a  cost  of  two 
thousand  dollars.  This  model  will  be 
retained  in  Chicago  at  the  close  of  the 
exposition. 

— The  New  Century  Historical  Society 
of  Columbus,  at  its  annual  meeting  on 
January  9   last,  took   occasion   to  cele- 


!92 


NOTES    FROM    THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


brate  the  day  as  being  the  one  hundred 
and  fourth  anniversary  of  the  signing  of 
the  treaty  at  Fort  Harmer  between  the 
United  States  and  the  Indians  of  the  Six 
Nations,  in  i  789. 


Pennsylvania — On  February  n  the 
Wyoming  Historical  and  Genealogical 
Society  dedicated  its  handsome  new 
building  at  Wilkesbarre. 

— The  Pennsylvania  Historical  So- 
ciety has  been  making  photographic 
copies  of  ancient  wills,  including  those 
of  five  colonial  mayors  of  Philadelphia, 
Lloyd,  Morray,  Shippen,  Hudson,  and 
Logan.  They  are  to  be  inserted  in 
some  forthcoming  publications  of  the 
societv. 


Rhode  Island — The  annual  meeting 
of  the  Rhode  Island  Historical  Society 
met  at  Providence  in  January  last.  In 
the  president's  address  mention  was 
made  of  the  members  of  the  society 
who  had  died  since  the  previous  annual 
meeting  ;  among  whom  was  Mrs.  Martha 
J.  Lamb,  editor  of  the  Magazine  of 
American  History,  a  corresponding- 
member  of  the  society.  A  matter  taken 
into  serious  consideration  was  that  the 
society  publish  all  papers  read  before  it 
concerning  Rhode  Island  history. 

— The  Rhode  Island  Veteran  Citi- 
zens' Historical  Association  at  their 
meeting  in  January  listened  to  a  paper 
on  "The  Valley  of  the  Taunton  River." 
The  settlement  and  development  of 
the  various  towns  in  this  valley,  and  the 


historic  interest  attached  thereto,  were 
discussed  at  length  by  the  speaker,  as 
also  were  the  manufacturing  industries 
so  closely  connected  with  Taunton. 

— The  annual  meeting  of  the  Rhode 
Island  Soldiers'  and  Sailors'  Historical 
Society  occurred  in  January  last.  A 
feature  of  special  interest  was  the  reading 
of  a  paper  by  William  H.  Badlam  of 
Dorchester,  Mass.,  late  second  assistant 
engineer,  United  States  navy,  on  "  The 
Cruise  of  the  Kearsarge  and  her  Fight 
with  the  Alabama."  During  this  engage- 
ment Mr.  Badlam  was  in  charge  of  the 
engines,  his  chief  being  ill.  In  reply  to 
a  question  as  to  the  alleged  firing  of  the 
Kearsarge  into  the  Alabama  after  she 
surrendered,  Mr.  Badlam  said  that  being 
at  his  post,  he  could  not,  of  course,  see 
what  transpired  outside  the  vessel,  but 
he  always  understood  that  as  the  latter 
vessel  swung  around,  after  her  flag  was 
struck,  the  battery  of  the  opposite  side 
was  brought  to  bear  on  the  Kearsarge. 
Two  guns  chanced  to  be  loaded  and 
were  fired  by  the  sailors.  Captain  Wins- 
low  at  once  concluded  he  was  the  victim 
of  trickery,  and  three  broadsides  were 
returned  before  a  white  flag  could  be 
displayed  by  the  rebel  cruiser. 


Tennessee — The  Tennessee  Histor- 
ical Society  met  at  Nashville  in  January 
last.  The  following  donations  were  re- 
ported :  a  copy  of  National  Banner  and 
Nashville  Whig,  Nashville,  Tennessee, 
July  13,  1832;  specimens  of  yellow  wood, 
Virgilia  Lutea  ;  proceedings  of  the  State 
Association  of  Confederate  Veterans  at 
their  annual  meeting  at  Franklin,  Ten- 


NOTES   FROM    THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


293 


nessee  ;  receipts  from  the  Nashville 
Building  Association  from  1854  to  1861  ; 
also  confederate  and  federal  passports 
from  1 86 1  to  1865. 


Vermont — The  Bennington  Histor- 
ical Society  met  in  January  last.  The 
directors  of  the  Bennington  Battle  Mon- 
ument Association,  whose  corporators 
are  elected  by  the  society,  informed  the 
meeting  that  the  monument  was  in  good 
condition  and  fully  completed  ;  that 
over  three  thousand  visitors  had  paid  for 
admittance  to  it  the  past  year,  and  that 
the  sum  thus  obtained  has  been  sufficient 
to  care  for  the  property. 


Virginia — In  January,  a  number  of 
prominent  gentlemen  of  Richmond  met 
to  organize  the  Richmond  Literary  and 
Historical  Association.  It  is  the  hope 
of  the  originators  of  this  movement  "  to 
perfect  a  literary,  scientific,  and  historical 
society  which  will  be  the  medium  of 
elevating  the  great  masses  of  the  people 
to  higher  plane  of  intellectual  life."  A 
special  object  of  this  new  society  will  be 
to  collect  materials  which  shall  serve  to 
illustrate  the  history  of  the  negro  in  this 
country. 


Washington — The  recent  organiza- 
tion of  the  Thurston  County  Histori- 
cal Society  at  Olympia  is  awakening 
considerable  interest  among  the  early 
settlers  of  that  distant  portion  of  our 
Union.  To  these  people  the  society 
has  earnestly  addressed  itself.  Pioneers 
are  asked  not  to  wait  to  have  informa- 
tion drawn  from  them,  but   to  visit   the 


secretary  and  voluntarily  contribute  any 
knowledge  of  past  events  they  may  have. 
Regular  meetings  will  be  held  from  time 
to  time,  when  papers  will  be  read  on 
past  events. 

West  Virginia — The  governor  in 
his  message  takes  occasion  to  commend 
the  West  Virginia  Historical  and  Anti- 
quarian Society  for  its  praiseworthy 
efforts,  and  the  great  success  which  has 
attended  them,  in  elucidating  the  his- 
tory of  the  State.  He  advises  the  leg- 
islature to  give  them  suitable  aid,  and 
to  erect  the  society  into  a  state  institu- 
tion. 


Wisconsin  —  The  fortieth  annual 
meeting  of  the  Wisconsin  Historical  So- 
ciety was  held  in  January.  The  occa- 
sion was  celebrated  with  great  enthusi- 
asm. The  secretary's  report,  among 
several  matters  of  interest,  contains  one 
point  of  especial  importance  ;  viz.,  the 
bibliography  of  Wisconsin  authors. 
There  is  no  similar  bibliography  of  the 
writers  of  any  American  state,  and  the 
publication  will  be  unique  of  its  kind. 
The  volume  will  contain  about  three 
hundred  and  fifty  pages,  the  names  of 
some  nine  hundred  authors,  and  in  the 
neighborhood  of  four  thousand  seven 
hundred  titles  of  books,  pamphlets,  and 
magazine  articles,  written  by  Wisconsin 
people  since  1836.  "  It  will,"  says  the 
secretary,  "  show  to  the  world  that  a 
raw,  western  State,  whose  people  have 
chiefly  been  employed  in  seeking  for  the 
material  things  of  life,  has  in  a  little 
over  half  a  century  contributed  in  no 
small  degree  to  the  mass,  as  well  as  to 
the  wealth,  of  American  literature." 


EDITORIAL    NOTES 


We  desire  to  state  that  General  James 
Grant  Wilson,  having  edited  the  Febru- 
ary number  of  the  Magazine  of  Ameri- 
can History  in  the  emergency  of  the 
sudden  change  of  proprietorship,  has 
found  it  impossible  to  continue  as  edi- 
tor, owing  to  the  pressure  of  other  liter- 
ary engagements. 

* 

We  continue  to  notice,  in  various  con- 
temporary journals  of  all  parts  of  the 
country,  words  of  kindly  appreciation  of 
the  worth  and  ability  of  the  late  lamented 
editor  of  the  Magazine  of  American 
History.  One  such  remarks :  "It 
will  be  many,  very  many,  years  before 
the  literary  world  will  enjoy  the  presence 
and  reap  the  fruits  of  such  an  accom- 
plished, patient,  industrious,  and  pains- 
taking student  and  writer  as  was  Mrs. 
Martha  J.  Lamb.  With  her  the  truth  was 
the  thing  desired,  and  she  never  faltered 
in  her  efforts  nor  did  she  grow  weary  in 
its  pursuit." 

The  Rochester  (New  York)  Historical 
Society  has  undertaken  a  most  unique 
project,  which  was  carried  to  complete 
success  in  the  latter  part  of  January  last. 
It  was  proposed  to  present  a  number  of 
tableaux,  some  in  pantomime  and  some 
with  appropriate  dialogues,  illustrating 
the  early  history  of  the  city. 

The  scenes  presented  were  :  "  The 
Phelps  and  Gorham  Purchase,  1788,"  in 
which  a  large  number  of  Indians  and 
settlers  participated  ;  "  Purchase  of  the 
One-hundred-acre  Tract  ;  "  "  The  First 
Post-office,  1813,"  "The  War  of  1812- 
1814,"   representing  the  parley  between 


the  thirty-two  Americans  and  the  Brit- 
ish forces,  and  the  withdrawal  of  the 
latter;  "Visit  of  Lafayette,  1825,"  in 
which  the  scene  of  his  reception  on 
the  banks  of  the  Erie  by  the  people  was 
enacted  ;  "  The  Quilting  Party,  1830," 
during  which  the  ladies  arrived  in  gor- 
geous raiment,  talked  the  latest  gossip 
while  busy  with  their  needles,  took  tea 
when  the  men  arrived,  discussed  the  inno- 
vation of  using  napkins  at  the  table,  and 
a  hornpipe  was  danced,  to  the  eminent 
satisfaction  of  the  audience  ;  "  The  Sing- 
ing School,  1830,"  full  of  humor  ;  "  The 
Bachelors'  Ball,  1845,"  notable  for  the 
large  number  of  young  women  who  ap- 
peared in  the  monnie  musk  ;  "  The  Fire 
Scene,  1845,"  which  showed  the  old 
methods  of  "  running  with  the  machine" 
and  the  working  of  the  same,  and  the 
way  the  firemen  had  of  putting  a  jeering 
citizen  to  work.  The  first  school  and 
the  first  church-choir  were  also  repre- 
sented in  character.  For  the  school  the 
stage  was  set  to  reproduce  as  nearly  as 
possible  the  interior  of  the  first  school- 
house. 


Senator  Hoar  of  Massachusetts,  in 
speaking  recently  of  his  newly  elected 
colleague,  Mr.  Henry  Cabot  Lodge,  took 
occasion  to  mention  in  terms  of  high 
praise  his  work  on  George  Washington, 
which  forms  the  subject  of  the  book-essay 
in  our  present  number.  He  said  :  "  His 
life  of  George  Washington  seems  to  me  the 
best  portraiture  of  Washington  in  litera- 
ture. I  think  it  is  a  masterpiece  of  com- 
pact, yet  ample,  biography.  I  think  it 
will  grow  in  favor  as  time  goes  on,  and  is 


EDITORIAL   NOTES 


29? 


likely  to  be  the  standard  life  of  Washing- 
ton for  American  youth  for  centuries  to 
come." 

* 
The  publication  is  announced  of  an 
important  work,  to  appear  within  a  few 
weeks.  It  is  entitled  :  Historical  Regis- 
ter of  Officers  of  the  Continental  Army 
during  the  War  of  the  Revolution,  com- 
piled by  F.  B.  Heitman,  of  the  war 
department  at  Washington,  D.  C.  This 
work  embraces  information  arranged  as 
follows  :  First,  general  officers  of  the 
continental  army,  arranged  according  to 
rank,  with  dates  of  service  of  each. 
Second,  list  of  military  secretaries  and 
aids-de-camp  to  General  Washington, 
with  dates  of  service  as  such.  Third, 
chronological  list  of  field  officers  of  the 
line  in  successive  order,  arranged  by 
states  and  regiments.  Fourth,  alpha- 
betical list  of  officers  of  the  continental 
army,  including  many  officers  of  the 
militia,  showing  date  of  rank  in  each 
grade,  all  brevet  commissions,  all  cases 
in  which  thanks,  swords,  or  honors  were 
conferred  by  congress,  information  as  to 
dates  and  localities  when  and  where 
officers  were  killed,  wounded,  captured, 
and  exchanged,  and  in  many  cases  dates 
of  death  of  officers  after  leaving  the  serv- 
ice. Fifth,  chronological  and  alpha- 
betical list  of  battles,  actions,  etc.  In 
the  opinion  of  competent  critics,  who 
have  examined  advance  sheets  of  this 
work,  it  will  prove  to  be  an  important 
contribution  to  the  literature  of  the 
Revolution,  its  value  being  especially 
enhanced  by  its  accuracy. 

* 
We  have  just  received  the  first  num- 
ber of  the  fourth  volume  of  the  Dedham 


Historical  Register,  published  by  the 
Dedham  (Massachusetts)  Historical  So- 
ciety. There  are  few  societies  in  the 
country  in  more  flourishing  condition,  as 
is  evinced  alone  by  this  handsome  peri- 
odical ;  few,  excepting  state  societies, 
having  either  the  courage  or  the  finan- 
cial ability  to  issue  such  at  all.  A 
beautiful  engraving  of  the  old  'court- 
house, built  in  1827,  illustrates  an  article 
on  the  history  of  this  building  and  its 
predecessors.  Other  papers  and  de- 
partments indicate  the  variety  and  inter- 
est of  the  labors  undertaken  by  the 
members  of  this  society.  The  board 
of  editors  has  an  equal  representation 
of  ladies  and  gentlemen. 


We  are  pleased  to  observe  with  how 
much  eagerness  in  certain  quarters,  and 
with  what  general  interest  among  all 
classes,  the  question  is  discussed  in  New 
York  as  to  the  disposal  to  be  made  of 
the  city  hall  building,  which  dates  from 
1807,  and  is  one  of  the  most  perfect 
types  of  architecture  either  the  city  or 
the  country  possesses.  Whatever  may 
be  done  with  the  structure,  it  is  certain 
that  no  one  thinks  of  merely  demolish- 
ing it,  a  matter  which  would  not  have 
been  greatly  objected  to  at  some  other 
periods  in  American  history.  A  similar 
question  faces  the  citizens  of  Philadel- 
phia. There  it  is  not  proposed  to  de- 
molish or  remove  any  notable  building. 
But  there  is  a  project  to  clear  away  the 
surroundings  of  Independence  hall,  in 
order  to  emphasize,  as  it  were,  the  im- 
portance of  the  latter.  The  historic 
spirit  revolts,  however,  at  the  extent  to 
which  this  work  is  to  be  carried,  and 
pleads  for  the  retention  of  some  of  the 


2C)6 


EDITORIAL   NOTES 


houses  on  Independence  square,  not  for 
their  beauty,  but  tor  their  being  historic- 
ally as  well  as  architecturally  in  keeping 
with  the  hall.  It  is  very  gratifying  to 
notice,  by  these  evidences,  to  what  an 
encouraging  degree  the  people  of  this 
republic  have  grown  to  love  and  esteem 
the  things  that  are  old — that  have  a 
history. 

* 
The  "  Hymn  of  the  Alamo,"  of  which 
a  facsimile  of  the  original  copy  from  the 
author's  hand  appears  in  the  present 
number,  leads  us  to  say  that  some  inter- 
esting facts  in  regard  to  it  will  be  fur- 
nished in  a  subsequent  number.  At 
present  we  do  not  possess  all  the  data, 
but  they  have  been  promised. 

The  Huguenot  Society  of  America,  at 
an  executive  meeting,  passed  the  follow- 
ing appreciative  resolution  : 

Resolved,  That    this  committee  most 


deeply  feels  the  sudden  and  grievous 
loss  sustained  by  the  Huguenot  Society 
of  America  in  the  unexpected  death  of 
one  of  its  most  esteemed,  active,  and 
energetic  members,  the  late  Mrs.  Martha 
J.  Lamb,  who  passed  from  earth  in  this 
city  on  the  second  day  of  January,  1893  ; 
that  this  committee  itself  more  espe- 
cially grieves  for  the  death  of  its  fellow- 
member,  who  was  ever  most  efficient  in 
her  services,  regular  in  attendance  on  its 
meetings,  and  prudent,  wise,  and  court- 
eous in  her  advice  and  suggestions.  As 
gentle,  refined,  and  retiring  as  she  was 
brilliant  and  intellectual,  she  will  ever 
remain  a  model  for  those  of  her  sex  who 
shall  enter  the  paths  of  literature. 

The  opening  article  of  the  present 
number,  on  "  New  York  in  the  Civil 
War,"  by  General  Rodenbough,  is  con- 
densed from  advance  sheets  of  the  third 
volume  of  the  Memorial  History  of  New 
York  City. 


MISCELLANEA 


There  are  two  people  who  get  their 
mail  from  the  Santa  Clara  (California) 
post-office  whose  names  were  a  house- 
hold word  during  the  war  of  the  rebel- 
lion. They  are  Mrs.  Winchester,  widow 
of  the  inventor  of  the  famous  Winchester 
rifle,  a  weapon  that  did  such  deadly  and 
effective  work  during  the  stormy  days  of 
the  sixties.  The  other  is  Miss  Sarah 
Brown,  daughter  of  "  Old  John  Brown" 
of  Harper's  Ferry  fame,  "  whose  soul 
goes  marching  on."  Both  of  these  ladies 
are  well  known  in  Santa  Clara,  being 
seen  on  the  streets  almost  daily. 


We  learn  from  the  Pittsburgh  Despatch 
that  in  1803  the  ship  Louisiana,  built  at 
Elizabeth,  on  the  Monongahela,  for  the 
ocean  trade,  left  Pittsburgh  for  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico  ballasted  with  bituminous 
coal.  This  it  took  clear  around  the 
coast  to  Philadelphia,  readily  disposing 
of  it  there  for  thirty-seven  and  one-half 
cents  per  bushel,  or  ten  and  one-half 
dollars  per  ton.  The  inhabitants  of 
Pittsburgh  bought  window  glass  from 
the  celebrated  Hon.  Albert  Gallatin's 
factory,  at  New  Geneva,  on  the  Mo- 
nongahela, in  1797,  paying  him  for  it 
from  fourteen  dollars  to  twenty  dollars 
per  box.  These  big  profits  were  against 
Mr.  Gallatin's  best  judgment,  however. 
His  financial  foresight,  which  won  him 
such  a  reputation  as  secretary  of  the 
United  States  treasury,  was  well  dis- 
played here.  He  reasoned  with  his 
partners  in  the  glass  factory,  that  those 
high  prices  would  attract  competition 
very  soon,  whereas  if  it  was  reduced  to 


four  dollars  and  fifty  cents  per  box  they 
would  earn  a  reasonable  margin  and 
prevent  temptation  to  other  capitalists  at 
Pittsburgh.  His  advice  was  overruled. 
Window  glass  made  in  1801  at  Denny  & 
Beelen's  factory  in  Pittsburgh  sold  for 
twelve  dollars  per  box  of  one  hundred 
feet,  but  the  size  is  not  given. 


In  the  death  of  Professor  Horsford,  Leif 
Erikson  has  lost  a  persistent  and  able 
defender  as  a  claimant  for  the  honor 
of  discovering  America.  The  famous 
chemist  was  fully  convinced  of  the  his- 
torical certainty  of  Leif's  priority  as  a 
world  discoverer,  and  he  gave  frequent 
evidence  of  the  enthusiasm  which  he 
felt  on  the  subject.  Nevertheless,  the 
discussion  of  this  matter  possesses  com- 
paratively little  interest  for  the  general 
public.  It  would,  of  course,  be  inter- 
esting to  certainly  know  whether  Leif 
or  some  adventurous  explorer  before 
him  really  did  get  aground  on  Cape 
Cod  or  rowed  up  the  Charles  ;  but,  if 
it  were  so,  mankind's  stock  of  geo- 
graphical knowledge  gained  little  if 
anything  from  such  experiences. 


One  of  the  most  interesting  relics  of 
the  late  civil  war  is  a  piece  of  white  tow- 
eling that  was  used  as  a  flag  of  truce 
when  the  Confederate  army  surren- 
dered to  General  Grant  at  Appomattox. 
It  is  owned  by  General  E.  W.  Whit- 
aker,  who  was  a  member  of  General 
Custer's  staff,  and  who  received  it  from 
Captain    Sims,  of   Longstreet's  staff,  on 


298 


MISCELLANEA 


the  morning  oi  April  9,  1865.  General 
Whitaker  has  treasured  it  during  all 
these  years.  He  was  induced  to  part 
with  a  portion  of  it  several  years  ago, 
when  he  gave  half  of  it  to  his  old  com- 
mander, the  late  General  Custer.  Mrs. 
Custer  afterward  gave  the  fragment  to 
the  museum  at  West  Point.  On  the 
small  piece  of  the  toweling  appears  the 
following  statement,  sworn  to  by  Gen- 
eral Whitaker  before  a  notary  public. 
"  This  is  a  piece  of  the  cloth  cut  from 
the  identical  flag  of  truce  which  was 
used  under  orders  of  General  R.  E. 
Lee  to  ask  a  cessation  of  hostilities 
of  the  Federal  army  at  9  o'clock  a.  m., 
April  9,  1865,  at  Appomattox  Court 
House,  Virginia.  This  flag  of  truce,  a 
large  white  towel,  was  in  the  hands 
of  Captain  Sims,  of  Longstreet's  staff, 
when  he  met  Custer's  cavalry  charge. 
It  was  used  by  me  in  the  rebel  lines  at 
the  request  of  Generals  Longstreet  and 
Gordon  to  announce  the  surrender  of 
Lee  to  the  infantry  line  of  battle  and 
also  the  cavalry." 


The  Boston  Advertiser  calls  attention 
to  the  fact  that  as  soon  as  Mr.  Stevenson 
takes  the  oath  of  office  as  Vice-President 
he  will  be  the  possessor  of  a  room  that  is 
both  beautiful  and  historic.  This  is  the 
room  just  off  from  the  senate  chamber 
which  is  used  as  the  office  of  the  Vice- 
President.  In  the  senate  wing  of  the  cap- 
itol  there  are  two  rooms  set  apart,  one  for 
the  President  and  one  for  the  Vice-Presi- 
dent. The  former  is  but  seldom  used, 
while  the  latter  is  used  daily  as  an  office 
and  contains  some  very  interesting  relics. 
On  one  of  the  walls  of  the  room   is  a 


painting  of  George  Washington,  and  this 
painting  is  considered  the  best  of  Wash- 
ington in  existence.  It  was  executed  by 
Rembrandt  Peale  in  1795.  Peale  had 
three  sittings  of  Washington.  At  that 
time  dentistry  was  not  practiced  as 
scientifically  as  it  is  at  the  present  day, 
and  it  is  a  historical  fact  that  at  each  of 
these  sittings  Washington  used  raw  cot- 
ton as  a  substitute  for  false  teeth,  so  as 
to  fill  out  the  mouth  and  cheeks.  This 
gives  his  face  a  very  determined  look, 
and  not  the  peaceful  expression  with 
which  he  is  generally  credited  in  por- 
traits. 


Stored  away  in  the  archives  of  the 
state  department  is  a  collection  of  his- 
torical papers,  the  most  valuable,  in  all 
probability,  in  the  United  States.  They 
include  the  letters,  diaries,  books,  and 
other  memoranda  from  the  founders  of 
the  republic,  and  are  constantly  in  de- 
mand by  students  and  writers  of  his- 
tory. The  frequent  handlings  which 
they  have  received  have  seriously  dam- 
aged some  of  them  ;  and  that  they  may 
be  preserved  for  the  use  and  information 
of  succeeding  generations  of  investi- 
gators, the  department  has  for  several 
years  been  engaged  in  the  work  of 
arranging,  indexing,  and  binding  them. 
When  this  work  is  finished  (it  will  re- 
quire another  decade  at  least,  unless  the 
force  is  increased)  the  manuscripts  will 
be  in  such  a  condition  that  they  may  be 
conveniently  handled  by  the  investi- 
gator without  harm  to  the  documents 
themselves,  and  any  particular  paper 
may  be  readily  found.  First  in  im- 
portance and  value  of  all  the  papers  in 
the  department,  the  librarian  places  the 


MISCELLANEA 


299 


records  of  the  continental  congress, 
which  came  to  it  by  inheritance.  Al- 
though the  art  of  verbatim  reporting 
was  not  exercised  in  those  days,  the 
records  contain  not  a  little  of  what  was 
said  by  the  fathers  and  founders  of  the 
country,  and  a  complete  transcript  of  all 
the  business  proposed  and  transacted. 
The  magnitude  of  the  state  depart- 
ment's collection  of  Jefferson  papers 
may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that 
twenty-five  thousand  titles  have  been 
written  for  the  new  index  of  them,  a 
number  representing  but  two-thirds  of 
the  whole  collection.  Thomas  Jefferson 
certainly  made  his  mark. 


A  document  preserved  by  a  gentleman 
of  Goshen,  New  York,  gives  us  an  inter- 
esting glimpse  of  the  status  of  the  Revo- 
lutionary army  at  the  time  negotiations 
of  peace  were  pending.  The  soldiers 
were  only  conditionally  discharged,  as 
there  might  be  serious  business  on  hand 
again. 

"  By  His  Excellency 
George  Washington,  Esq  ; 
General    and    Commander   in    Chief   of    the 
Forces  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

These  are  to  Certify  that  the  Bearer  here- 
of John  Miller,  Private  in  the  Second  New 
York  Regiment,  having  faithfully  served  the 
United  States  three  years  and  six  months  and 
being  inlisted  for  the  War  only,  is  hereby  Dis- 
charged from  the  American  Army. 

Given  at  Head-Quarters, 
G.  Washington. 
By  His  Excellency's  Command, 

J.  Turnbull,  Ad.  Sy. 

Registered  in  the  Books  of  the  Regiment, 
Christ'e  Hilton,  Lt  &  Adjutant." 


The    reverse    side    of    the    document 
contains  the  following  : 

"  Head-Quarters,  June  Seventh,  1783. 
The  within  Certificate  shall  not  avail  the  Bearer 
as  a  Discharge,  until  the  Ratification  of  the  de- 
finitive Treaty  of  Peace  ;  previous  to  which  Time, 
and  until  Proclamation  thereof  shall  be  made, 
He  is  to  be  considered  as  being  on  Furlough. 
George  Washington." 


"The  word  '  Missouri '  properly  means 
*  wooden  canoe,'"  says  the  St.  Louis 
Republic.  "  Among  the  Abenakis,  or 
Indians  of  Maine,  a  boat  or  canoe  was 
called  '  A-ma-sui.'  With  the  Narragan- 
setts  it  was  '  Me-shu-e  ; '  with  the  Dela- 
wares  it  was  '  Ma-sho-la ;  '  with  the 
Miamis  about  Lake  Michigan  it  was 
'  Missola  ; '  with  the  Illinois  tribe  it  was 
'  Wicwes-Missuri '  for  a  birch-bark  canoe, 
and  '  We-Mis-su-re,'  or  '  We-Mes-su-re,' 
for  a  wooden  canoe  or  canoe  fashioned 
from  a  log  of  wood.  The  name  Missouri 
was  originally  applied  by  the  Illinois  and 
other  Indians  of  the  Lake  Michigan 
region  to  the  tribe  of  Indians  living  west 
of  the  Mississippi  and  along  the  great 
Muddy  River.  The  term,  liberally  inter- 
preted, meant  '  the  wooden  canoe  peo- 
ple,' or,  '  the  people  who  use  wooden 
canoes.'  The  Lake  Michigan  Indians 
uniformly  used  birch-bark  canoes,  while 
the  Indians  on  the  Muddy  River  used 
Caunoes  dug  out  of  logs.  The  turbulent 
stream  (the  Missouri)  was  not  adapted 
to  frail  bark  vessels,  and  the  use  of  log 
canoes  was  to  the  lake  Indians  such  a 
peculiarity  that  they  named  the  tribe  or 
people  using  them  from  this  character- 
istic." 


WILLIAM  GILMORE  SIMMS.  By  William 
P.  Trent.  Boston  and  New  York  :  Hough- 
ton, Mifflin  &  Co.  1892.  (American  Men  of 
Letters  Series.) 

The  present  volume,  in  literary  ability  and  ex- 
cellence of  treatment,  is  fully  up  to  those  of 
the  series  heretofore  published.  Pausing  a  mo- 
ment to  consider  its  style,  we  would  remark  that 
Professor  Trent's  manner  is  exceedingly  attract- 
ive. He  chats  somewhat  familiarly  with  his 
reader  occasionally,  and  even  with  some  pleas- 
antry, yet  we  cannot  say  that  he  at  all  becomes 
undignified,  even  here.  In  explaining  the  very 
happy  and  apposite  title  of  one  of  his  chapters  : 
"Romantic  Dreams  and  Political  Nightmares" 
(treating  of  Simms' s  sympathy  with  and  advocacy 
of  secession  principles),  the  author  observes : 
"During  the  twelve  years  from  1850  to  1861 
inclusive,  Simms  lived  in  two  very  different 
worlds.  In  both  he  dreamed  dreams  and  saw 
visions,  the  difference  between  which  has  been 
briefly  indicated  in  the  heading  of  this  chapter. 
As  a  bad  beginning  makes  a  good  end- 
ing, it  may  be  as  well  to  begin  with  the  night- 
mares ;  and  if  the  reader  wonders  how  any  good 
can  come  out  of  nightmares,  he  is  requested  to 
preserve  his  patience  for  a  while." 

We  would  have  no  occasion  to  consider  this 
book  at  all,  were  it  not  that,  in  the  first  place, 
Simms,  besides  being  a  poet  and  a  novelist,  was 
also  a  historian.  Yet  the  infusion  of  this  char- 
acter was  so  exceedingly  faint  that  his  biographer 
wisely  makes  very  little  of  it.  He  wrote  and 
edited  biographies  of  Marion  and  Greene,  to 
which  Professor  Trent  devotes  a  few  sentences. 
He  wrote,  also,  a  History  of  South  Carolina,  of 
which  our  author  says  nothing  at  all  except  in 
the  bibliography  of  Simms.  He  is  entitled  to 
more  credit  as  a  writer  of  novels  treating  of 
revolutionary  times  ;  but  the  literary  quality  of 
these  (which  we  ought  hardly  to  discuss  here)  is 
so  dangerously  near  the  level  of  the  multiple- 
initialed  Mrs.  Southworth  and  Sylvan  us  Cobb  of 
New  York  Ledger  fame,  that  possibly  it  might 
not  do  to  press  them  too  strongly  upon  the 
notice  of  historical  students. 

The  real  claim  of  this  delightful  little  book  to 
our  attention  here,  lies  in  the  historical  value  of 
the  treatment  itself.  The  author  gives  us  clear 
and  interesting  views  of  the  condition  of  things 
at  the  South  long  preceding  and  immediately 
preceding  the  violent  outbreak  of  the  civil  war. 
Speaking  of  Charleston  and  its  significance,  Pro- 
fessor Trent  says:   "What  Boston  has  been  to 


New  England,  that  has  Charleston  been  to  South 
Carolina,  one  may  almost  say,  to  the  southern 
states.  Indeed,  it  would  be  nearer  the  mark,  if 
one  may  compare  small  things  with  great,  to  say 
that  Charleston  is  to  South  Carolina  as  London 
is  to  England.  .  .  .  Just  as  London  has 
been  the  literary,  social,  and  political  centre  of 
England,  so  has  Charleston,  since  its  founding, 
been  the  literary,  social,  and  political  centre  of 
South  Carolina." 

The  explanation  of  southern  society,  of  its 
faults  as  of  its  virtues,  our  author  finds  in  a 
survival  of  feudalism,  which  was  encouraged  by 
the  system  of  slavery,  and  the  interaction  of 
these  two  things  upon  each  other:  "If  there 
be  one  fact  that  stands  out  before  the  student 
of  antebellum  southern  history,  it  is  that  the 
southern  people,  down  to  1861,  were  living  a 
primitive  life,  a  life  full  of  survivals. 
The  southern  people  were  descendants,  in  the 
main,  of  that  '  portion  of  the  English  people 
who,'  to  quote  Professor  Shaler,  '  had  been  least 
modernized,  who  still  retained  a  large  element 
of  the  feudal  notion.'  .  .  .  Feudal-minded 
cavaliers  were  the  people  of  all  others  to 
whom  over-lordship  would  be  natural  and 
grateful.  What  wonder,  then,  that  slavery 
struck  its  roots  deep,  or  that  the  tree  over 
which  it  spread  its  poisonous  tendrils  should 
soon  show  signs  of  decay?  Slavery  helped  feu- 
dalism and  feudalism  helped  slavery,  and  the 
southern  people  were  largely  the  outcome  of 
the  interaction  of  these  two  formative  princi- 
ples." 

The  true  position  of  slavery  as  a  political  force 
is  brought  out  by  Professor  Trent.  It  was  the 
bond  of  union,  the  welding  power  that  alone 
made  the  southern  states  one  in  any  conflict  they 
might  have  to  endure:  "In  the  south  there 
was  only  one  thing  that  knit  the  several  states 
together,  and  that  was  slavery.  Virginia,  in- 
deed, helped  to  populate  some  of  her  more 
southerly  sisters,  and  was  therefore  somewhat 
venerated  by  them  ;  and  the  best  families  in 
each  state  knew  one  another,  and  sometimes 
intermarried.  Still,  as  a  rule,  each  state  cared 
for  itself  and  thought  no  great  deal  of  its  neigh- 
bor. Even  now  there  are  abundant  traces  of 
this  insular  feeling  to  be  discovered,  although  it 
does  not  often  get  into  print."  And  the  author 
then  goes  on  to  indicate  the  unhappy  influ- 
ence of  this  only  bond  of  union  :  "  Yet  states 
knit  together  by  slavery  could  not  develop  a 
true  national  feeling  ;  for  that  there  must  be 
a   consciousness  of  progress,  a  desire  to  share 


RECENT    HISTORICAL    PUBLICATIONS 


301 


in  and  further  a  common  civilization.  But  prog- 
ress and  slavery  are  natural  enemies,  and  the 
south  had  no  great  desire  to  progress  except  in 
her  own  way,  which  was  really  retrogression." 

In  this  connection  it  is,  of  course,  of  peculiar 
interest  to  get  a  glimpse  of  Simms's  own  view  of 
slavery,  as  a  thoroughly  representative  southern 
thinker  :  "  We  beg,  once  for  all,  to  say  to  our 
northern  readers,  writers,  and  publishers,  that, 
in  the  south,  we  hold  slavery  to  be  an  especially 
and  wisely  devised  institution  of  heaven,  de- 
vised for  the  benefit,  the  improvement,  and 
safety,  morally,  socially,  and  physically,  of  a 
barbarous  and  inferior  race,  who  would  other- 
wise perish  by  famine  or  by  filth,  by  the  sword, 
by  disease,  by  waste,  and  destinies  forever  gnaw- 
ing, consuming,  and  finally  destroying." 

Perhaps  we  can  do  no  better  than  to  close 
this  necessarily  brief  and  inadequate  notice, 
with  a  citation  which,  in  a  quaint  and  pleasant 
way,  throws  a  flood  of  light  upon  the  advance 
of  modern  historical  writing  over  the  uncritical 
practices  of  earlier  times.  Let  not  the  sober- 
minded  reader  look  upon  either  Professor  Trent, 
or  upon  us  in  quoting  him,  as  dealing  in  trivial- 
ities, in  illustrating  so  great  a  subject  by  so 
homely  an  allusion  :  for  a  straw  can  show  which 
way  the  wind  blows.  Speaking  of  a  visit  of 
Simms  to  New  York  city,  our  author  remarks  : 
"  The  southerner  was  true  to  his  nature  in  pay- 
ing delicate  attentions  to  more  than  one  fair 
maiden  of  Gotham.  He  probably  wrote  in  their 
albums,  and  he  certainly  promised  to  send  them 
barrels  of  peanuts  on  his  return  home.  An 
aesthetically  inclined  biographer  of  the  old 
school  might  have  been  tempted  to  write  '  flow- 
ers '  for  '  peanuts  '  in  the  above  sentence,  but 
nowadays  one  must  go  by  the  record." 


ADMIRAL  FARRAGUT.  By  Captain  A. 
T.  Mahan,  U.  S.  N.  With  portrait  and 
maps.  New  York  :  D.  Appleton  &  Co. 
1892.  (Great  Commanders  Series.) 
This  book  has  already  been  briefly  noticed  in 
the  January  number  of  this  magazine,  and  the 
"series"  to  which  it  belongs  properly  indi- 
cated. A  few  additional  observations  will  not 
be  out  of  place,  however,  being  warranted  by 
the  importance  of  the  subject.  They  will  refer 
particularly  to  some  of  the  suggestive  points  in 
the  great  career  described.  It  was,  indeed,  an 
extraordinary  career  ;  unusual  in  its  length  of 
service,  exceeding  a  half-century — in  fact,  reach- 
ing threescore  years,  for  he  died  in  active  serv- 
ice, before  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  retire. 
The  boy  midshipman  was  early  inured  to  hard- 
ships, and  was  well  seasoned  to  actual  warfare 
and  the  sight  of  dire  carnage,  by  his  experiences 
on  the  long  cruise  of  the  Essex  during  the  war  of 
181 2.  Then  there  was  a  long  interval  without 
dangerous  action,  except  in  the  pursuit  of  the 


pirates  of  the  Caribbean  sea.  when  Farragut 
served  under  the  elder  Pinter,  who  was  his 
adopted  father.  H e  gradually  rose  from  mid- 
shipman to  the  rank  of  captain.  But  the  oth<  r 
unusual  feature  of  his  career  reminds  us  some- 
-what  of  that  of  Moltke's.  Not  till  he  had 
passed  the  threshold  of  the  sixties  did  the 
opportunity  arise  for  the  display  of  the  qualities 
of  a  great  naval  commander.  This  was,  of 
course,  the  outbreak  of  the  civil  war. 

It  is  greatly  to  the  credit  of  his  sincerity  and 
disinterested  devotion  as  a  patriot  that  at  the 
outbreak  of  this  conflict  Farragut  was  found  on 
the  Union  side.  He  was  born  in  New  Orleans, 
and  though  in  early  boyhood  and  young  man- 
hood (on  those  brief  occasions  when  he  was  in 
the  United  States)  he  was  brought  up  at  Chester, 
Pennsylvania,  yet  he  had  married  twice  into 
families  of  Norfolk,  Virginia,  and  his  residence 
was  there  when  on  shore.  He  was  anxiously 
watching  the  course  his  state  would  pursue,  but 
when  it  decided  on  secession  he,  unlike  Robert 
E.  Lee,  still  clung  to  the  Union,  and  forthwith 
broke  up  his  home.  "  He  at  once  went  to  his 
house  and  told  his  wife  the  time  had  come  for 
her  to  decide  whether  she  would  remain  with 
her  own  kinsfolk  or  follow  him  north.  Her 
choice  was  as  instant  as  his  own,  and  that  even- 
ing they,  with  their  only  son,  left  Norfolk, 
never  to  return  to  it  as  their  home."  Neither 
was  it  a  pleasure-trip  for  the  devoted  family. 
From  Baltimore,  "  Farragut  and  his  party  had  to 
take  passage  to  Philadelphia  in  a  canal-boat,  on 
which  were  crowded  some  three  hundred  passen- 
gers, many  of  them  refugees  like  themselves. 
It  is  a  curious  illustration  of  the  hardships 
attending  a  flight  under  such  exigency,  even  in 
so  rich  a  country  as  our  own,  that  a  baby  in  the 
company  had  to  be  fed  on  biscuit  steeped  in 
brandy,  for  want  of  proper  nourishment." 

As  the  author  carefully  delineates,  at  the  very 
beginning  of  the  war  an  eye  was  cast  upon  the 
scene  of  Farragut's  first  great  achievement. 
"The  necessity  of  controlling  the  Mississippi 
valley,"  he  says,  "had  been  early  realized  by 
the  United  States  government.  In  its  hands 
the  great  stream  would  become  an  impassable 
barrier  between  two  large  sections  cf  the 
southern  confederacy;  whereas,  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  latter,  it  remained  a  link  binding 
together  all  the  regions  through  which  it  flowed 
or  which  were  penetrated  by  any  of  its  numer- 
ous tributaries."  Hence  the  scheme  was  de- 
vised of  running  the  forts  below  New  Orleans. 
Next  the  man  to  carry  it  out  was  thought  of, 
and  Farragut  selected.  His  southern  ante- 
cedents, in  spite  of  his  removal  and  sacrifices, 
made  the  authorities  hesitate  at  first.  But  he 
was  charged  with  the  work,  and  the  world  to- 
day knows  how  well  he  did  it.  Vivid  and  clear 
descriptions  are  given  of  the  three  or  four  great 
similar  actions  carried  to  success  by  Farragut. 


102 


RECENT    HISTORICAL    PUBLICATIONS 


And  the  author  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that, 
in  the  midst  of  the  glory  which  these  brave 
deeds  brought  him,  the  instinct  of  the  seaman 
within  Farragul  made  him  really  envy  the 
achievement  of  the  Kearsarge.  His  work  had 
been  merely  to  run  by  forts  on  land.  A  real 
out-and-out  engagement  at  sea,  vessels  op- 
posed to  vessels,  would  have  suited  the  old  tar 
much  better. 

Since  we  are  all  interested  in  our  "  new 
navy"'  at  present,  one  or  two  hints  by  our 
author  should  not  be  passed  over  without  good 
heed.  The  one  regards  the  importance  of  the 
navy  itself.  '"  Despite  the  extensive  sea  coast 
of  the  United  States,  and  the  large  maritime 
commerce  possessed  by  it  at  the  opening  of  the 
war,  the  navy  had  never,  except  for  short  and 
passing  intervals,  been  regarded  with  the  in- 
terest its  importance  deserved."  Even  at  the 
beginning  of  the  war  the  navy  "  became  simply 
a  division  of  the  land  forces.  From  this  sub- 
ordinate position  it  was  soon  raised  by  its  own 


intrinsic  value  and  the  logic  of  facts  ;  but  the 
transient  experience  is  noteworthy,  because  il- 
lustrating the  general  ignorance  of  the  country 
as  to  the  powers  of  the  priceless  weapon  which 
lay  ready,  though  unnoticed,  to  its  hand.'' 

The  other  hint  has  respect  to  a  useful  policy 
within  the  navy,  affecting  its  personnel.  Far- 
ragut  obtained  responsible  command  when  but 
about  eighteen  years  of  age.  His  own  com- 
ment on  this  fact  was  this:  "  I  consider  it  a 
great  advantage  to  obtain  command  young,  hav- 
ing observed,  as  a  general  rule,  that  persons 
who  come  into  authority  late  in  life  shrink 
from  responsibility,  and  often  break  down  un- 
der its  weight."  Upon  which  Captain  Mahan 
comments  in  turn  as  follows:  "  This  last  sen- 
tence, coming  from  a  man  of  such  extensive 
observation,  and  who  bore  in  his  day  the  respon- 
sibility of  such  weighty  decisions,  deserves 
most  serious  consideration  now,  when  command 
rank  is  reached  so  very  late  in  the  United  States 
navy." 


PRIZE    COMPETITION    DEPARTMENT 


To  the  more  inexperienced  of  those 
who  may  be  intending  to  compete  for 
the  prizes  we  offer,  a  word  of  advice 
may  not  be  inappropriate.  Any  writer 
who  is  preparing  an  historical  article  on 
any  theme  should  bear  in  mind  that 
it  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  he 
should  be  perfectly  accurate  in  any  facts 
cited.  It  is  the  custom  of  the  best  his- 
torical scholarship  to  indicate  in  foot- 
notes the  authorities  to  which  the  writer 
is  indebted  for  his  main  facts.  It  is  a 
good  practice,  in  such  cases,  even  to 
cite,  with  the  name  of  the  work  quoted, 
the  date  of  publication,  and  page  on 
which  the  citation  occurs.  The  date  of 
publication  generally  identifies  the  edi- 
tion of  the  book  which  has  been  used, 
while  the  citation  of  page  references  re- 
duces to  a  minimum  the  labor  of  any 
reader  who  wishes  to  substantiate  the 
statements  of  the  writer  by  following 
him  in  his  original  sources. 

In  an  historical  article,  as  a  rule,  every 
important  direct  quotation  should  be  re- 
ferred to  its  source  in  a  foot-note.  And 
even  statements  which  are  couched  in 
one's  own  language,  but  which  rest  for 
their  substantiation  upon  some  particular 
authority,  are  frequently  made  more  con- 
clusive by  means  of  the  reference.  Of 
course,  it  remains  that  even  the  use  of 
foot-notes  can  be  easily  overdone.  A 
little  study  of  historical  authorities  will 
enlighten  the  beginner  as  to  the  proper 
middle  course  which  it  is  best  to  pursue. 

The  competition  for  the  historical 
ballad  and  sonnet,  which  closes  on  May 
i  st,  next,  gives  the  shortest  time  of  any 
class.    Every  person  possessed  of  a  genu- 


ine touch  of  the  poet's  fire  ought  to 
make  an  attempt  here.  There  are 
many  persons,  events,  principles,  ideas, 
or  sentiments  connected  with  Ameri- 
can history  which  might  inspire  a  son- 
net ;  and  the  stirring  scenes  which  yet 
await  the  pen  of  the  balladist  are  quite 
innumerable.  It  is  not  so  easy  a  mat- 
ter as  it  looks,  however,  to  write  a 
worthy  ballad.  It  requires  just  the 
proper  blending  of  enthusiasm,  dignity, 
and  simplicity  in  narrative,  and  it  is 
quite  impossible  to  tell  any  one  how 
to  be  successful.  The  peculiar  spirit 
of  true  poetry  eludes  criticism.  The 
poet  is  a  law  unto  himself.  It  is  far 
easier  to  pronounce  upon  the  merits  of 
a  given  example  of  poetry  than  it  is  to 
define  in  the  abstract  what  the  true 
poetical   spirit   is. 

Persons  intending  to  compete  in  the 
class  of  the  historical  novel  will  be  in- 
terested in  a  special  critical  and  descrip- 
tive article  on  "  The  Historical  Novel 
and  American  History,"  which  will  ap- 
pear in  the  April  number  of  the  Mag- 
azine of  American  History.  The 
author  will  bring  under  discussion  a 
half-dozen  or  more  examples  of  the 
latest  issues  of  historical  fiction.  Stand- 
ish  of  Standish,  a  story  of  the  Pilgrims  ; 
My  Lady  Pocahontas,  a  quaint  tale  of 
Virginia  ;  The  Lady  of  St.  John,  an 
Acadian  romance  ;  Zachary  Phipps,  the 
story  of  a  typical  American  boy,  who  is 
brought  through  many  of  the  most  stir- 
ring events  of  our  national  history,  during 
the  early  part  of  the  present  century  ; 
and  four  or  five  volumes  in  the  series 
of  Columbus  Novels,  comprise  the  books 


3°4 


PRIZE   COMPETITION    DEPARTMENT 


treated.  Their  comparative  merits  will 
be  carefully  weighed. 

Any  one  interested,  who  will  take  the 
rime  to  read  one  or  more  of  the  books 
discussed,  of  the  above  list,  during  the 
present  month,  will  of  course  be  much 
better  able  to  appreciate,  or  take  issue 
with,  the  criticism  offered.  It  will  be  bet- 
ter still  to  give  attention  to  some  of  the 
famous  standard  productions  of  Walter 
Scott,  for  the  general  subject  of  the  his- 
torical novel  ;  or  the  excellent  and  at- 
tractive stories  of  our  own  Cooper,  or 
Hawthorne,  for  the  study  of  historical 
fiction  in  the  field  of  American  his- 
tory. A  lecture  or  article  on  the  place 
of  historical  fiction  in  American  litera- 
ture by  William  Gilmore  Simms,  the 
Southern  novelist,  should  be  consulted, 
as  his  criticisms  of  our  most  prominent 
authors  in  this  sphere  of  literary  work 
were  highly  commended  by  so  eminent 
an  authority  as  the  poet  William  Cullen 
Bryant. 

A  large  part  of  the  article  to  appear 
in  the  April  number  will  be  devoted 
to  a  general  discussion  of  the  theme, 
having  under  consideration  some  of 
the  famous  types  of  historical  fiction. 
The  value  and  richness  of  the  field  of 
American  history  as  a  basis  for  the 
novel  is  also  discussed  at  length.  This 
part  of  the  paper  will  perhaps  be  found 
its  most  valuable  and  instructive  feat- 
ure. 

We  invite  any  suggestions  or  criticisms 
appropriate  to  this  department  from 
those  who  are  interested  in  it,  either  on 


their  own  part,  or  in  behalf  of  students 
under  their  care. 

Close  of  Competitions. — Following 
is  a  recapitulation  in  the  order  of  clos- 
ing the  respective  contests : 

7  th  Class.  Ballad  and  Sonnet.  Closes 
May  1,  1893. 

6th  Class.  History  for  Young  People. 
Closes  July  1,  1893. 

3d  Class.  Historical  Short  Story. 
Closes  August  1,  1893. 

5th  Class.  Legend  and  Tradition. 
Closes  September  1,  1893. 

4th  Class.  Minor  Heroes.  Closes 
October  1,  1893. 

2d  Class.  General  Historical  Article. 
Closes  November  15,  1893. 

1st  Class.  Historical  Serial  Novel. 
Closes  January  1,  1894. 

Every  manuscript  must  be  received 
on  or  before  the  above  date,  in  the  respec- 
tive class  in  which  it  is  entered.  This 
rule  is  imperative,  and  authors  should 
see  that  all  manuscripts  are  forwarded 
in  time  to  avoid  the  possibility  of  exclu- 
sion on  these  grounds. 

It  is  also  very  desirable,  and  will  indi- 
cate as  well  that  the  writer  is  endeavoring 
to  work  in  the  spirit  of  genuine  historical 
research,  to  accompany  each  article  with 
a  brief  summary  or  catalogue  of  the  vari- 
ous books,  periodicals,  or  manuscripts 
that  have  been  examined  in  the  prepara- 
tion of  the  article  submitted  in  competi- 
tion. It  will  be  found  that  nothing  is 
so  potent  an  educative  factor  in  making 
one  skilled  in  historical  work  as  this  care- 
fulness concerning  authenticity. 


cT^rrvts     0 ^M-trru 


AS' HE    APPEARED    IN    1854. 


MAGAZINE   OF   AMERICAN   HISTORY 


Vol.   XXIX  APRIL,   1893  Xo.  4 

NEW  YORK    AFTER    THE    REVOLUTION 

1 783-1 789 
By  Henry  P.  Johnston 

UPON  the  evacuation  of  New  York  by  the  British  forces,  November 
25,  1783,  the  city  entered  upon  the  third  and  modern  period  of  its 
history.  Successively  Dutch  and  English,  it  was  now  to  put  on  its  dis- 
tinctively American  exterior,  and  shape  its  course  along  new  lines  denned 
by  new  conditions.  Not  all  the  original  features,  however,  were  to  disap- 
pear. Elements  of  the  old  stock  survived,  and  fundamental  characteristics 
left  their  traces.  If,  politically,  the  transitions  from  one  power  to  another 
have  been  violent,  socially,  and  to  a  greater  extent  institutionally,  a  certain 
continuity  has  been  preserved.  Derived  from  a  common  Teutonic  ances- 
try, each  group  of  inhabitants  has  perpetuated  its  predecessor  in  whole 
or  in  part,  while  each  change  has  effected  little  more  than  to  introduce  or 
evolve  a  new  phase  of  Teutonic  life.  The  quiet  invasion  of  the  city  in 
later  days,  under  the  guise  of  a  vast  immigration  from  the  Old  World, 
encouraged  by  the  opportunity  and  responding  to  the  spirit  of  the  age,  has 
fastened  a  cosmopolitan  character  upon  us;  but  the  family  identity  is 
retained.  Cosmopolitan  New  York  continues,  by  absorption,  to  be  essen- 
tially American.     It  is  marked,  unmistakably,  by  the  inherited  brand. 

In  the  development  of  events  interest  attaches  to  what  appear  to  be 
beginnings — to  the  new  order  of  things.  One  may  sometimes  see  inspira- 
tion at  work  here.  As  against  the  hardships,  struggles,  distractions,  and 
quarrels  inevitable  in  the  changes  and  movements  of  communities,  the 
underlying  resolution  and  confidence  are  bound  to  assert  themselves;  and 
these  attract.  The  first  years  of  the  city's  American  career  are  an  illustra- 
tion;  discouragement  and  comparatively  slow  advance  will  be  succeeded 
by  great  strides  forward.  In  1784  the  "  plant"  consisted  of  a  partially 
ruined  town,  straitened  resources,  an  unsettled  foreign  trade,  debts,  and 
hampered  enterprises.  In  1789  the  city  was  on  its  feet  and  conscious  of 
future  unlimited  expansion. 


Vol.  XXIX.— No. 


3o6 


NEW  YORK  AFTER  THE  REVOLUTION 


The  work  in  hand  for  this  initial  period  was  not  so  much  a  work  of 
reconstruction  as  one  of  restoration — restoration  under  a  new  impulse. 
We  can  follow  the  process  and  appreciate  the  results.  First  of  all,  the  pop- 
ulation— who  were  the  first  American  New  Yorkers,  what  their  numbers, 
affiliations,  quality,  sympathies?  Then  the  municipal  government — its 
reestablishment,  the  extent  and  source  of  its  powers,  its  new  personnel,  its 
agency  in  lifting  the  city  out  of  the  depths.  Then  all  the  activities — the 
revival  of  trade  and  manufactures,  the  growth  of  industries,  the  status  of 
the  professions,  education,  religion,  societies,  and  the  general  life  of  the 
city.  And,  finally,  the  local  politics  of  the  time,  and  the  larger  question  of 
a  national  constitution,  with  the  influence  which  the  metropolis  will  have 
in  securing  the  adoption  of  that  famous  instrument.  By  following  out 
these  lines,  the  old  city  of  a  century  ago  will  come  into  view,  in  perspec- 
tive at  least,  as  the  new  growth  of  that  day  and  the  true  foundation  of 
modern  New  York.  It  was  the  latest  prototype  of  what  is,  and  so  far  its 
history  becomes  a  piece  of  domestic  reminiscence. 

How  far  did  the  Revolutionary  war  affect  the  number  and  composition 
of  the  city's  population?  That  it  suffered  a 
material  loss,  and  a  loss  mainly  on  the  side  of 
the  original  patrician  stock,  is  a  well-known  fact. 
The  population  of  1784  and  after  was  less  old 
English  and  Dutch  than  it  had  been  in  1775. 
While  the  middle,  industrial  classes  changed  to  a 
certain  extent,  the  decrease  was  felt  most  sen- 
sibly among  the  conservative,  loyalist,  highly 
respectable,  and  what  may  be  called  the  churchly 
families  of  the  city.  In  the  rush  of  the  new  life 
that  set  in  after  the  first  interval  of  depression, 
the  population  assumed  more  of  the  "  Young  American  "  character,  with 
its  nervous  activity  and  practical  bent,  and  rapidly  pushed  the  city  along 
toward  its  destined  preeminence. 

The  transformation  produced  during  the  war  was  succeeded  by  another 
at  its  close.  The  passions  excited  by  the  protracted  struggle  became 
responsible  for  the  loss  to  America  of  a  large  and  valuable  element  among 
her  people.  Neighbors  who  had  sought  to  destroy  each  other  for  seven 
years  could  not  remain  neighbors.  The  victorious  party  was  bound  to 
indulge  its  triumph  in  a  demand  for  justice  or  retribution  upon  those  who 
had  so  long  been  the  "  unnatural  "  enemies  of  the  country,  and  the  latter 
dared  not  remain.  Thousands  of  loyalists,  exaggerating  their  alarms  and 
fears,  left  their  old  homes  or  their  refuge  in  New  York  and  went  "  beyond 


GREAT    SEAL    OF    NEW    YORK. 


NEW    YORK    AFTER    THE    REVOLUTION 


307 


sea,"  wherever  they  could  find  shelter,  protection,  and  the  promise  of  an 
opportunity  to  recover  themselves.  They  dispersed  in  families  and  com- 
panies, and  were  furnished  with  transportation  by  Sir  Guy  Carleton,  the 
last  British  commander-in-chief  in  New  York,  who  assured  them  of  lands 
and  temporary  support  by  the  home  government.  They  settled  at  Annap- 
olis Royal,  'Nova  Scotia,  at  St.  John's,  Halifax,  Montreal,  Quebec,  and 
other  points  in  the  Dominion.  Some  went  to  the  Bermudas  and  Bahamas, 
some  to  the  West  Indies,  and  many  more  to  the  mother-country.  Numer- 
ous descendants  of  these  old  colonial  Ameri- 
cans, who  opposed  the  Revolution  and  went 
into  exile,  may  be  found  to-day  at  these  dis- 
tant points.  In  Nova  Scotia  they  appeared 
in  the  role  of  settlers,  building  up  new  com- 
munities for  that  province,  which  so  im- 
pressed Carleton  that  in  an  unpublished  let- 
ter to  Lord  North,  dated  at  New  York, 
October  5,  1783,  he  trusts  that  "  liberal  meas- 
ures of  sound  policy  will  be  immediately 
adopted  and  steadily  pursued "  in  their  in- 
terest. Above  all,  he  believed  that  they 
should    be    granted    an    "  explicit  exemption 

from  all  taxation,  except  by  their  own  legislature  " — a  clear  recognition 
on  his  part  of  the  effect  our  Revolution  would  inevitably  work  on  Eng- 
land's restrictive  colonial  system. 

As  the  Tories  withdrew  from  New  York,  the  newly  baptized  American, 
the  man  of  the  Revolution,  who  had  been  patiently  anticipating  the  occa- 
sion, proudly  marched  in  to  reoccupy  and  possess  the  old  city.  In  reality, 
the  transfer  had  been  going  on  by  mutual  agreement  for  some  months 
before  the  formal  evacuation  of  November  25.  Permission  was  granted 
by  the  British  authorities  to  Americans  to  enter  the  place  for  business 
purposes,  or  to  prove  title  to  property  belonging  to  them  before  the 
war.  There  was  accordingly  much  going  back  and  forth  during  1783. 
But  not  all  the  old  American  population  could  return.  It  had  suffered 
from  the  experiences  of  the  war  no  less  than  the  loyalists.  With  the  aban- 
donment of  the  city  in  1776,  the  "  rebel  "  inhabitants  had  dispersed  in 
every  direction.     Many  retired  to  the  upper  counties  of  New  York,  and 


THE    ROYAL    SAVAGE.1 


1  Among  the  papers  of  General  Philip  Schuyler  there  was  preserved  a  water-color  sketch  of  the 
American  sloop-of-war  of  the  above  name.  It  is  of  importance  as  settling  the  mooted  question 
respecting  the  device  of  the  continental  flag  raised  at  the  camp  opposite  Boston,  in  January,  1776, 
while  the  American  forces  were  besieging  that  city. 


308  NEW    YORK   AFTER   THE    REVOLUTION 

scattered  through  the  towns  and  villages.  The  families  of  the  men  who 
entered  the  service  were  cared  for  by  local  committees,  while  others 
attempted  self-support  as  they  could.  Not  a  few  found  their  way  into 
New  England,  especially  into  western  and  central  Connecticut,  or  into 
New  Jersey  among  the  hills.  The  exodus  entailed  ruin  of  fortunes,  loss 
oi  occupation,  separation  of  families,  and  seven  years  of  distress.  "You 
can  have  no  idea,"  writes  an  elderly  lady  in  1782,  "  of  the  sufferings  of 
main-  who  from  affluence  are  reduced  to  the  most  abject  poverty,  and 
others  who  die  in  obscurity."  Obviously,  now  that  New  York  was  again 
open  to  them,  comparatively  few  could  return  immediately,  if  at  all.  The 
limited  number  who  owned  lands  and  houses  in  the  city  went  back,  and 
others  who  possessed  the  ready  means  followed ;  but  the  mass  of  those 
who  had  formerly  paid  rents  and  carried  on  the  minor  trades  found  it 
impossible  to  change  their  situation  again.  Their  places  were  eventually 
taken  by  strangers. 

When  New  York,  accordingly,  passed  into  American  hands,  toward 
the  close  of  1783,  we  find  its  population  greatly  diminished  and  changed 
as  compared  with  that  of  1775.  For  the  six  months  following  it  could  not 
have  exceeded  twelve  thousand.  Three  years  later  it  had  risen  to  twenty- 
four  thousand.  The  twelve  thousand  represented  that  portion  of  the 
Tory,  British,  mercantile,  and  lukewarm  element  that  had  resolved  to 
remain,  and  the  incoming  Americans.  At  first  the  former  outnumbered 
the  latter.  "  The  loyalists  are  more  numerous  and  much  wealthier  than 
the  poor,  despicable  Whigs,"  says  a  Tory  writer  in  December,  1783,  not  a 
month  after  the  evacuation.  But  the  Whigs  were  masters.  Altogether 
it  was  a  changed  and  sorry  representation  of  ante-war  New  York.  Old 
and  well-known  families  were  missing  and  missed  on  both  sides.  "Ah!" 
wrote  Jay  to  his  former  friend,  Van  Schaack,  at  this  time,  "if  I  ever 
see  New  York  again  I  expect  to  meet  with  the  shade  of  many  a  departed 
joy;  my  heart  bleeds  to  think  of  it."  Among  prominent  expatriated 
royalists,  former  residents  of  the  city,  were  such  men  as  William  Smith, 
the  historian  and  chief  justice  of  the  province,  and  Rev.  Dr.  Charles 
Inglis,  rector  of  Trinity  church. 

Passing  to  the  municipal  government  of  New  York  for  this  period,  we 
shall  find  the  old  colonial  forms  preserved  and  continued.  There  was 
simply  a  transfer  of  authority  from  English  to  American  hands;  and  this 
was  effected  without  friction  or  disorder.  The  original  charter  under 
which  the  city  had  been  governed  since  1686,  or,  in  its  amended  form, 
since  1730,  had  been  disturbed  by  neither  party  during  the  war,  except  so 
far    as    British  military  rule    prevailed,  and    it  was  still  operative    in  all 


NEW    YORK   AFTER   THE    REVOLUTION 


309 


its  parts.  Its  revision  upon  the  basis  of  the  advanced  political  theories  of 
the  colonists  was  yet  to  be  agitated,  and  upon  the  entry  of  the  Americans 
it  only  remained  to  rehabilitate  the  corporation  through  some  authorized 
agency.  The  occasion  had  been  provided  for.  As  early  as  October  23, 
1779,  by  act  of  the  state  legislature,  a  body  was  created  known  as  the 
council  for  the  southern  district  of  New  York,  which  was  charged  with  the 
duty  of  assuming  control  of  the  city  and  neighboring  counties  immediately 
upon  the  withdrawal  of  the  enemy.  It 
was  empowered  to  preserve  order;  to 
prevent  the  monopoly  of  the  necessaries 
of  life  ;  to  impress  fuel,  forage,  horses, 
teams,  and  drivers  into  its  service  ;  to 
supply  the  markets  with  provisions  and 
regulate  prices  ;  and  to  superintend  the 
election  of  members  of  the  legislature 
and  city  officers,  at  which  disaffected 
persons  were  not  to  be  allowed  to  vote 
or  stand  as  candidates.  The  members 
consisted  of  the  governor,  George  Clin- 
ton ;  the  lieutenant-governor,  Pierre  Van 
Cortlandt ;  the  chancellor,  Robert  R. 
Livingston  ;  Judges  Robert  Yates  and 
John  Sloss  Hobart,  of  the  state  supreme 
court ;  John  Morin  Scott,  secretary  of 
state;  Egbert  Benson,  attorney-general; 
the  state  senators  of  the  southern  coun- 
ties, Stephen  Ward,  Isaac  Stoutenburgh, 
James  Duane,  and  William  Smith,  and  the  assemblymen  of  the  same 
district.  The  judges  of  the  district  were  also  to  serve,  but  none  had  been 
appointed.  Seven  members  of  the  council,  of  whom  the  governor  was 
always  to  be  one,  constituted  a  quorum.  For  the  city's  guardianship, 
temporary  or  permanent,  the  most  punctilious  community  could  not  have 
made  a  more  noteworthy  selection.     On   Evacuation   Day  they  rode  into 


1  The  Rev.  Charles  Inglis  was  a  native  of  Ireland.  He  came  to  America  as  a  missionary  in 
1759,  and  in  1765  he  became  assistant  minister  of  Trinity  church,  this  city.  He  was  in  violent 
opposition  to  the  revolutionary  sentiments  of  the  colonists,  and  a  pamphlet  written  against 
Paine's  Common  Sense  was  burned  by  the  Sons  of  Liberty.  He  persisted  in  retaining  the  clauses 
in  the  prayers  which  mentioned  the  king  and  royal  family.  He  left  New  York  in  1776,  but 
was  rector  of  Trinity  during  the  British  occupation.  At  the  evacuation  he  retired  to  Halifax, 
became  bishop  of  Nova  Scotia  in  1787,  and  died  in  1816.  He  was  succeeded  as  bishop  by  his 
son  John. 


uo 


NEW    YORK   AFTER   THE    REVOLUTION 


the    city    four    abreast,    and    next    in    order    after    Washington    and    the 
governor  at  the  head  of  the  procession. 

Occupying  the  council-chamber  in  the  old  City  Hall  in  Wall  street,  this 
provisional  body,  with  James  M.  Hughes  as  secretary,  entered  at  once  upon 
its  duties.  The  original  records  of  its  proceedings  have  disappeared,  but 
from  certain  of  its  published  ordinances,  and  from  references  in  the  papers 

of  the  day,  the  features  of  its  admin- 
istration can  be  outlined.  Protec- 
tion and  relief  for  the  daily  increas- 
ing population  were  the  first  care. 
With  the  aid  of  the  light  infantry 
battalion  of  the  continental  army, 
which  remained  in  the  city  under 
General  Knox  and  Major  Sumner 
for  some  weeks  after  the  evacua- 
tion, order  was  maintained  and  the 
necessary  regulations  enforced. 

The  first  steps  toward  the  res- 
toration of  the  regular  city  govern- 
ment were  taken  early  in  Decem- 
ber, when  the  council  authorized  an 
election  of  ward  officers  or  board 
of  aldermen.  The  election  occurred 
on  the  15th  of  the  month,  under 
the  old  viva  voce  method — the  ballot 
not  being  introduced  until  1804 — and  seven  aldermen,  one  from  each  ward, 
were  chosen,  and  assistant  aldermen  were  doubtless  elected  at  the  same 
time.  This  incomplete  body — incomplete  so  far  as  no  mayor  had  been 
appointed — organized  with  John  Broome  as  president,  and  assumed  the 
government  of  the  city  under  the  title  of  the  aldermen  and  common 
council.  The  provisional  council  still  continued  its  functions,  as,  by  the 
terms  of  the  act  of  1779,  it  was  required  to  do  for  sixty  days  after 
the  evacuation,  but  the  details  of  city  management  were  clearly  left  to 
the  new  body.  Seven  weeks  later  the  organization  of  the  government 
was  completed.  The  common  council  and  many  citizens  petitioned  the 
governor  to  appoint  James  Duane  mayor  of  the  city,  and  on  February  7 
the  appointment  was  made — the  governor  and  board  of  appointment, 
authorized  by  the  state  constitution,  exercising  in  this  case  the  right  of 
nomination  vested  in  the  colonial  governors  and  their  councils.  On 
February  9  Duane  was  formally  installed  as  mayor,  at  a  special  meeting  of 


NEW    YORK   AFTER   THE    REVOLUTION  311 

the  city  council  held  at  the  house  of  "  Mr.  Simmons  " — John  Simmons, 
innkeeper,  in  Wall  street,  near  the  City  Hall— where  he  took  the  oath  of 
office  in  the  presence  of  that  body,  and  of  the  governor  and  lieutenant- 
governor  of  the  state,  representing  the  state  provisional  council,  whose 
duties  now  ceased. 

In  its  outward  forms  the  city  government  reflected  its  English  deriva- 
tion. The  conditions  of  citizenship  also  remained  the  same  for  many 
years,  and  so  far  presented  a  contradiction.  The  citizen  of  the  state  of 
New  York  was  politically  a  freer  man  than  the  citizen  of  the  city  of  New 
York.  Suffrage  rights  were  not  the  same  for  each.  Under  the  new  state 
constitution  of  1777,  while  the  property  qualification  required  of  voters 
for  state  officers  varied,  for  assemblymen  it  was  moderate.  The  voter 
must  pay  assessments  and  a  nominal  house  rent  of  five  dollars.  To  enjoy 
municipal  privileges,  to  be  able  to  vote  and  to  stand  as  a  candidate  for  the 
office  of  alderman,  it  was  necessary  to  be  either  a  "  freeholder "  or  a 
"  freeman  "  in  the  ancient  English  sense.  The  "  freeholder  "  was  a  real- 
estate  owner;  he  must  possess  land  of  the  annual  value  of  at  least  forty 
shillings.  Ordinary  tenants,  rent-payers,  could  not  vote;  and  these 
restrictions  limited  the  voters  of  this  class  to  a  small  number.  The  cen- 
sus of  1790  shows  that  out  of  a  population  of  thirty  thousand  there  were 
but  1,209  freeholders  of  £100  valuation  or  over;  1,221  of  ,£20,  and  2,661 
"forty-shilling"  holders.  Property  interests — something  like  a  landed 
aristocracy — controlled  municipal  elections.  The  inconsistency  of  this 
system  with  the  general  leveling  principles  on  which  the  Revolution  had 
been  fought  out  was  occasionally  referred  to.  As  early  as  March  31, 
1785,  some  one  writes  to  the  New  York  Packet'.  "  If  you  look  into  the 
corporation  you  will  find  men  whom  you  both  feed  and  clothe,  that  you 
have  no  power  to  elect.  Is  this  right  or  wrong?  Common  sense  gives  the 
answer."  The  agitation  will  wax  warm  about  1800,  and  in  1 804  the  char- 
ter will  be  so  amended  that  all  New  Yorkers  paying  twenty-five  dollars 
rent  per  year  and  taxes  may  vote  for  aldermen  ;  but  it  will  not  be  until 
1833  that  they  secure  the  right  to  elect  their  own  mayor. 

The  "  freemen,"  who  were  not  so  numerous  as  the  "  freeholders,"  were 
likewise  a  relic  of  the  Old  World  municipal  system.  They  represented 
residents  not  owning  real  property,  who,  nevertheless,  as  merchants, 
traders,  artisans,  and  workmen,  contributed  to  the  .wealth  of  the  city,  and 
on  whom  the  city  corporation  conferred  the  rights  of  citizenship  on  the 
payment  of  fixed  fees.  Such  persons  were  made  "  free  of  the  city." 
Among  the  Dutch  they  had  been  called  "  burghers  "  of  the  lesser  right. 
During  Mayor  Duane's   term   a  considerable   number  of  "  freemen  "  were 


312  NEW  YORK  AFTER  THE  REVOLUTION 

admitted  to  the  suffrage,  including  laborers,  bakers,  shoemakers,  car- 
penters, tailors,  weavers,  tanners,  blacksmiths,  butchers,  grocers,  cabinet- 
makers, cartmen,  ironmongers,  and  tradesmen  generally.  When  admitted 
to  this  privilege,  merchants  paid  five  pounds,  and  others  twenty  shillings, 
to  the  corporation,  and  fees  ranging  from  one  to  eight  shillings  to  the 
mayor,  recorder,  clerk,  and  bell-ringer  of  the  mayor's  court.  They  also 
took  oath  that  they  would  be  "  obeisant  and  obedient  "  to  the  city  offi- 
cials. "  maintain  and  keep  the  said  city  harmless,"  and  report  and  hinder 
all  "unlawful  gatherings,  assemblies,  and  conspiracies"  against  the  peace 
of  the  good  people  of  the  state. 

This  custom  of  creating  "  freemen  "  died  out  early  in  the  present  cen- 
tury, and  was  formally  abolished  in  1815,  except  so  far  as  the  honorary 
right  was  conferred.  Distinguished  persons  were  presented  with  the  free- 
dom of  the  city  dowrn  to  a  recent  date,  the  roll  being  adorned  with  the 
names  of  Washington,  Lafayette,  Jay,  Clinton,  Steuben,  Gates,  Hamilton, 
the  naval  heroes  of  the  1812  war,  and  representatives  of  the  war  for  the 
Union.  The  "  freedom  "  in  such  cases  was  presented  in  the  form  of  an 
address  from  the  corporation,  enclosed  in  an  elegant  gold  box.  In  Wash- 
ington's reply  to  the  address  transmitted  to  him  in  December,  1784,  it  is 
possible  that  we  have  the  origin  of  the  title  New  York  enjoys  as  the 
"  Empire  State."  His  words  were  sympathetic  and  hopeful :  "  I  pray  that 
Heaven  may  bestow  its  choicest  blessings  on  your  City;  that  the  devasta- 
tions of  war  in  whTch  you  found  it  may  soon  be  without  a  trace  ;  that  a 
well  regulated  and  beneficial  commerce  may  enrich  your  citizens;  and 
that  your  State  (at  present  the  seat  of  the  Empire)  may  set  such  examples 
of  wisdom  and  liberality  as  shall  have  a  tendency  to  strengthen  and  give 
permanency  to  the  Union  at  home,  and  credit  and  respectability  to  it 
abroad." 

The  interior  life  of  the  new  city  had  its  interesting  phases.  In  the 
general  activities  an  earnest  start  was  made,  although  fortune  failed  to 
smile  on  every  initial  effort.  The  Chamber  of  Commerce,  organized  in 
1768,  and  kept  up  by  the  British  and  resident  merchants  during  the  war, 
was  incorporated  by  the  New  York  legislature,  April  13,  1784.  Its  first 
president  under  the  new  charter  was  John  Alsop.  The  influence  which 
this  body,  with  its  growing  membership,  exerted  upon  the  affairs  of  the 
city,  and  especially  in  shaping  its  policy  during  the  constitutional  period, 
will  be  seen  to  have  been  quite  marked.  Most  of  the  mercantile  houses 
and  offices,  with  the  docks  and  shipping,  were  to  be  found  on  the  east 
side  of  the  town,  near  and  along  the  East  River.  About  1788,  as  many 
as  one   hundred   vessels  might  be  seen    at   any   one   time  discharging  or 


NEW    YORK   AFTER   THE    REVOLUTION 


313 


taking  in  cargoes,  but  not  all  flying  the  American  flag.  The  first  Ameri- 
can merchantman  bound  for  Canton  was  the  Empress  of  China,  Captain 
Green,  which  left  port  February  22,  1784,  and  reached  her  destination 
August  30.  She  returned  May  II,  1785,  after  having  made  a  paying 
venture.  Congress  passed  a  resolution  expressing  satisfaction  at  this 
successful  attempt  to  establish  a  direct  trade  with  China.  The  ship 
Betsy  sailed  about  the  same  time  for  Madras.  Packet-ships,  American, 
British,  and  French,  kept  up  communication  between  New  York  and 
European  ports.  There  was  but  one  bank  in  the  city  during  this  period 
— the  bank  of  New  York,  established 
early  in  1784,  largely  through  the 
efforts  of  William  Duer  and  General 
Alexander  McDougall,  who  was  its 
first  president  until  his  death  on  June 
8,  1786.  Isaac  Roosevelt  became  its 
president  in  1789.  In  April,  1787,  a 
Mutual  Fire  Assurance  Company 
made  its  appearance,  which  John  Pin- 
tard,  afterward  prominent  in  many 
enterprises,  had  been  chiefly  instru- 
mental in  organizing  ;  he  was  its  first 
secretary.  The  General  Society  of 
Mechanics  and  Tradesmen  was  estab- 
lished August  4,  1785,  with  the  object 
of  promoting  mutual  fellowship  and 
confidence  among  all  mechanics,  pre- 
venting litigation  between  them,  ex- 
tending mechanical  knowledge,  and  affording  relief  to  distressed  mem- 
bers. Anthony  Post  was  chairman.  There  were  societies  for  promoting 
useful  knowledge,  for  the  relief  of  distressed  debtors,  and  for  manufactur- 
ing purposes.  The  social  organizations,  or  the  societies  of  St.  Andrew, 
St.  George,  and  St.  Patrick,  with  a  German  and  musical  society  and 
Masonic  lodges,  all  had  an  existence  or  their  beginning  in  those  early 
years.  The  New  York  branch  of  the  Cincinnati  Society  of  Revolutionary 
Officers  maintained  an  active  life,  and  regularly  celebrated  Independence 
Day  with  an  oration,  a  dinner,  and  toasts.  General  McDougall  and  Baron 
Steuben  were  its  first  two  presidents.  The  Society  for  the  Manumission 
of  Slaves,  organized  in  1785,  held  its  first  quarterly  meeting  on  May  12  of 
that  year  at  the  Coffee  House,  when  John  Jay  was  elected  president,  Sam- 
uel Franklin  vice-president,  John  Murray,  Jr.,  treasurer,  and  John  Keese 


<YCrfrrt  <vo€^/?-&src/ 


314 


NEW  YORK  AFTER  THE  REVOLUTION 


secretary.  Its  members  advocated  the  gradual  emancipation  of  slaves,  and 
their  protection  as  freedmen.  Some  set  their  slaves  free  "  at  proper  ages," 
and  denounced  the  separation  of  families  by  exportation  of  individuals 
for  sale  in  the  southern  states.  In  June,  1788,  Jay  wrote  to  Granville 
Sharp,  the  English  philanthropist  :  "  By  the  laws  of  this  state,  masters 
ma\'  now  liberate  healthy  slaves  of  a  proper  age  without  giving  security 
that  the}-  shall  not  become  a  parish  charge  ;  and  the  exportation  as  well 
as  importation  of  them  is  prohibited.  The  state  has  also  manumitted 
such  as  became  its  property  by  confiscation  ;  and  we  have  reason  to 
expect  that  the  maxim  that  every  man,  of  whatever  color,  is  to  be 
presumed  to  be  free  until  the  contrary  be  shown,  will  prevail  in  our  courts 
of  justice.      Manumissions  daily  become  more  common  among  us,  and  the 


Sfe^iiStS 


THE    LISPENARD    MEADOWS. 


treatment  which  slaves  in  general  meet  with  in  this  state  is  very  little 
different  from  that  of  other  servants." 

The  professions  were  revived  under  the  new  auspices,  but  without 
material  change  in  practice  and  methods.  Lawyers  were  numerous,  and 
the  deranged  state  of  things  after  the  war  made  litigation  lucrative. 

As  to  educational  institutions,  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  steps  were 
taken,  very  soon  after  the  evacuation,  to  put  King's  college,  now  Columbia 
—the  only  college  in  the  state — on  a  good  working  basis  again.  During 
the  war  the  building  had  been  used  as  a  hospital  by  the  British,  who  had 
rifled  its  library.  The  president,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Benjamin  Moore,  had  given 
instructions  in  a  private  house,  and  a  nominal  faculty  was  continued,  but 

1  This  representation  of  Lispenard's  Meadows  was  drawn  by  Dr.  Alexander  Andersen  in 
1785,  and  was  taken  from  the  site  of  the  St.  Nicholas  Hotel,  which  formerly  stood  in  Broadway, 
corner  of  Spring  street,  a  few  blocks  above  Canal  street. 


NEW    YORK   AFTER   THE    REVOLUTION  315 

little  appears  to  have  been  accomplished.  On  May  1,  1784,  the  legislature 
passed  an  act  altering  the  charter  of  the  institution  and  placing  it  under 
the  state  board  of  regents  provided  for  at  the  same  time.  The  last  pro- 
vision of  the  act  reads :  "  That  the  College  within  the  City  of  New-York, 
heretofore  called  King's  College,  be  forever  hereafter  called  and  known  by 
the  name- of  Columbia  College. "  Young  De  Witt  Clinton  was  the  first 
student  who  entered  under  its  new  name.  A  faculty  of  professors  carried 
out  the  curriculum  until  1787,  when  William  Samuel  Johnson,  son  of  the 
first  president,  was  elected  to  the  presidency.  The  first  commencement 
was  held  April  II,  1786,  after  "  a  lamented  interval  of  many  years  ;  "  and 
on  this  occasion  congress  and  both  houses  of  the  state  legislature  adjourned 
to  attend  the  exercises.  College  place  of  to-day — Barclay,  Church,  and 
Murray  streets — marks  the  site  of  the  original  structure,  which  was  long 
and  wide,  three  stories  high,  built  of  freestone,  with  a  very  high  fence 
around  it.  Private  schools  also  appeared,  but  it  cannot  be  said  that  any 
special  interest  was  taken  by  the  public  in  the  cause  of  education  at  this 
date.  The  religious  denominations  remained  of  nearly  the  same  relative 
strength  as  before  the  war. 

On  its  strictly  social  side,  New  York  life  had  always  been  attractive. 
Less  provincialism  existed  here  than  at  any  other  centre  in  the  colonies. 
Strangers  and  foreigners  alike  remarked  on  the  hospitality  of  the  people. 
What  with  the  state  legislature  meeting  in  the  city,  and  congress  following 
early  in  1785,  with  foreign  ministers,  consuls,  and  merchants  entertaining 
handsomely,  society  established  itself  in  full  feather.  Distinguished  men 
and  old  families  gave  tone  to  it.  More  than  one  member  of  congress  from 
other  states  found  their  future  partners  within  the  charmed  circle.  James 
Monroe,  the  future  President,  married  the  daughter  of  Lawrence  Kort- 
wright ;  Rufus  King  of  Boston,  the  daughter  of  John  Alsop  ;  and  Elbridge 
Gerry,  the  daughter  of  James  Thompson,  who  is  flatteringly  referred  to  as 
"  the  most  beautiful  woman  in  the  United  States."  A  visitor  at  Colonel 
William  Duer's  house  states  that  he  lived  in  the  style  of  a  nobleman, 
and  had  fifteen  different  sorts  of  wine  at  dinner.  His  wife,  Lady  Kitty, 
daughter  of  General  Lord  Stirling,  late  of  the  continental  army,  and  a 
person  of  most  accomplished  manners,  was  observed  to  wait  upon  the 
table  from  her  end  of  it,  with  two  servants  in  livery  at  her  back.  But  it 
has  been  estimated  that  less  than  three  hundred  families  affected  society 
life  at  this  time,  and  these  were  of  different  grades. 

This  sumptuous  tendency  did  not  escape  criticism.  As  a  whole,  the 
town  was  hard  pushed  for  a  living  during  these  early  years.  The  item  of 
house-rent  alone  was  claimed  to  be  out  of  all  proportion  to  the  condition 


3i6 


NEW  YORK  AFTER  THE  REVOLUTION 


of  business  and  the  average  of  incomes.  Before  the  war  the  highest  rental 
was  one  hundred  pounds;  now  nearly  double  that  sum  was  demanded. 
Seventy  pounds  and  taxes  was  the  figure  for  a  moderate  house  in  Wall 
street  in  1786.     House-owners,  then  as  now,  held  on  for  a  rise,  and  declined 

to  let  houses  at  lower  rates  even  when  assured 
that  they  would  stand  empty  a  good  part  of 
the  year.  Rent-day  proved  distressing  beyond 
its  proverbial  reputation.  Money  was  scarce. 
"  Cash  !  Cash  !  O  Cash  !  "  exclaims  a  writer 
to  the  press,  "  why  hast  thou  deserted  the 
Standard  of  Liberty!  and  made  poverty  and 
dissipation  our  distinguishing  characteristic?" 
The  inability  of  the  congress  of  the  confedera- 
tion to  regulate  commerce  accounted  largely 
for  the  slow  financial  recovery  which  marked 
the  period. 

These  straitened  lines  presented  a  contrast 
to  society  drift  and  rebuked  it.  Luxuries, 
pleasures,  and  amusements  were  coming  into 
favor  more  and  more,  disturbing  the  peace  of 
mind  of  sensitive,  frugal,  hard-worked  people, 
and  shocking  church  society.  The  tendency 
was  unmistakable,  but  hardly  unnatural  or  ex- 
travagant. It  had  developed  alarmingly  in 
Philadelphia  during  the  later  years  of  the  war, 
and  New  York  was  now  feeling  something  of  the 
same  reaction  without  faring  worse.  Society 
and  fashion,  like  everything  else,  were  simply  reinstating  themselves  after 
the  wreck  of  the  war.  John  Jay,  who  had  seen  enough  of  high  life  abroad 
for  four  years,  was  not  especially  depressed  by  the  signs  at  home,  when  he 
could  discourage  Lafayette's  wife  from  coming  to  America  in  1785,  as  she 
proposed,  by  informing  her  that  we  had  few  amusements  here  to  relieve 
travelers  of  the  monotony  of  a  visit.  "  Our  men  for  the  most  part,"  he 
assures  her,  "  mind  their  business  and  our  women  their  families  ;  and  if 
our  wives  succeed  (as  most  of  them  do)  in  '  making  home  man's  best 
delight,'  gallantry  seldom  draws  their  husbands  from  them.  Our  customs, 
in  many  respects,  differ  from  yours,  and  you  know  that,  whether  with  or 
without  reason,  we  usually  prefer  those  which  education  and  habit  recom- 
mend. The  pleasures  of  Paris  and  the  pomp  of  Versailles  are  unknown  in 
this   country."     No   doubt  of    this;    but   people,    nevertheless,   said,   and 


1ea75£?J& 


z>*-&r~ 


NEW    YORK   AFTER   THE    REVOLUTION  317 

printed  it  in  the  papers,  that  the  ton  of  New  York  ought  to  set  simpler 
habits  and  fashions  to  the  public. 

The  question  of  extravagance  and  amusements  seems  to  have  stirred 
public  feeling  very  generally  when,  in  the  fall  of  1785,  it  was  proposed  to 
revive  the  theatre  in  the  city.  The  theatre  building  of  colonial  times 
still  stood'on  John  street,  a  short  distance  east  of  Broadway,  where  before 
the  war  Lewis  Hallam,  a  popular  actor  of  the  old  American  company, 
who  afterward  was  also  its  manager,  drew  respectable  audiences.  It  was  a 
quaint  wooden  affair,  with  a  gallery  and  a  double  row  of  boxes  in  addition 
to  the  pit.  As  congress  had  recommended  the  closing  of  places  of  amuse- 
ment during  the  contest,  and  Washington  had  issued  orders  threatening 
dismissal  upon  all  officers  who  engaged  in  theatrical  entertainments, 
Hallam  and  his  troupe  went  to  the  island  of  Jamaica  and  amused  its 
inhabitants  until  the  peace  opened  the  door  for  his  return  to  America. 
His  return,  however,  was  far  from  welcomed  by  the  element  which  had 
been  harboring  anxiety  over  the  moral  health  of  New  York.  It  protested 
against  the  revival  of  the  drama,  and  succeeded 
in  giving  the  city  a  temporary  sensation.  The 
controversy  entered  the  newspapers,  and  the 
theatre  became  the  talk  of  the  town.  What  was 
said  on  both  sides  can  be  readily  imagined,  but 
of  more  special  interest  to  the  modern  reader  are 
the  glimpses  afforded  here  and  there  in  the  dis- 
cussion of  certain   phases  in  the  social  status. 

1  SLEIGH    OF    1788. 

Thus  an  appeal  against  the  revival,  published  by 

some  reformer  through  the  Packet,  is  quite  in  point :  "  Are  the  families  in 
this  city,"  he  asks,  "  of  whatever  rank,  as  rich  now  as  they  were  before  the 
war?  Are  there  not  many  who  have  advanced  a  great  part  of  their 
estates  to  their  bleeding  country  during  the  contest,  who  are  not  yet 
repaid  ?  Have  not  many  of  our  most  respectable  families,  to  maintain 
the  credit  of  our  continental  money,  which  was  then  supporting  our  army 
against  the  Britons,  received  all  their  outstanding  debts  in  that  money, 
and  thereby  become  nearly  ruined?  And  do  not  many  of  them,  besides 
their  losses,  owe  large  sums  upon  debts  they  contracted  before  the  war? 
Have  not  repairs  and  entering  anew  into  some  line  of  business  exhausted 
their  deranged  finances,  and  proved  an  exertion  almost  beyond  their 
strength?  And  are  gentlemen  in  such  a  situation  fit  to  indulge  them- 
selves, their  wives  or  children,  in  expensive  amusements  ?  Have  not 
some  hundreds  of  citizens  had  their  houses  burned  down  while  the  British 
army  lay  in  New  York?     Are  not  multitudes  obliged  to  take  up  money 


IS 


NEW  YORK  AFTER  THE  REVOLUTION 


upon  interest  to  build  a  little  hut,  or  else  pay  rent  superior  to  their  earn- 
ings? Is  there  not  a  general  complaint  of  the  unhappy  situation  of  our 
merchants,  of  the  distress  attending  our  commerce,  and  of  the  balance  of 
trade  being  heavily  against  us— heavily  in  importations  not  only  of 
necessaries,  but  also  of  articles  of  luxury,  and  scarce  anything  to  make  a 
remittance  with?  And  is  a  play-house  proper  for  a  city  in  such  a  situa- 
tion? Are  our  taxes  paid  up?  Are  not  the  wheels  of  government 
clogged  for  want  of  money?  Have  you  a  single  ship  of  war  to  guard  your 
coasts  or  even   defend  your  city  from  the  insults  of  one  armed  vessel?" 

And  in  all  this  there  is  much  to 
read  between  the  lines.  The 
theatre,  nevertheless,  was  rees- 
tablished. Of  course  there  were 
the  usual  jugglers,  mountebanks, 
wax-works,  and  harlequin  farces 
about  town  to  amuse  shilling 
sight-seers. 

In  its  exterior  appearance 
the  city  steadily  improved  upon 
the  condition  in  which  the  Brit- 
ish left  it  in  1783.  The  burned 
districts,  the  ruined  churches 
and  public  buildings,  the  dilapi- 
dated residences,  stores,  and 
docks,  and  the  wretched  streets, 
were  for  months  a  constant  eye- 
sore. By  1786  much  had  been 
done  in  the  way  of  clearing  up, 
<?-co4^  //c^c^u>r^  repairing,   and    building  ;  much 

more  by  1789.  Noah  Webster 
tells  us  that  in  1786  not  many  houses  remained  "  built  after  the  old  Dutch 
style."  The  new  houses  going  up  were  frame  or  brick  ;  or,  as  the  insurance 
statements  represent,  most  of  them  were  "  framed  buildings,  with  brick 
or  stone  fronts,  and  the  sides  rilled  in  with  brick."  Water  privileges  were 
limited.  "Most  of  the  people,"  says  Webster,  "are  supplied  everyday 
with  fresh  water  conveyed  to  their  doors  in  casks  from  a  pump  near  the 
head  of  Queen  street,  which  receives  it  from  a  pond  almost  a  mile  from 
the  city."  This  pond  was  the  "  Collect,"  long  since  rilled  in,  and  on  the 
site  of  which  now  stands  the  Tombs. 

Public   buildings   were   few.     The   City    Hall    stood   on   the  northeast 


&7/C<&?£e>7~ 


NEW   YORK   AFTER   THE    REVOLUTION  3 19 

corner  of  Wall  and  Nassau  streets,  having  been  erected  in  1700.  When 
congress  assembled  in  New  York  in  1785,  the  city  authorities  gave  up  the 
use  of  the  greater  part  of  it  to  that  body.  The  main  hall,  or  "  congress 
chamber,"  was  at  the  east  end  of  the  second  floor.  On  an  elevated  plat- 
form on  the  southern  side  stood  the  President's  chair,  lined  with  red 
damask  silk,  and  over  it  a  curious  canopy  fringed  with  silk,  with  damask 
curtains  falling  to  the  floor  and  gathered  with  silken  cords.  The  chairs  for 
the  members  were  mahogany,  richly  carved,  and  trimmed  with  red  morocco 
leather.  In  front  of  each  chair  stood  "  a  small  bureau  table."  The  walls 
were  hung  with  the  portraits  of  Washington  and  the  king  and  queen  of 
France.  The  mayor's  office  was  on  the  first  floor,  the  common  council 
chamber  at  the  west  end  of  the  second  floor.  Upon  the  adoption  of  the 
Federal  Constitution  by  the  several  states,  or  in  the  fall  of  1788,  the  "  city 
fathers  "  resolved  to  appropriate  the  entire  building  to  the  use  of  the  new 
government,  and  Major  L'Enfant,  a  French  engineer,  was  intrusted  with 
the  work  of  remodeling  it.  Thereafter  it  was  known  as  the  "  New  Federal 
Hall,"  and  passed  criticism  as  the  most  imposing  structure  in  the  country. 
It  cost  about  sixty-five  thousand  dollars. 

The  first  American  post-office  in  the  city  opened  November  28,  1783, 
at  No.  38  Smith  street,  in  the  house  formerly  occupied  by  Judge  Hors- 
manden.  William  Bedlow  was  postmaster,  being  a  deputy  under  Post- 
master-General Ebenezer  Hazard,  then  at  Philadelphia.  The  first  Amer- 
ican newspapers  were  the  New  York  Weekly  Journal,  published  by  John 
Holt,  who  returned  with  his  paper  to  the  city  in  the  fall  of  1783,  and  was 
succeeded  by  Thomas  Greenleaf;  the  semi-weekly  Packet,  published  by 
Thomas  Loudon,  January,  1784  ;  the  Daily  Advertiser,  by  Francis  Childs, 
begun  in  the  spring  of  1785.  In  January,  1788,  Noah  Webster  established 
his  monthly  American  Magazine,  devoted  to  essays  on  all  subjects,  "  par- 
ticularly such  as  relate  to  this  country." 

From  fires,  crime,  and  the  negligence  of  officials  the  city  was  only 
passably  protected.  There  were  some  fourteen  or  fifteen  old-style  fire- 
engines,  each  pumped  by  about  a  dozen  men,  while  citizens  with  buckets 
supplied  the  water  from  wells.  Watchmen  patrolled  the  streets  at  night, 
but  robberies  and  knock-downs  were  not  uncommon,  and,  in  the  absence 
also  of  good  lamps,  there  was  not  much  passing  at  late  hours.  The 
ordinary  city  force  was  inadequate  to  cope  with,  a  mob,  as  appeared  in  the 
case  of  the  "doctors'  riot,"  which  suddenly  broke  out  on  April  13,  1788, 
when  the  militia  and  citizens  alone  could  restore  quiet.  The  mob  had 
been  excited  to  violence  by  a  boy's  report  that  he  had  seen  physicians  or 
medical  students  dissecting  dead  bodies  in  the  hospital,  a  practice  which 


320  NEW  YORK  AFTER  THE  REVOLUTION 

stirred  up  a  general  revulsion.  Several  persons  were  killed  or  wounded 
during  the  riot,  among  the  latter  John  Jay,  who  with  others  endeavored 
to  quell  the  disturbance. 

Our  earliest  local  political  disputes  in  the  American  period  were  the 
immediate  outgrowth  of  the  war.  It  was  a  case  where  feelings  and  sensi- 
bilities were  keenly  touched,  and,  as  time  sooner  or  later  softens  human 
nature  in  this  regard,  the  issue  did  not  long  continue.  Plainly  stated, 
it  was  a  question  whether  the  Tories  who  remained  in  the  city  had  any 
rights  the  Whigs  were  bound  to  respect.  Chancellor  Livingston  clearly 
denned  the  parties  as  they  stood  in  January,  1784.  First,  the  Tories 
themselves,  who  "  still  hope  for  power  under  the  idea  that  the  remem- 
brance of  the  past  should  be  lost,  though  they  daily  keep  it  up  by  their 
avowed  attachment  to  Great  Britain."  Second,  the  violent  Whigs,  who 
were  for  "  expelling  all  Tories  from  the  state,  in  hopes  by  that  means  to 
preserve  the  power  in  their  own  hands."  Third,  those  who  wish  "  to  sup- 
press all  violences,  to. soften  the  rigor  of  the  laws  against  the  loyalists, 
and  not  to  banish  them  from  that  social  intercourse  which  may,  by  degrees, 
obliterate  the  remembrance  of  past  misdeeds  ;  but  who,  at  the  same  time, 
are  not  willing  to  shock  the  feelings  of  the  virtuous  citizens  that  have 
at  every  expense  and  hazard  fulfilled  their  duty  "  to  the  country  in  the 
recent  struggle.  The  more  determined  Whigs  organized  a  "  Whig 
Society,"  whose  object  was  to  urge  the  removal  of  certain  influential, 
offensive  Tories  from  the  state.  The  society's  president  was  Lewis 
Morris,  and  its  secretary  John  Pintard.  Outspoken  views,  public  meet- 
ings, and  petitions  to  the  legislature  followed,  but  the  status  of  the  Tories 
was  not  eventually  disturbed.  The  measure  which  affected  them  most 
seriously  was  the  trespass  act,  by  which  all  Whigs  who  had  been  obliged 
to  fly  from  their  homes  in  consequence  of  the  enemy's  invasion  could 
bring  an  action  of  trespass  against  those  who  may  have  entered  and  occu- 
pied their  houses  under  the  enemy's  protection.  Many  Tories  had  done 
this,  and  were  held  to  be  liable.  In  one  case,  however,  that  of  Elizabeth 
Rutgers  against  Joshua  Waddington,  a  wealthy  Tory,  a  decision  was  ren- 
dered in  favor  of  the  latter  in  the  mayor's  court,  on  the  general  ground 
that  the  state  act  was  in  violation  of  the  provisions  of  the  treaty  of  peace, 
under  which  Tories  were  protected  in  property  rights.  This  caused  great 
excitement,  especially  as  Waddington's  counsel  was  none  other  than 
Alexander  Hamilton,  who,  as  a  distinguished  officer  in  the  continental 
army,  could  be  supposed  to  have  none  but  the  most  pronounced  Whig 
sympathies.  But  with  Hamilton  the  war  was  over,  and  he  discounte- 
nanced harsh  measures  toward  those  who  would  in  time  assimilate  with  and 


NEW   YORK    AFTER   THE    REVOLUTION  32 1 

be  lost  in  the  mass  of  the  people.  This  position  he  maintained  in  some 
able  articles  contributed  by  him  to  the  press,  over  the  signature  of 
"Phocion,"  and  to  which  Isaac  Ledyard  replied  over  the  signature  of 
"  Mentor."  Hamilton's  broad,  statesmanlike  views  left  their  impression, 
though  his  professional  course  excited  the  anger  of  his  opponents. 
So  bitter  w.ere  the  feelings  of  some  of  the  more  violent  among  them,  that 
they  secretly  determined  to  challenge  him  one  by  one  to  a  duel  until  he 
fell.  When  Ledyard  heard  of  this,  he  immediately  prevented  the  execu- 
tion of  the  scheme.  This  extreme  hostility  to  the  Tories  died  out  in  the 
course  of  a  year  or  two,  and  soon  disappeared  in  the  greater  question  of 
the  national  Constitution  which  was  beginning  to  engage  public  attention. 
State  issues  or  politics  were  yet  to  become  prominent.  The  war 
governor  Clinton  had  held  office  for  eight  years,  and  opposition  interests 
were  bound  to  show  their  strength  in  time.  The  first  attempt  was  quietly 
made  in  1785,  when  General  Schuyler  sounded  John  Jay  as  to  his  willing- 
ness to  run  against  Clinton  for  the  governorship  at  the  next  election. 
The  general  charged  that  Clinton  was  striving  to  maintain  his  popularity 
"  at  the  expense  of  good  government,"  and  that  reform  demanded  a 
change  in  the  office.  "But  who,"  he  asks,  "is  to  be  the  person?  It  is 
agreed  that  none  have  a  chance  of  succeeding  but  you,  the  chancellor,  or 
myself.  The  second,  on  account  of  the  prejudices  against  his  family 
name,  it  is-believed,  would  fail.  ...  I  am  so  little  known  in  the  south- 
ern part  of  the  state  that  I  should  fail  there."  Jay  was  accordingly  the 
only  available  candidate,  and  Schuyler  believed  he  would  secure  the  elec- 
tion by  "  a  great  majority."  But  Jay  declined.  That  he  was  then  the 
most  distinguished  citizen  in  New  York  would  have  been  conceded.  The 
many  services  he  had  rendered  the  state  as  a  member  of  conventions  and 
committees;  in  the  wider  sphere  of  the  continental  congress,  of  which  he 
was  once  "president  ;  his  diplomatic  labors  abroad  as  minister  to  Spain  and 
as  one  of  the  commissioners  to  conclude  the  treaty  of  peace  in  1783;  his 
present  position  as  the  secretary  for  foreign  affairs  of  congress — all  com- 
bined to  put  the  state  under  a  special  obligation  to  him  as  a  public 
character.  At  this  juncture,  however,  he  stood  aloof  from  local  or  state 
controversies,  and  thereby  rendered  another  service  in  not  precipitating  a 
party  issue  which  would  have  worked  unfavorably  upon  the  constitutional 
problem  of  the  near  future.  "  If  the  circumstances  of  the  state  were 
pressing,"  he  replied  to  Schuyler,  "  if  real  disgust  and  discontent  had 
spread  through  the  country,  if  a  change  had  in  the  general  opinion 
become  not  only  advisable  but  necessary,  and  the  good  expected  from 
that  change  depended  on  me,  then   my  present  objections  would  imme- 

VOL.  XXIX.-NO.    4.-21 


NEW    YORK   AFTER   THE    REVOLUTION 


diately  yield."  He  was  not  impressed  with  the  necessity  in  the  case,. 
and  furthermore  felt  that  it  was  his  duty  to  continue  in  the  service  of 
congress  at  that  time.     At  a  later  date  the  governorship  will  be  his. 

In  the  larger  field  of  national  politics  or  of  national  reorganization, 
the  city  played  a  conspicuous  part  and  exercised  a  decisive  influence.  It 
will  ever  be  to  her  honor  that  in  the  emergency  through  which  our  Federal 
Constitution  passed  at  its  adoption,  New  York  kept  the  state  true  to  its 
best  interests  by  powerfully  assisting  in  bringing  its  unwilling  convention 

to  ratify  that  instrument  and    insure  the 
formation  of  our  "  more  perfect  "  union. 

The  issue  in  New  York,  at  its  culmina- 
tion in  1788,  took  a  sectional  turn.  The 
city  and  its  environs  favored  concentration 
of  authority  in  a  strong  national  govern- 
ment ;  the  state  at  large  preferred  the  con- 
federation, with  such  amendments  or  revis- 
ion as  immediate  exigencies  demanded. 
In  the  contest  for  the  new  Constitution 
as  finally  presented,  the  city  triumphed 
by  converting  the  state  ;  she  triumphed 
through  the  wise  and  well-directed  action 
of  her  merchants,  through  the  superior 
ability,  persistence,  and  unremitting  zeal 
of  her  delegates,  and  through  the  moral 
support  of  both  on  the  part  of  a  large  ma- 
jority of  her  citizens.  One  of  the  toasts 
offered  at  the  first  public  dinner  in  the 
city  after  the  war — that  given  by  Gover- 
nor Clinton  on  Evacuation  day — seemed 
to  serve  as  the  key-note  of  local  sentiment 
through  the  following  years:  "May  a 
close  Union  of  the  states  guard  the  temple  they  have  erected  to  Liberty." 
The  history  of  the  national  movement  in  this  state  may  be  traced  to 
the  action  of  the  legislature  on  July  21,  1782,  when,  in  response  to  a  reso- 
lution of  congress  of  May  22  preceding,  it  gave  expression  to  certain 
decided  views  and  convictions  on  "  the  state  of  the  nation."  It  resolved 
that  the  general  situation  respecting  foreign  and  financial  matters  was  "  in 
a  peculiar  manner  "  critical,  threatening  the  subversion  of  public  credit 
and  exposing  the  common  cause  to  "a  precarious  issue."  It  resolved 
further   that  "  the  radical  source  of  most  of  our   embarrassments  is   the 


NEW    YORK   AFTER   THE    REVOLUTION 


323 


want  of  sufficient  power  in  congress  to  effectuate  that  ready  and  perfect 
cooperation  of  the  different  states,  on  which  their  immediate  safety  and 
future  happiness  depend  ;  "  and  it  proposed  to  congress  "to  recommend, 
and  to  each  state  to  adopt  the  measure  of  assembling  a  general  conven- 
tion of  the  states,  specially  authorized  to  revise  and  amend  the  Con- 
federation,'reserving  a  right  to  the  respective  legislatures  to  ratify  their 
determinations."  Congress  postponed  action  upon  this  recommendation, 
which  operated  unfortunately  in  New  York;  for  during  the  next  five  years 
delegations  and  opinions  underwent  a  change  throughout  the  state,  and 
it  was  only  by  the  most  strenuous  efforts  that  it  was  kept  true  to  its  first 
professions.  Those  were  the  gloomy,  distracting  years  after  the  war, 
when  the  weakness  of  the  Confederation  made  it  impossible  to  regulate 
trade  and  commerce,  and  its  defects  opened  up  the  question  of  the  recon- 
struction of  the  Union  under  circumstances  which  made  it  difficult  to 
discuss  it  dispassionately.  The  situation  was  not  an  unnatural  one.  It 
was  a  transitional  period.  The  states  had 
been  living  together  for  seven  years  on  a 
war  basis ;  peace,  with  its  new  require- 
ments, now  called  for  a  readjustment  of 
the  supports,  and  this  could  not  be  done 
without  a  disturbing  effort.  In  New  York 
a  variety  of  influences  combined  to  com- 
plicate the  difficulties  in  the  case.  A 
strong  state  pride  developed  as  the  ques- 
tion of  surrendering  further  powers  to  the 
Union  was  agitated  ;  jealousy  and  fear  of 
such  a  Union  increased  ;  persons  and  par- 
ties in  power  held  tenaciously  to  the  sov- 
ereignty which  they  were  enjoying  in  a 
practically    independent    state;     and    the 

state's  legislation  looked  toward  autonomy.  All  this  was  more  or  less 
true  of  every  state.  In  New  York  it  was  marked.  Not  that  any  such 
thing  as  a  disunion  sentiment  found  expression  ;  but,  in  the  absence  of 
a  binding  national  tie,  local  predilections  governed. 

For  this  state  of  feeling  the  governor,  George  Clinton,  and  his  large 
body  of  friends  and  supporters  were  mainly  responsible.  The  governor 
himself  was  a  strong  character.  A  partisan  in  one  sense,  he  was  emi- 
nently public  spirited  in  another.  He  was  loyal  to  the  Union  and  the 
Confederation,  but  his  hopes  and  his  pride  centred  on  his  state.  To 
make  that  great  and  prosperous  was  his  first  ambition  ;  and  his  policy  and 


COLONEL    LAMBS    MANSION. 


5-4  NEW  YORK  AFTER  THE  REVOLUTION 

wishes  were  reflected  in  the  proceedings  of  the  state  legislature.  By  the 
year  1788  New  York  was  exercising  all  but  national  sovereignty.  She 
had  a  well-organized  militia  ;  she  appointed  boundary  commissions  ;  she 
issued  a  paper  currency  ;  she  levied  duties ;  she  maintained  custom- 
houses. Under  the  act  of  November  18,  1784,  one  custom-house  was 
established  at  the  port  of  New  York,  and  another  at  Sag  Harbor  on  Long 
Island.  Collectors,  surveyors,  gaugers,  weighers,  and  tide-waiters  were 
appointed.  The  first  collector  for  New  York  was  Colonel  John  Lamb, 
who  commanded  the  first  regiment  of  continental  artillery  during  the 
war;  and  the  surveyor  was  Colonel  John  Lasher,  of  one  of  the  early 
city  regiments  of  levies.  Under  the  impost  act  of  the  same  date,  many 
articles  were  made  dutiable.  Sixpence  duty  was  levied  on  every  gallon 
of  Madeira  wine  brought  into  the  state,  and  threepence  on  other  wines  ; 
twopence  on  every  gallon  of  rum,  brandy,  or  other  spirits,  if  imported 
in  vessels  owned  by  citizens  of  any  of  the  United  States,  but  a  double 
duty  for  vessels  with  British  registers.  There  were  duties  on  carriages, 
chariots,  sulkies,  gold  and  silver  watches,  scythes,  saddles,  hollow  iron- 
ware, women's  leather  or  stuff  shoes,  starch,  hair-powder,  cocoa,  teas, 
coals,  bricks,  wools,  furs,  and  similar  importations. 

But  this  system  had  serious  defects — defects  that  were  the  most  sensi- 
bly felt  by  the  commercial  element  throughout  the  country.  A  prosper- 
ous trade  was  wanting.  There  was  no  power  to  regulate  it.  Congress 
might  propose  treaties  of  commerce  with  foreign  powers,  but  lacked  abil- 
ity to  enforce  them.  No  uniform  system  of  duties  could  be  imposed 
when  each  state  was  devising  a  tariff  of  its  own.  New  York  might  draw 
up  an  elaborate  schedule,  but  this  did  not  establish  the  New  York  mer- 
chant's credit  in  London  ;  it  failed  to  open  the  West  India  ports  to  his 
vessels.  The  one  remedy  in  the  case  was  to  confer  the  necessary  powers 
upon  congress — "  let  congress,  and  congress  alone,  regulate  foreign  trade 
and  commerce." 

It  is  here  that  New  York  city  followed  the  course  that  reflects  so 
creditably  upon  her.  As  between  the  policy  which  the  state  as  such  was 
pursuing,  and  the  policy  which  the  general  government  should  be  em- 
powered to  pursue,  she  set  herself  in  line  with  the  latter.  Her  merchants 
and  her  distinguished  lawyers  and  statesmen  were  the  salvation  of  both 
city  and  state.  The  merchants  agitated  trade  requirements.  There  was 
an  abundance,  indeed  a  surplus,  of  foreign  goods  in  town  during  those 
early  years  from  1784  to  1787;  but  they  were  largely  the  importation  or 
consignments  of  British  merchants  of  ample  means,  who  could  wait  for  a 
market.     The  American   Whig  merchant,  entering  mercantile  life  anew, 


NEW   YORK   AFTER   THE    REVOLUTION  325 

found  himself  at  a  disadvantage,  and  he  saw  little  relief  under  the  exist- 
ing system.  The  merchants  in  Boston,  Philadelphia,  Baltimore,  and 
Charleston  were  in  the  same  predicament,  and  all  expressed  themselves 
alike.  By  the  spring  of  1785  the  situation  had  become  all  but  unen- 
durable. On  March  7  a  memorial  was  published,  to  be  signed  by  resi- 
dents of  New  York,  praying  the  legislature  to  pass  the  impost  act  of 
congress  and  to  recommend  the  regulation  of  commerce  by  that  body. 
Under  the  former  act,  which  had  been  hanging  fire  since  its  passage  in 
April,  1783,  congress  would  have  been  able  to  pay  the  interest  on  the 
public  debt.  New  York  alone  of  all  the  states  refused  to  approve  it. 
Sentiment  in  the  city  favored  the  measure.  On  March  14  the  Chamber 
of  Commerce  came  forward  with  another  and  a  more  formal  petition  to  the 
legislature,  signed  by  its  president  John  Alsop,  calling  attention  to  the 
failure  of  the  individual  states  to  regulate  trade  for  the  common  benefit. 
They  could  not  possibly  so  regulate  it,  because,  in  the  words  of  the 
petition  or  memorial,  "  1st,  not  being  enabled  to  form  treaties,  trade  cannot 
in  their  hands  be  made  the  basis  of  commercial  compacts  ;  2d,  because  no 
regular  system  can  be  adopted  by  thirteen  different  legislatures  pursuing 
different  objects,  and  seeing  the  same  object  in  different  lights  ;  and  3d, 
because  if  it  even  were  to  be  presumed  that  they  would  at  all  times  and 
in  every  circumstance  sacrifice  partial  interests  to  the  general  good,  yet 
the  want  of  harmony  in  their  measures  and  a  common  force,  would  forever 
defeat  their  best  intentions."  In  consequence  of  this  loose  system,  the  mer- 
chants observed  with  concern  that  trade,  "  the  great  spring  of  agriculture 
and  manufactures,"  was  languishing  "  under  fatal  obstructions  "  and  daily 
on  the  decline.  The  legislature  made  no  recommendations  on  these 
petitions;  but  public  opinion  continued  to  assert  itself.  In  the  following 
May,  Boston  voted,  in  town  meeting,  that,  as  peace  had  not  brought 
plenty,  and  foreign  merchants  were  monopolizing  commerce  by  crushing 
out  the  American  carrying-trade,  congress  should  be  invested  with  power 
competent  to  the  wants  of  the  country.  In  Philadelphia  a  committee  of 
thirteen  merchants  was  appointed  to  stir  up  the  state  authorities  to  the 
same  end.  The  Boston  people  went  further,  as  in  early  war  days,  and 
invited  the  cooperation  of  the  New  York  merchants ;  whereupon  the 
Chamber  of  Commerce  and  "  many  other  citizens,"  following  up  their 
March  memorials,  called  a  meeting  of  merchants  and  "  other  inhabitants" 
at  the  Exchange,  June  15,  at  which  Alderman  John  Broome  presided. 
Their  former  sentiments  and  views  were  reiterated  in  a  body  of  resolu- 
tions, and  a  committee  was  appointed  to  correspond  with  the  several 
counties  in  the  state   and  with   committees  in   other   states,  in  the  hope 


326  NEW    YORK    AFTER    THE   REVOLUTION 

that  "  a  free  and  reciprocal  communication  of  opinions"  would  rouse  the 
country  to  action.  The  committee  was  composed  of  the  most  prominent 
merchants  in  the  city.  To  the  committees  in  other  states  it  was  proposed 
that  they  should  severally  take  measures  to  induce  their  respective  legis- 
latures to  confer  the  necessary  powers  on  congress,  "Our  union,"  said 
the  New  York  committee,  "  is  the  basis  of  our  grandeur  and  our  power." 
To  the  counties  of  the  state  the  committee  represented  that  if  commerce 
languished,  agriculture  would  feel  a  corresponding  effect.  "  By  the  union 
of  the  farmer,  the  merchant,  and  mechanic,"  they  wrote,  "we  have,  in  the 
most  dangerous  crisis,  been  able  to  withstand  the  open  force  of  our 
enemies  ;  and,  if  this  spirit  still  actuates  us,  we  shall  soon  convince  them 
that  their  insidious  politics  in  peace  are  of  as  little  effect."  The  farmer 
was  accordingly  urged  to  send  assemblymen  with  federal  views  to  the 
next  legislature. 

What  effect  these  appeals  produced  at  large  it  would  be  difficult  to 
determine,  but  they  kept  the  subject  uppermost  in  popular  discussions 
and  clearly  strengthened  sentiment  in  New  York.  The  papers  of  the  city, 
notably  the  Packet  and  the  Journal,  published  the  effusions  of  correspond- 
ents at  intervals,  which  indicated  the  interest  felt.  "What  is  to  be  done?" 
inoxuires  "  Consideration  "  in  March,  1785;  and  answers,  "  All  the  states 
must  give  congress  ample  powers  to  regulate  trade,  .  .  .  likewise  all 
other  powers  necessary  for  an  active  and  firm  continental  government." 
But  "  Rough  Hewer,  Jr.,"  who  was  known  to  be  Abraham  Yates,  a  pithy 
writer  on  the  other  side,  declared  that  history  had  established  the  fact 
that  republicanism  can  flourish  in  small  states  only,  and  expressed  a  dread 
of  "  a  mighty  continental  legislature,"  which  in  time  would  merge  and 
swallow7  up  the  rights  of  the  states.  "  Unitas "  called  for  assemblymen 
who  could  discern  with  precision  "  in  what  particular  a  local  must  give  way 
to  a  more  general  advantage,"  and  could  appreciate  the  benefits  of  a  gen- 
eral union.  "  The  chain,"  he  exclaims,  "  should  be  of  adamant,  indissoluble, 
eternal!  Should  this  chain  ever  be  broken,  good  God  !  what  scenes  of 
death  and  misery  lurk  under  the  dreadful  event."  "  Sydney,"  on  the 
other  hand,  saw  nothing  but  despotism  and  an  oligarchy  in  a  congress 
which  could  control  a  revenue  exacted  from  the  states  by  its  own  agents  : 
"  If  you  put  the  sword  and  the  purse  into  the  hands  of  the  supreme 
power,  be  the  constitution  of  that  power  what  it  may,  you  render  it 
absolute.  Congress  already  have  the  sword  vested  in  them;  the  single 
power  wanting  to  make  them  absolute  is  that  of  levying  money  them- 
selves. When  this  is  compassed,  adieu  to  liberty!"  Such  contributions 
to  the  press,  however,  appeared   too   infrequently  to  enable  us  to  judge 


NEW    YORK   AFTER   THE    REVOLUTION  327 

•of  the  strength  of  parties  at  this  date.  The  discussion  went  on  in  the 
coffee-houses  and  clubs,  and  two  years  later  the  fruits  will  be  seen  in  test 
elections. 

In  the  following  year  (1786)  the  situation  improved  so  far  as  agitation 
led  to  action.  Virginia  came  forward  with  her  proposition  for  a  conven- 
tion at  Annapolis,  Maryland,  "to  consider  how  far  a  uniform  system  in 
their  commercial  regulations  may  be  necessary  to  the  common  interest 
and  permanent  harmony  "  of  the  states.  The  convention  met  on  Septem- 
ber 11,  with  commissioners  present  from  but  five  states — Virginia,  Dela- 
ware, Pennsylvania,  New  Jersey,  and  New  York.  Their  action  resulted  in 
the  assemblage  of  the  famous  constitutional  convention  at  Philadelphia 
in  the  following  year.  In  each  of  these  bodies  New  York  city  found  its 
representation  in  the  person  of  Alexander  Hamilton  ;  or,  while  being  a 
representative  of  the  state,  he  more  nearly  reflected  the  sentiment  of  the 
city,  which  was  largely  coincident  with,  and  influenced  by,  his  own.  The 
possibilities  that  lay  in  the  Virginia  call  immediately  absorbed  his  atten- 
tion. His  own  proposition  for  a  convention,  broached  as  early  as  1780, 
was  a  sufficient  assurance  that  all  his  sympathies  would  be  aroused  by  any 
movement  that  might  be  utilized  for  national  ends;  and  the  present 
opportunity  was  not  to  be  lost.  The  Annapolis  proposition  came  in 
January,  1786.  Hamilton  then  determined  to  make  one  more  effort  to 
induce  the  state  to  accede  to  the  impost  act  of  congress,  which  would  be 
an  entering  wedge  toward  granting  general  powers  to  the  government  ;  or 
failing  in  this  he  hoped  to  secure  the  appointment  of  commissioners  to  the 
Annapolis  convention.  One  of  his  intimate  friends  was  Colonel  Robert 
Troup,  formerly  aid  to  General  Gates,  at  this  date  a  rising  lawyer  in  the 
city,  and  later  judge  of  the  United  States  district  court  of  New  York.  He 
seconded  Hamilton's  efforts.  "  In  pursuance  of  the  latter's  plan,"  says 
Troup  at  a  subsequent  date,  "  the  late  Mr.  Duer,  the  late  Colonel  Malcolm, 
and  myself  were  sent  to  the  state  legislature  as  part  of  the  city  delega- 
tion, and  we  were  to  make  every  possible  effort  to  accomplish  Hamilton's 
objects.  Duer  was  a  man  of  commanding  eloquence.  We  went  to  the 
legislature  and  pressed  totis  viribus  the  grant  of  the  impost  agreeably  to 
the  requisition  of  congress.  We  failed  in  obtaining  it.  The  resolutions 
of  Virginia  were  communicated  by  Governor  Clinton  the  14th  of  March. 
We  went  all  our  strength  in  the  appointment  of  commissioners  to  attend 
the  commercial  convention,  in  which  we  were  successful.  The  commis- 
sioners were  instructed  to  report  their  proceedings  to  the  next  legislature. 
Hamilton  was  appointed  one  of  them.  Thus  it  was  that  he  was  the 
principal  instrument  to  turn  this  state  to  a  course  of  policy  that  saved  our 


328  NEW    YORK   AFTER   THE   REVOLUTION 

Country  from  incalculable  mischiefs,  if  not  from  total  ruin."1  The  other 
commissioner  was  Egbert  Benson,  then  attorney-general  of  the  state,  who 
was  in  perfect  sympathy  with  the  objects  of  the  proposed  convention,  and 
who  turned  his  business  before  the  supreme  court  at  Albany  over  to  a 
friend,  to  hurry  on  with   Hamilton  to  Annapolis. 

The  outcome  of  the  brief  convention  at  Annapolis  was  an  urgent 
recommendation  for  the  meeting  of  a  more  representative  body  at  Phila- 
delphia in  the  following  spring.  Hamilton,  as  Benson  tells  us,  was  the 
author  of  the  address  to  this  effect  sent  to  congress  and  the  individual 
states.  The  work  of  the  Philadelphia  convention  is  a  matter  of  history. 
The  delegates  to  that  body  from  New  York  state  were  Judge  Robert 
Yates,  John  Lansing,  Jr.,  and  again  Hamilton.  By  the  withdrawal  of  the 
two  former  from  the  convention,  on  the  ground  that  it  was  proposed  to 
formulate  a  new  constitution  instead  of  revising  the  existing  one,  Hamilton 
remained  alone  as  the  state's  representative.  The  measure  of  his  influence 
in  the  convention  may  be  seen  in  the  national  character  of  the  Constitution. 

There  yet  remained  the  problem  of  the  adoption  of  the  new  instrument 
by  the  states  ;  and  here,  so  far  as  New  York  is  concerned,  the  value  of 
the  labors  of  distinguished  men  of  the  city  appears  to  highest  advantage. 
The  struggle  for  the  Constitution  in  the  state  convention  was  not  less 
earnest  and  critical  than  the  effort  at  its  framing.  Whatever  the  situation 
might  have  been  elsewhere,  it  was  well  known  that  in  New  York  ratifica- 
tion could  not  be  secured  without  a  close  and  determined  contest.  "  True 
it  is,"  wrote  Gouverneur  Morris  to  Jay,  October  30,  1786,  "that  this  city 
and  its  neighborhood  are  enthusiastic  in  the  [federal]  cause,  but  I  dread 
the  cold  and  sour  temper  of  the  back  counties."  This  sour  temper  was 
in  reality  the  Clintonian  disposition  to  resist  centralization  in  the  general 
government.  There  still  survived  what  Morris  called  the  old  "  colonial 
oppositions  of  opinion,"  the  strong,  inherited  local  feeling,  which  it  was 
necessary  to  overcome  ;  and  the  men  of  the  new  order  of  things  set  to 
work  to  overcome  it.  The  first  work  in  hand  was  to  parry  the  adverse 
criticisms  upon  the  proposed  constitution,  which  appeared  soon  after 
the  adjournment  of  the  Philadelphia  convention.  The  anti-federalist 
Journal  for  a  while  abounded  with  them,  over  the  signatures  of  "  Cato," 
"  Brutus,"  "  Old  Whig,"  "  Centinel,"  "  Cincinnatus,"  and  the  like.  A 
"  Son  of  Liberty,"  writing  from  Orange  county,  denounced  the  Phila- 
delphia outcome  as  "  a  preposterous  and  new-fangled  system."  Some  saw 
in  it  the  loss  of  state  independence,  others  the  ascendency  and  control  of 

1  John  C.  Hamilton's  Life  of  Hamilton. 


NEW   YORK   AFTER   THE    REVOLUTION  329 

a  government  class,  others  a  menace  to  privileges  and  personal  liberty  in 
the  absence  of  a  bill  of  rights. 

It  was  at  this  juncture  that  Hamilton  and  his  associates  appeared  in 
the  field  with  their  great  defense  and  exposition  of  the  Constitution  in  the 
Federalist  papers.  It  is  to  the  local  controversy  in  the  city  and  state 
that  we  owe  that  lucid  and  authoritative  commentary  on  our  fundamental 
law.  Of  the  eighty-five  numbers  of  the  work  that  were  published,  all  of 
them  over  the  signature  "  Publius,"  Hamilton  wrote  sixty-three,  Jay  five, 
Madison  (then  a  member  of  congress  in  New  York)  thirteen,  and  three 
were  the  joint  production  of  Hamilton  and  Madison.  The  first  number 
was  printed  in  the  Independent  Journal,  or  Weekly  Advertiser,  on  October 
27,  1787,  and  thereafter  the  articles  appeared,  sometimes  two  in  the  same 
issue,  in  the  Packet  and  other  papers,  continuing  through  the  summer  of 
1788. 

The  New  York  state  convention  had  been  called  to  meet  at  Pough- 
keepsie  on  June  17,  1788.  Delegates  were  nominated  in  the  counties 
early  in  April,  and  representative  men  were  put  forward.  All  felt  the 
importance  of  the  discussion  and  the  decision.  It  was  at  abou-t  this 
time  that  John  Jay  reinforced  the  Federalist  papers  with  An  Address  to 
the  People  of  the  State  of  New  York,  which  he  issued  anonymously  in 
pamphlet  form.  It  had  its  effect  in  strengthening  federal  views,  and, 
according  to  a  contemporary  letter,  would  doubtless  have  converted  many 
an  honest  anti-federalist  in  the  upper  counties  had  it  appeared  earlier. 
"  The  proposed  government  is  to  be  the  government  of  the  people,"  he 
wrote  ;  and  in  1793  he  reiterated  this  sentiment  as  chief  justice  of  the 
United  States,  in  his  opinion  on  the  suability  of  the  state  :  "  The  people, 
in  their  collective  and  national  capacity,  established  the  present  Constitu- 
tion." Two  sets  of  delegates  for  the  state  convention  were  nominated 
for  the  city  and  county  of  New  York.  Jay  and  Hamilton  appeared  on 
both  tickets. 

The  Federalist  ticket  was  elected  with  a  clean  sweep.  Jay  received 
the  highest  number  of  votes,  or  only  one  hundred  and  one  less  than 
the  total  cast — two  thousand  seven  hundred  and  thirty-five  out  of  two 
thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty-six.  Hamilton,  Morris,  Hobart,  and 
Livingston  were  less  than  thirty  votes  behind.  The  highest  anti-federal 
vote  was  but  one  hundred  and  thirty-four.  But  the  upper  counties  were 
overwhelmingly  anti-federalist  ;  and  when  the  convention  met,  their 
majority  out  of  fifty-seven  members  was  found  to  range  from  twenty-five 
to  thirty.  When  the  convention  adjourned,  July  26,  after  deliberating 
forty  days,  this  majority  had  been  reduced  to  a  minority.     The  conven- 


350  NEW    YORK   AFTER   THE    REVOLUTION 

tion  adopted  the  Constitution  by  a  majority  of  three  votes — a  result  due 
almost  wholly  to  the  abilities,  character,  personal  force,  and  effective  appeal 
of  the  delegates  from  New  York  city.  Hamilton,  Jay,  and  Livingston 
bore  the  honors  of  the  debate.  In  dealing  with  this  whole  question  of  a 
stronger  government,  from  the  Annapolis  to  the  Poughkeepsie  convention, 
Hamilton's  services  were  the  most  conspicuous. 

Although  the  Poughkeepsie  convention  had  adopted  the  Constitution 
in  a  certain  sense  provisionally,  and  called  for  its  amendment  by  a  new 
national  convention,  the  final  ratification  was  binding,  and  the  state 
joined  the  circle  as  the  "  eleventh  pillar"  of  the  Union.  This  result  was 
in  itself  a  triumph  for  the  federalists,  and  when  the  news  reached  the  city, 
on  Saturday  evening,  July  26,  great  was  the  rejoicing.  Men  cheered, 
bells  were  rung,  and  impromptu  processions  were  formed  which  marched 
to  the  houses  of  the  several  delegates  to  cheer  again.  When  the  dele- 
gates themselves  returned  to  town,  they  were  personally  complimented  in 
the  same  way,  with  the  addition  of  a  salute  of  eleven  guns  for  each  mem- 
ber. "  In  short,"  says  the  Packet,  "  a  general  joy  ran  through  the  whole 
city,  and  several  of  those  who  were  of  different  sentiments  drank  freely  of 
the  Federal  Bowl  and  declared  that  they  were  now  perfectly  reconciled  to 
the  new  Constitution."  The  result  was  received  in  Philadelphia  with  "  a 
glorious  peal  from  Christ  church  bells." 

A  feature  and  expression  of  the  intense  interest  felt  throughout  the 
country  in  the  fate  of  the  Constitution  were  the  popular  federal  proces- 
sions held  at  different  places,  notably  Philadelphia,  Boston,  Charleston, 
and  New  York.  The  New  York  procession  was  the  last  and  grandest.  It 
was  held  July  23,  in  honor  of  the  adoption  of  the  Constitution  by  ten 
States,  and  exceeded  all  previous  demonstrations  in  the  country.  There 
were  over  six  thousand  men  in  the  line,  representing  all  degrees,  profes- 
sions, trades,  and  interests.  Each  one  of  the  ten  divisions  included  repre- 
sentations, flags,  designs,  and  emblems  of  commerce  and  labor.  There 
were  foresters,  plowmen,  farmers,  gardeners,  millers,  bakers,  brewers,  dis- 
tillers ;  coopers,  butchers,  tanners,  cordwainers  ;  carpenters,  farriers, 
perukte-makers  and  hair-dressers  ;  whitesmiths,  blacksmiths,  cutlers,  masons, 
bricklayers,  painters,  glaziers,  cabinet-makers,  upholsterers,  civil  engineers; 
shipwrights,  joiners,  boat-builders,  sailmakers,  riggers;  printers,  binders, 
cartmen,  coachmakers,  pewterers,  goldsmiths  and  silversmiths,  tobacco- 
nists, chocolate-makers;  saddlers,  harness-makers,  founders;  lawyers, 
physicians,  professors,  students,  societies,  the  Cincinnati,  merchants,  and 
clergymen.  Near  the  centre  of  the  procession  the  full-rigged  man-of-war 
or  "  federal   ship  "   Hamilton,   carrying    thirty-two   guns,  with  a   crew  of 


NEW    YORK   AFTER   THE    REVOLUTION 


331 


thirty  men,  complete  in  all  its  appointments,  and  drawn  by  twelve  horses, 
attracted  a  continuous  gaze  of  admiration  from  the.  throngs  along  the 
streets.  Commodore  Nicholson  commanded.  The  costumes,  dress,  imple- 
ments, and  general  paraphernalia  of  the  exhibitors  and  participants  made 
the  whole  immensely  pleasing  and  imposing.  The  entire  day  was  given 
up  to  the  festivities  ;  for,  after  the  parade  had  passed  from  the  common 
down  Broadway  and  around  through  the  streets  on  the  east  side,  it  moved 
out  into  the  Bowery  to  Bayard's  grounds,   where  a  temporary  building, 


PROCESSION    IN    HONOR    OF   THE    FEDERAL    CONSTITUTION. 


consisting  of  three  grand  pavilions,  had  been  erected  for  a  civic  and 
popular  feast.  Tables  were  set  for  five  thousand  persons.  We  are  told, 
in  the  carefully  prepared  account  of  the  procession  published  later,  that, 
*'  as  this  splendid,  novel,  and  interesting  exhibition  moved  along,  an  unex- 
pected silence  reigned  throughout  the  city,  which  gave  a  solemnity  to  the 
whole  transaction  suited  to  the  singular  importance  of  the  cause.  No 
noise  was  heard  but  the  deep  rumbling  of  carriage-wheels,  with  the  neces- 
sary salutes  and  signals.  A  glad  serenity  enlivened  every  countenance, 
while  the  joyous  expectation  of  national  prosperity  triumphed  in  every 
bosom." 


SETTLEMENTS    WEST    OF    THE    ALLEGHANYS    PRIOR 

TO    1776 

By  G.  C.  Broadhead 

At  a  meeting  of  the  American  Historical  Society  in  Washington 
December  31,  1889,  a  statement  is  reported  to  have  been  made  that  there 
were  no  white  settlements  west  of  the  Alleghanys  when  the  Revolutionary 
war  began.  And  Theodore  Roosevelt,  in  Winning  of  the  West,  makes 
the  statement,  that  "  when  the  fight  at  Lexington  took  place  they  [the 
Americans]  had  no  settlements  beyond  the  mountain  chain  on  our  western 
border.  It  took  them  a  century  and  a  half  to  spread  from  the  Atlantic  to 
the  Alleghanys.  In  the  next  three-fourths  of  a  century  they  had  spread 
from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific." 

We  find  that  in  1673  certain  priests  established  a  mission  at  San 
Antonio,  Texas  1 — now  a  very  important  town — and  not  long  after  they 
erected  the  Alamo,  within  which  was  enacted  that  sad  tragedy  in  1837, 
when  Crockett,  Travis,  Bowie,  and  other  heroes  consecrated  the  soil  with 
their  hearts'  blood,  soon  destined  to  germinate  and  mature  as  the  Lone 
Star  Republic.  In  1640  Santa  Fe  was  the  capital  of  New  Mexico.  In 
1668  the  mission  of  St.  Mary's  on  Lake  Superior  was  founded.2  In  1673 
Marquette  was  on  the  headwaters  of  the  Mississippi  and  visited  the 
Arkansas.  In  1680  La  Salle  built  Fort  Crevecceur  on  the  Illinois  river,  near 
the  site  of  the  present  town  of  Peoria.  After  journeying  back  and  forth 
to  and  from  Canada,  in  1682  he  discovered  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi. 
In  1684  La  Salle  with  four  vessels  sailed  from  France  for  America.  After 
experiencing  much  disaster  in  seeking  to  enter  the  mouth  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, he  finally  landed  in  Matagorda  bay,  Texas,  early  in  1685.  Here  a 
fort  was  built.  Of  the  original  two  hundred  and  eighty-five  men  only 
one  hundred  and  fifty  remained.  Seeds  were  planted  but  few  sprouted. 
Some  of  the  men  deserted.  Reverses  were  met  with  which,  on  March  17, 
1687,  culminated  in  the  murder  of  La  Salle  by  one  of  his  own  men  while 
en  route  to  seek  aid  from  a  station  on  the  Mississippi.3  In  1683  Father 
Gravier  founded  Kaskaskia,  and  about  1693  began  a  mission  among  the 
Illinois,  and  soon  after  another  mission  was  started  at  Cahokia.4 

1  Encyclopedia  Britannica.  2  Western  Annals. 

"  Switzler's  History;  also   Western  Annals.  4  Western  Annals. 


SETTLEMENTS   WEST   OF  THE  ALLEGHANYS   PRIOR   TO    1 776  333 

Between  1695  and  1702  several  attempts  were  made  by  the  French  to 
open  copper  mines  near  the  upper  Mississippi,  but  they  were  kept  off  by 
the  warlike  attitude  of  the  Indians.1  In  1701  the  French  explored  the 
Missouri  to  the  mouth  of  the  Kansas.  Between  1700  and  1710  D'lbber- 
ville  built  several  temporary  forts  on  the  lower  Mississippi  and  in  the 
direction  of  Mobile  bay.  De  la  Motte  de  Cadillac  in  1701  laid  the  founda- 
tion for  forts  at  Detroit;  and  the  first  land  grants  at  Detroit  were  made 
in  1707.  Between  the  years  1700  and  1 7 16,  St.  Denis  explored  the  coun- 
try towards  the  head  of  the  Red,  the  Washita,  and  the  Rio  Grande  below 
El  Paso,  and  in  1703  he  began  a  settlement  on  the  Washita,  keeping  his 
headquarters  at  Natchitoches.2  In  17 19  La  Harpe  built  a  fort  on  Red 
river.3  Spain  disputed  with  France  the  right  to  the  coast  from  Pensacola 
to  the  Rio  Grande.  In  1714  the  French  built  Fort  Rosalie,  within  the 
territory  of  the  Natchez  Indians,  and  afterwards  proceeded  to  treat  the 
Indians  with  increasing  contempt,  until  they  even  went  so  far  as  to 
demand  that  the  natives  should  abandon  their  chief  town.  The  wrongs 
of  their  injured  brethren  coming  to  the  .ears  of  the  Cherokees,  they  coun- 
selled revenge,  and  on  November  28,  1729,  every  Frenchman  in  that  colony 
was  slaughtered  excepting  two,  and  the  women  and  children.  Two 
months  later  the  French  and  Choctaws  retaliated,  and  in  two  years*  time 
scarcely  a  soul  was  left  of  the  ill-fated  Natchez. 

Without  dwelling  on  the  continued  warfare  for  ten  years  between  the 
French  and  Chickasaws,  we  proceed  to  the  detail  of  other  settlements. 
French  explorers  journeyed  westward  into  the  country  of  the  Osages,  the 
Pawnees,  and  the  Missouri  Indians.4  These  efforts  at  possession  aroused 
the  jealousy  of  the  Spaniards,  and  a  caravan  left  Santa  Fe  in  1720,  and 
marched  in  search  of  the  Pawnee  villages.  The  intention  of  the  Spaniards 
was  to  surprise,  if  possible,  the  nation  of  the  Missouris,  who  at  that  time 
dwelt  not  far  from  the  Kansas  river;  to  conquer  them,  and  to  establish  a 
settlement  within  their  territory.  At  that  time  the  Missouris  were  at  war 
with  the  Pawnees,  and  the  Spaniards  purposed  to  join  the  Pawnees  and 
war  upon  the  Missouris.  Instead  of  finding  the  Pawnee  village,  they 
unwittingly  reached  a  Missouri  village  and  were  completely  deceived,  as 
the  language  of  the  two  nations  differed  but  little.  The  Spaniards  were 
thus  entirely  thrown  off  their  guard  and  freely  divulged  their  plans.  The 
Indians  did  not  undeceive  them,  but  requested  time  to  assemble  their 
warriors.  Within  forty-eight  hours  two  thousand  appeared  under  arms, 
and  a  grand  feast  was  enjoyed  by  both  parties.  They  then  rested,  but 
during  the  night  the  Indians  arose  and  surprised  the  Spaniards,  killing  all 

1  Stoddard's  Louisiana.         2  Ibid.         3  Western  Annals.         4  Stoddard's  Louisiana. 


334  SETTLEMENTS   WEST   OF  THE   ALLEGHANYS   PRIOR   TO  1 776 

excepting  one  priest.  His  life  was  saved,  and  he  was  made  to  instruct 
them  in  horsemanship,  he  selecting  the  best  horse  for  his  own  use.  After 
a  certain  number  of  days  of  instruction  in  riding,  he  set  whip  to  his  horse 
and  escaped  to  Santa  Fe,  and  told  of  the  disaster.  The  exact  spot  where 
this  took  place  is  not  certainly  known.  It  may  have  been  near  Kansas 
city,  or  else  in  Saline  county,  Missouri.  I  have,  in  fact,  seen  an  ancient 
fortified  place  in  Saline  county,  four  miles  southwest  from  Miami.  This 
old  fortification  seems  to  have  covered  twenty  acres  of  ground,  upon  which 
now  stand  trees,  some  of  which  measure  over  three  feet  in  diameter,  the 
whole  surrounded  by  three  ditches,  and  walls  showing  three  feet  difference 
in  elevation.  Near  this  locality  the  Missouri  Indians  did  at  one  time  dwell, 
and  were  afterwards  driven  west  by  the  Osages. 

After  this  occurrence  the  French,  becoming  somewhat  alarmed,  sent 
out  De  Bourgmont,  who  built  a  fort  called  Fort  Orleans  on  an  island  in  the 
[Missouri,  not  far  below  where  the  town  of  Brunswick  now  stands.  This 
island  has  since  been  washed  away.  At  that  time  the  Missouri  Indians 
also  dwelt  upon  the  north  side  of  the  Missouri  river,  and  during  the  latter 
part  of  the  last  century  were  driven  across,  and  for  a  while  were  established 
in  Saline  county,  but  were  finally  driven  west  by  the  Osages.  Fort 
Orleans  only  existed  five  years.  De  Bourgmont  brought  about  a  peace 
with  the  various  tribes  in  1724,  and  soon  after  his  fort  was  attacked  and 
totally  destroyed.1 

Kaskaskia  must  have  contained  permanent  settlements,  for  there  are 
records  of  deeds  to  land  there  of  date  1712,  and  in  1721  it  contained  a 
Jesuit  college.  In  1766  Kaskaskia  contained  one  hundred  families.  Caho- 
kia  was  settled  soon  after  Kaskaskia.  Fort  Chartres  was  built  in  17 19,  and 
rebuilt  in  1754.  Deeds  are  of  record  of  lands  at  Fort  Chartres  and  Cahokia 
of  date  1722.  Fort  Chartres  was  for  a  while  the  seat  of  government  of 
the  Illinois  country,  and  Colonel  Pitman,  a  British  officer  who  visited  the 
country,  says  that  the  commandant  or  governor  in  1756  had  his  head- 
quarters at  Fort  Chartres.  Beck  informs  us3  that  after  a  flood  in  the  river 
the  headquarters  of  the  government  were  moved  to  Kaskaskia  in  1772. 
The  Illinois  country  was  ceded  to  the  English  in  1763,  but  was  not  really 
taken  possession  of  until  1765.  St.  Ange  de  Bellerive  then  commanded 
at  Fort  Chartres  as  lieutenant-governor  of  the  district  of  Illinois,  and 
retreated  to  St.  Louis  in  1765.  The  first  court  of  justice  was  held  at  Fort 
Chartres  in  1768.  Vivier,  writing  in  1750,  says:  "We  have,  in  Illinois,  near 
Kaskaskia,  whites,  negroes,  Indians,  and  half-breeds.     In  the  five  French 

'Beck:    Gazetteer  of  Missouri,  and.  Western  Annals. 
2  Gazetteer  of  Illinois  and  Missouri. 


SETTLEMENTS   WEST   OF  THE   ALLEGHANYS    PRIOR   TO    I  776         335 

villages  within  twenty-one  miles  are  perhaps  one  thousand  one  hundred 
whites,  three  hundred  blacks,  sixty  Indians.  Most  of  the  French  till  the 
soil ;  they  raise  wheat,  cattle,  pigs,  and  horses,  and  live  like  princes."1 

Up  to  1763  the  country  on  both  sides  of  the  Mississippi  above  the 
mouth  of  the  Ohio  was  called  the  country  of  the  Illinois.  When  the  east 
side  was  turned  over  to  the  British  in  1765,  the  country  on  the  west  was 
called  upper  Louisiana,  and  St.  Louis  was  the  headquarters,  or  capital. 
The  records  show  that  wheat  was  raised  in  Illinois  in  1720,  and  in  that 
year  De  la  Motte  opened  the  mines  in  Missouri  still  known  by  his  name,  and 
La  Renault  opened  other  mines  in  Washington  county  from  1721  to  1743, 
and  in  1763  Francis  Burton  discovered  the  mines  of  Potosi.2  Beck:]  informs 
us  of  the  early  settlements  of  St.  Genevieve  and  New  Bourbon  (a  few 
miles  south),  and  they  have  authenticated  traditions  of  settlements  in  1735  ; 
and  the  St.  Gens  family  have  records  of  transfer  of  property  in  the  post  of 
St.  Genevieve  of  the  Illinois  dated  in  1854.  The  flood  of  1875  destroyed 
the  old  town  of  St.  Genevieve,  and  the  present  town  was  built  near  the 
bluffs. 

Kaskaskia  furnished  supplies  to  the  smaller  towns,  including  Fort 
Chartres,  St.  Genevieve,  and  New  Bourbon,  and  the  citizens  spoke 
derisively  of  these  places,  applying  the  term  misere  to  St.  Genevieve, 
pain  court  (short  of  bread)  to  St.  Louis,  vide  pocJie  to  Carondelet,  and 
pouilleux  (lousy)  to  Kaskaskia.  In  1784  Kaskaskia  and  Cahokia4  had  a 
population  of  four  hundred  and  forty.  In  1750  New  Orleans  had  one 
thousand  two  hundred  inhabitants,  and  ten  miles  up  the  river  was  a 
German  settlement,  where  tobacco  of  good  quality  was  raised.  In  1749 
the  Ohio  company  obtained  leave  to  settle  on  a  grant  of  five  hundred 
thousand  acres  on  the  Ohio  river  in  the  disputed  territory.  They 
employed  Chris-Gist  to  explore  it.  He  passed  down  the  Ohio  and  up 
the  Miami  to  the  town  of  Twightees,  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  above 
its  mouth.  On  June  18,  1752,  the  treaty  of  Logstovvn  was  effected  by 
the  Virginia  commissioners  with  the  Northwest  Indians,  in  which  the 
Indians  agreed  not  to  disturb  any  settlements  southeast  of  the  Ohio 
river.  Gist  then  proceeded  to  lay  out  a  town  a  little  below  Pittsburgh 
at  Chartres  creek. 

The  governor  of  Canada  directed  the  erection  of  forts  at  Presque  Isle 
on  Lake  Erie,  at  the  head  of  French  creek  at  La  Bceuf,  and  at  the 
mouth  of  French  creek  Fort  Venango  was  erected.  General  (then 
Major)  Washington  was  sent  by  the  governor  of  Virginia  to  remonstrate 
against  these   settlements.     The   after  result  was  the  war  signalized  at  its 

1  Western  Annals.  2  Schoolcraft.         .  3  Gazetteer  Missouri,  1823.  4  Roosevelt. 


02 


6  SETTLEMENTS    WEST   OF   THE   ALLEGHANYS   PRIOR   TO    1776 


beginning  by  Braddock's  defeat  at  Point  Coupee.  In  1754  three  hundred 
families  left  France  for  the  purpose  of  settling  around  Vincennes.  In 
1768,  by  the  treaty  of  Fort  Stanwix,  the  Iroquois  relinquished  all  claims  to 
territory  south  of  the  Ohio,  and  by  this  the  other  treaties  of  1684  and  1726 
were  confirmed.  Sir  William  Johnson  was  present  on  the  part  of  the  Brit- 
ish colonies,  and  there  were  also  representatives  from  New  Jersey,  Penn- 
sylvania, and  Virginia,  together  with  Delawares,  Shawnees,  and  the  Six 
Nations.  In  1758  Dr.  Thomas  Walker  of  Albemarle  county,  Virginia, 
explored  the  mountain  valleys  of  southwest  Virginia,  and  east  Tennes- 
see, and  the  upper  portion  of  Kentucky,  and  gave  a  name  to  the  Cum- 
berland river  and  to  the  Cumberland  mountains.  In  1769  Colonel  Joseph 
Martin,  also  of  Albemarle,  Virginia,  with  others,  took  steps  to  form  a 
settlement  in  Powell's  valley.1 

These  explorers  prepared  the  way  for  further  progress  westward  ;  for 
instance,  Daniel  Boone,  in  1769,  visited  Kentucky,  and  in  1775  he  again 
came  and  erected  a  fort,  and  began  the  settlements  at  Boonsboro.  In 
1769  the  first  settlement  was  formed  on  the  banks  of  the  Watauga,  then 
others  on  the  Holston  ;  and  in  1772  James  Robertson  and  John  Sevier 
adopted  laws  for  the  government  of  the  colony.  They  next  called  a  con- 
vention from  that  and  neighboring  settlements,  including  Nolichucky  and 
Carter's  valley,  to  meet  at  Watauga,  and  this  may  be  considered  the  first 
assembly  called  together  to  establish  laws  for  the  government  of  colonies 
in  the  then  new  west.  The  Kentucky  convention  met  several  years 
later,  and  was  the  first  that  met  entirely  west  of  the  mountains.  Their 
legislative  assemblies  continued  during  six  years,  until  1778,  when  North 
Carolina  organized  the  county  of  Washington,  including  all  of  Tennessee;2 
Virginia  claimed  all  west  of  Pennsylvania,  and  Virginia,  and  the  Virginians 
(or  long  knives)  were  the  only  foe  the  red  man  feared.  In  1768  a  treaty 
was  made  at  Stanwix  with  the  Iroquois ;  they  relinquishing  all  title  to  the 
country  between  the  Ohio  and  Tennessee.  October  14,  1768,  a  treaty  was 
effected  at  Hardlabor,  South  Carolina,  with  the  Cherokees,  confirmed  by  a 
second  treaty,  October  18,  1770,  by  which  the  right  was  confirmed  to  the 
Cherokees  to  hunt  on  certain  territory.  In  1772  Virginia  made  a  treaty 
with  the  Cherokees,  the  latter  to  remain  south  of  a  line  running  west  from 
White  Top  mountain,  latitude  360  30'.  The  British  agent  being  likely  to 
cause  trouble,  Robertson  and  the  settlers  on  the  Watauga  made  a  lease  of 
lands,  paying  six  thousand  pounds  sterling  value  in  goods.  A  second 
treaty  was  made  in  1776  by  buying  the  same  territory. 

In  1775  Henderson  called  together  the  colonists  of  Boonsboro,  Harrods- 

1  Western  Annals.  2  Roosevelt. 


SETTLEMENTS   WEST   OF   THE   ALLEGIIANVS   PRIOR   TO    1 776  337 

burgh,  Boiling  Spring,  and  St.  Asaph's,  for  the  purpose  of  forming  some 
kind  of  government.  The  convention  adjourned  without  accomplishing 
much,  and  did  not  again  meet.  At  the  earnest  request  of  George  Rogers 
Clark,  in  1776,  Virginia  admitted  Kentucky  as  one  of  her  counties,  with 
Harrodsburgh  as  county  seat.  In  1778  all  the  territory  northwest  of  the 
Ohio  was  formed  into  one  county  called  Illinois,  with  John  Todd  com- 
mandant;  and  in  1781  Virginia  ceded  to  congress  all  her  claim  to  this  ter- 
ritory. In  1780  Virginia  made  grants  of  land  in  Kentucky  for  educational 
purposes,1  and  in  the  same  year  the  territory  was  divided  into  three 
counties — Fayette,  Jefferson,  and  Lincoln.2  In  1781  a  territorial  organi- 
zation of  Kentucky  was  effected,  and  in  1786  Virginia  agreed  that 
Kentucky  should  form  an  independent  organization.  In  1785  Kentucky 
contained  twelve  thousand  inhabitants. 

Thus  far  it  seems  to  be  proven  that  there  were  settlements  west  of  the 
Alleghanys  prior  to  1776.  A  number  of  forts  were  established  in  the 
territory  now  included  in  the  states  of  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Missouri, 
Michigan,  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Louisiana,  Mississippi,  Arkansas,  Texas. 
Mr.  Roosevelt  informs  us  that  in  1769  a  settlement  was  made  in  the 
Watauga  valley  between  the  prolongation  of  the  Blue  Ridge  and  the 
Cumberland  mountains.  He  pays  great  tribute  to  the  courage  and  in- 
domitable perseverance  of  the  pioneer  settler  of  the  southwest  from  the 
Watauga  to  the  Alamo. 

The  early  settlers  were  largely  of  Scotch  or  Irish  descent,  or  a  min- 
gling of  the  two,  and  were  chiefly  Presbyterians  in  religion.  A  few  years 
later  the  Baptists  came,  and  still  later  the  Methodists.  Classes  of  more 
aristocratic  origin  began  to  emigrate  from  Virginia  to  Kentucky  about 
1783,  but  the  pioneer  element  ruled  up  to  1796,  when  Benjamin  Logan 
was  defeated  for  governor. 

In  Tennessee  the  Indian  fighters  continued  to  give  tone  to  the  social 
life  in  the  state  up  to  the  time  of  their  death.  The  first  settlers  were 
chiefly  of  stock  originally  Irish  and  Scotch,  who  drifted  down  the  valley 
of  Virginia,  and  thence  west  to  Kentucky.  To  quote  Roosevelt  once 
more:  "No  Europeans  could  have  held  their  own  for  a  fortnight  in 
Kentucky,3  and  the  west  could  never  have  been  conquered  in  the  teeth  of 
so  formidable  and  ruthless  a  foe,  had  it  not  been  for  the  personal  prowess 
of  the  pioneers  themselves."  The  land  was  really  conquered  not  so  much 
by  the  actual  shock  of  battle  between  bodies  of  soldiers,  as  by  continuous 
westward  movement. 

1  Western  Annals.  2  Mann  Butler.  3  Viz.,  at  Boonsboro. 

Vol.  XXIX.-No.  4.-22 


THE    HISTORICAL    NOVEL   AND   AMERICAN    HISTORY1 

By  Leonard  Irving 

The  historical  novel  is  still  with  us,  as  would  abundantly  appear  from 
our  list  below.  The  reading  public,  however,  has  been  more  generously- 
supplied  of  late  with  other  specimens  of  the  novelist's  cunning  art.  And 
such  other  specimens  have  come  forward  presumably  because  they  were 
wanted.  The  society  novel  is  one  much  welcomed  ;  people  who  move 
within  its  charmed  circle  like  to  read  about  the  doings  of  the  people  who 
are  like  themselves  and  their  associates.  People  who  are  without,  but 
would  like  to  be  within,  hail  this  opportunity  of  learning  society's  ways,, 
then  to  turn  about  and  ape  these  ways  in  humbler  spheres.  And,  finally, 
even  people  who  cannot  have  the  remotest  expectation  of  entering 
society  are  fascinated  by  its  whirl  and  splendor  as  depicted  on  the 
printed  page.  But  there  is  great  eagerness  displayed  nowadays  too  in 
the  demand  for  the  sensational  novel,  or  that  delineating  the  working  of 
passions  violent,  fiery,  even  wicked,  for  we  cannot  stop  short  of  these 
if  passions  come  into  play  at  all.  And  when  we  apply  the  canon  of  real- 
ism here,  so  much  insisted  on  in  other  departments  of  genius,  we  get  some 
very  spicy  material  served  up,  which  seems  to  be  pretty  generally  liked. 
Again,  there  is  the  physico-psychological  novel,  wherewith  Appleton's 
Dutch  fiction  series  has  lately  made  us  acquainted,  calling  itself  also  the 
"  impressionist  "  novel,  and  presenting  characters  whose  passions  are  so 
worked  upon  that  they  become  insane.  By  the  side  of  all  this  kind  of 
reading,  the  historical  novel  is  apt  to  be  regarded  as  rather  tame  ;  there- 
fore there  are  instances  in  which  it  is  made  to  partake  of  the  characteris- 
tics of  the  novels  now  so  greatly  in  demand.  And  if  that  demand  is  legit- 
imate, if  it  ask  not  for  too  overwrought  a  presentation  of  life,  it  may  be 
well  to  make  the  historical  novel  run  into  the  molds  marked  out  by  more 
modern    canons   of   taste.     Yet  even   then  it   is  questionable  whether  the 

1  Standish  pf  Standish.  A  Story  of  the  Pilgrims.  By  Jane  G.  Austin.  Houghton,  Mifflin  &  Co., 
Boston  and  New  York.      1892. 

My  Lady  Pokahontas.  A  True  Relation  of  Virginia.  Written  by  Anas  Todkill,  Puritan  and 
Pilgrim.     With  Notes  by  John  Esten  Cooke.     (Same  publishers.)     1891. 

The  Lady  of  Fort  St.  John.     By  Mary  Hartwell  Catherwood.     (Same  publishers.)     1892. 

Zachary  Phips.     By  Edwin  Lassetter  Bynner.     (Same  publishers.)     1892. 

"The  Columbian  Historical  Novels"  {Columbia,  Estevan,  St.  Augustine,  Pocahontas).  By 
John  R.  Musick.      Illustrated.     Funk  &  Wagnalls,  New  York.      1892. 


THE    HISTORICAL   NOVEL   AND   AMERICAN    HISTORY  339 

people  who  are  devouring  the  intensely  exciting  society  novels,  the  sensa- 
tional tales  of  every  sort,  will  not  revolt  at  the  serious  and  sober  element 
infused  by  the  introduction  of  historical  facts  or  personages. 

It  is  claimed  that  the  historical  novel  has  lately  fallen  somewhat  into 
disfavor.  If  it  has,  the  remarks  preceding  will  furnish  the  hint  as  to  one 
reason  for  this.  With  all  its  attempts  to  suit  modern  tastes,  it  will  not  quite 
come  up  to  the  measure  of  intoxication  required  by  a  great  many.  And 
on  the  other  hand,  while  failing  in  the  eyes  of  some  as  a  fiction,  it  will  fail 
in  the  eyes  of  others  as  history.  This  is  a  scientific  age,  in  the  writing  of 
history  as  in  the  pursuit  of  the  study  of  physical  nature.  We  must  be 
careful  with  our  facts,  we  must  clearly  indicate  our  authorities.  Unless 
we  can  go  back  to  original  sources,  or  unearth  documents  not  hitherto 
published,  or  not  even  seen  by  other  writers,  we  had  better  not  presume 
to  write  history  at  all.  And  when  we  come  to  disputed  points  we  must 
present  all  the  pros  and  cons,  and  be  very  cautious  about  giving  our  own 
opinion,  if  we  give  any  opinion  at  all — which  perhaps  we  had  better  not 
do.  And  there  are  some  injudicious  persons,  critics  and  others,  who  insist 
that  the  historical  novel  shall  conform  itself  to  all  these  particulars  of 
historical  criticism. 

This,  of  course,  the  historical  novel  cannot  do.  It  does  not  take  the 
place  of  history.  Those  persons  make  a  great  mistake  who  imagine  that 
they  can  address  themselves  to  the  pleasant  task  of  reading  an  indefinite 
amount  of  historical  novels,  thereby  excusing  themselves  from  the  more 
laborious  undertaking  of  wading  through  volumes  of  history.  The  histori- 
cal novel  can  never  supplant  historical  reading  or  study.  As  an  ingenious 
critic  remarks :  "  A  good  three-fourths  of  all  its  admirers,  one  dare  guess, 
are  persons  who  have  discovered  in  it  an  easy  means  of  settling  accounts 
with  conscience.  While  sacrificing  few  or  none  of  the  delights  of  a  tale, 
they  are,  they  fancy,  extracting  from  it  all  the  riches  of  mining  into  the 
toughest  history." 

For  the  historical  novel  does  not  properly  teach  history.  It  is  not 
intended  to  give  us  a  list  of  facts  and  dates.  It  does  not  deal  with  cir- 
cumstances and  personages  in  order  to  make  us  acquainted  with  them  for 
the  first  time.  On  the  contrary,  if  it  is  properly  utilized  it  will  stimulate 
the  study  of  history.  It  will  send  us  back  to  our  "  history-books  "  to  get 
a  clear  and  cool  understanding  of  the  events  or  the  persons  about  whom 
our  profoundest  interest  and  warmest  sympathies  were  made  to  centre  by 
the  art  of  the  novelist.  So,  in  this  sense,  it  will  be  an  immense  help  in 
the  teaching  of  history.  But  if  the  teaching  has  already  taken  place, 
if  the  reader  comes  to  the  novel  with  his  mind  full  of  the  facts,  it  will  be 


340  THE    HISTORICAL   NOVEL   AND    AMERICAN   HISTORY 

readily  seen  that  he  is  in  excellent  position  to  enjoy  the  fiction.  He  will 
move  among  familiar  things,  but  he  will  see  them  in  a  new  light.  For, 
in  another  sense,  the  historical  novel  is  an  aid  in  teaching  history.  The 
knowledge  of  history  is  not  properly  a  mere  collection  of  items — bat- 
tles, kings,  dynasties,  revolutions,  years,  months,  days,  patriots,  tyrants, 
what  not.  It  is  a  necessary  adjunct  to  historical  knowledge,  that  we 
possess  some  historical  imagination,  that  this  jumble  of  items  and  actors 
and  dates  have  some  significant  inter-dependence  or  inter-relation  among 
themselves.  We  must  be  able  to  transplant  ourselves  to  these  preceding 
times  and  circumstances.  All  those  old  saws  of  "  History  repeats  itself," 
and  "  Human  nature  is  always  the  same,"  mean  a  good  deal.  There 
always  will  be  certain  moral  forces  and  intellectual  movements  abroad 
among  men,  whatever  be  the  age,  which  will  exert  certain  influences  that 
can  be  calculated.  Happy  is  the  student  of  history  who  can  appreciate 
the  operation  of  these  at  different  stages  of  the  world's  history.  It  will 
make  every  age  alive  for  him  with  a  human  interest,  and  it  will  make  him 
understand  much  better  the  bearings  of  events  in  his  own  age.  But  for 
this  he  needs  to  cultivate  the  faculty  of  historical  imagination,  to  put 
himself  in  the  place  of  people  in  other  times.  Now  it  is  self-evident  that 
for  cultivating  this  necessary  and  useful  faculty  historical  fiction  will  be  a 
prime  aid.  An  historical  novel  may  make  very  free  with  the  facts ;  it  may 
quite  radically  twist  actual  circumstances;  it  may  even  make  some  havoc 
among  dates ;  but  it  will  be  a  poor  production  if  it  do  not  reflect  faithfully 
the  age  to  which  it  transports  the  thought,  if  it  do  not  make  us  live  over 
again  the  days  of  yore.  It  may  send  the  reader  for  historical  information 
to  the  school-books,  and  these  may  correct  many  a  number  or  incident ; 
but  the  novel  must  guide  with  unerring  hand  the  reader's  historical  imagi- 
nation. As  some  one  wrote  the  other  day:  "A  historical  novel  which 
merely  paraphrased  history  would  be  a  deplorable  affair  indeed.  If  simple 
narration  of  facts  is  all  that  we  ask,  we  may  well  insist  that  we  shall  have 
them  uncolored.  But  the  true  value  of  the  historical  novel  is  to  be  sought 
in  its  adequacy  as  a  picture  of  the  time." 

We  notice,  therefore,  at  once  that  the  historical  novel  may  come  into 
conflict  very  often  with  an  unreasonable  demand  for  scientific  historical 
accuracy  and  still  be  a  very  good  historical  novel.  It  cannot,  from  the 
very  nature  of  the  case,  be  a  scientific  treatise.  How,  for  instance,  could 
it  deal  with  mooted  points?  Upon  such,  several  weighty  authorities  may 
perhaps  be  brought  forward,  with  opinions  all  differing.  A  novel  writer 
may  happen  to  have  nice  historic  discrimination  and  judgment,  and  hit 
upon  the  best  opinion,  and  conduct  his  whole  plot,  or  turn  some  crisis  or 


THE   HISTORICAL   NOVEL   AND   AMERICAN    HISTORY  341 

catastrophe,  upon  the  assumption  of  that  single  view.  But  that  would 
be  a  mere  incident  or  accident  of  his  fiction.  Some  view  he  must  select, 
whether  the  best  or  not ;  and  whether  he  has  duly  weighed  that  selection 
or  not,  he  cannot  burden  his  pages  with  a  discussion  of  the  merits  of  the 
case.  Let  him  only  use  his  point  of  view  skillfully  for  his  tale,  and  faith- 
fully for  his  times  and  his  persons,  and  we  shall  be  content.  We  can  then 
close  the  novel,  and  open  some  historical  treatise  if  we  wish  to  get  at  the 
exact  or  well-balanced  decisions  of  various  authorities.  There  is  always 
enough  undisputed  history  to  be  a  secure  guide  to  an  understanding  of  any 
given  period,  and  to  enable  the  novelist  to  properly  train  his  own  or  his 
reader's  historical  imagination. 

These  observations  lead  us  again  to  another  obvious  caution.  That 
is,  the  novel  must  not  be  sunk  or  lost  in  the  history — we  must  not  have 
so  much  of  the  history  that  we  forget  all  about  the  tale.  The  novelist 
should  enlist  our  interest  in  the  characters  (both  the  historic  ones  and 
others)  and  in  the  plot.  The  novel,  it  is  not  to  be  forgotten,  is  a  work 
of  art.  The  Germans  and  the  Dutch  have  a  way  of  applying  the  word 
Dichter,  poet,  not  only  to  the  writer  of  poetry,  but  indifferently  to  the 
latter  as  much  as  to  the  inventor  of  tales  written  in  prose.  The  poet  is 
the  maker,  according  to  the  Greeks  (poien).  He  is  the  man  who  invents, 
devises,  contrives  {dichten),  to  the  German.  And  on  this  score  he  stands 
side  by  side  with  the  novelist.  The  historical  novelist  cannot  escape  the 
obligation  of  the  artist.  He  must  contrive,  invent,  devise  ;  he  cannot  main- 
tain his  character  and  simply  transfer  what  history  has  brought  about 
to  his  pages  without  more  ado.  This  applies  to  the  fictitious  persons 
as  well  as  to  the  fictitious  circumstances.  We  do  not  want  these  people 
thrown  upon  the  pages  of  the  historical  novel  as  mere  puppets,  to  off-set 
the  historic  characters,  or  to  give  them  somebody  to  talk  to  or  to  be 
married  to,  if  we  do  not  know  whom  they  were  really  married  to. 

And  right  here  we  must  be  careful  again  that  we  do  not  overdo  the 
reproduction  of  a  former  age  by  means  of  the  personages  of  the  story. 
By  making  them  too  exactly  the  persons  of  a  distant  age,  we  may  get  out 
of  touch  with  them  altogether,  and  therefore  lose  interest  in  the  narrative, 
and  thereby  find  the  novel  spoiled  for  us  again.  Taine  complains  of  Scott 
in  this  wise:  "  And  yet  is  this  history?  All  these  pictures  of  a  distant 
age  are  false.  Costumes,  scenery,  externals  alone  are  exact  ;  actions, 
speech,  sentiments — all  the  rest  is  civilized,  embellished,  arranged  in 
modern  guise."  Well,  we  are  glad  it  is.  We  can  carry  realism  in  art  too 
far.  The  landscape  upon  the  canvas  cannot  be  the  actual  landscape  of 
sky,  and  earth,  and  trees,  and  river,  no  matter  how  exactly  reproduced. 


342  THE   HISTORICAL   NOVEL   AND   AMERICAN    HISTORY 

The  cunning  hand  of  the  painter  follows  unconsciously,  but  inevitably,  the 
idealizing,  the  thinking  of  his  head.  We  could  not  understand  the  dialect 
of  Ivanhoe,  perhaps  with  difficulty  even  that  of  the  Earl  of  Leicester, 
or  of  Nigel  ;  we  certainly  would  be  shocked  out  of  measure  if  their  speech 
were  exactly  transferred  to  that  of  our  own  day.  Taine's  complaint,  while 
it  has  philosophy  in  it,  and  appeals  to  the  scientific  sense,  cannot  be  well 
taken  artistically.  We  want  characters  we  can  like  ;  they  need  to  be  a 
little  nearer  to  ourselves,  therefore,  than  they  could  have  been  one,  two, 
three  and  more  centuries  ago.  We  do  not  mind  how  exact  are  the  exter- 
nals— costumes,  scenery,  etc.,  but  we  are  somewhat  shy  of  the  words  and 
actions.  We  are  glad  that  "  Walter  Scott  pauses  on  the  threshold  of 
the  soul,  and  in  the  vestibule  of  history,  selects  in  the  Renaissance  and 
the  middle  age  only  the  fit  and  agreeable,  blots  out  plain-spoken  words, 
licentious  sensuality,  bestial  ferocity."  We  shall  understand  the  spirit 
and  force  of  former  ages  sufficiently  without  entering  into  the  precise 
details  of  the  latter  characteristics.  Actual  history  will  help  us  out  well 
enough  in  appreciating  this  grossness.  We  can  afford  to  have  it  absent 
from  the  pages  of  our  novels,  where  we  have  to  listen  to  actual  conversa- 
tions, and  where  we  need  to  be  shocked  only  at  the  language  and  acts 
of  the  villains. 

Now  if  there  be  any  history  fit  for  furnishing  events  and  episodes  upon 
which  to  exercise  the  inventive  powers,  that  history  is  American  history. 
What  a  rich  field  affords  the  whole  age  of  the  discovery,  from  the  time 
of  Columbus  to  that  of  Hudson  !  How  thrilling  is  it  to  follow  the  bare 
record  of  De  Soto's  wanderings,  and  to  look  with  him  for  the  first  time 
upon  the  great  "  father  of  waters,"  the  Mississippi !  Nor  could  our  most 
artful  inventor  much  improve  upon  the  exciting  adventures  of  a  La  Salle, 
who  traveled  along  that  mighty  stream  all  the  way  to  its  mouth,  and  then 
back  again  and  along  the  great  lakes  on  his  return  to  the  St.  Lawrence. 
What  work  of  fiction  could  exceed  the  interest  awakened  by  the  exploit 
of  Coronado  in  following  up  the  course  of  the  Colorado  river  far  into  the 
heart  of  the  continent,  which  was  then  hardly  suspected  to  be  of  such 
vast  proportions  ?  And  then  come  the  times  of  the  settlements  of  the 
various  colonies.  Tragedy,  wildest  adventure,  noblest  endurance,  invinci- 
ble courage,  steady  perseverance,  final  success;  treachery,  meanness, 
cruelty,  revenge — who  shall  enumerate  the  immense  variety  of  potent 
qualities  to  make  up  the  very  best  kind  of  a  story,  which  come  to  the 
foreground  in  the  history  of  all  these  colonial  beginnings  ?  And  then  the 
gradual  growth  of  the  ideas  and  the  sentiments  of  solidarity,  of  national 
being,  of  national  unity — what  materials  here  for  narrative,  for  the  skillful 


THE    HISTORICAL   NOVEL  AND   AMERICAN   HISTORY  343 

unfolding  of  character,  for  the  noblest  instructions  in  political  philosophy! 
We  scarcely  need  mention  the  many  opportunities  for  apt  story-telling 
which  abound  through  all  the  dark  and  thrilling  years  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary war — what  grand  characters  come  to  the  foreground  here  ;  what 
foolish  selfishness,  blind  partisanship,  suicidal  injustice  to  a  nation,  con- 
trasted with*  self-devotion,  sacrifices,  forbearance,  and  final  acceptance  of 
the  dangerous  challenge.  If  feeble  resources,  inadequate  numbers,  inex- 
perience, and  untried  powers,  in  contrast  with  might  and  prestige  and 
boundless  resource,  make  a  heroic  situation,  surely  here  is  a  fine  field  for 
the  genius  of  the  "  poet,"  the  "  Dichter"  who  puts  forth  his  work  in  the 
shape  of  the  novel.  Nor  is  our  subsequent  history — the  consolidation  into 
federal  union  ;  the  marvelous  growth  in  extent  of  territory,  and  in  wealth 
and  population ;  the  creeping  of  the  black  shadow  over  the  fair  horizon  of 
our  prosperity,  bursting  into  the  lightning  and  the  havoc  of  civil  war,  and 
followed  by  the  serene  calm  of  a  reunion  firmer  than  ever — neither  shall 
these  years  of  the  latest  century  of  our  American  history  be  found  void  of 
intense  interest  for  one  who  would  immortalize  them  upon  the  pages  of  a 
work  of  inventive  genius. 

We  accordingly  find  that  prominent  names  are  already  identified  with 
this  department  of  American  literature.  After  Cooper,  half  in  jest,  half  in 
earnest,  had  written  his  first  novel,  the  failure  of  which  only  indicated 
another  road  to  success,  he  gave  to  the  world  his  story  of  The  Spy,  which 
takes  us  into  the  heart  of  the  Revolution.  When  he  was  induced  to  try 
his  hand  at  sea-tales,  and  to  show  that  he  was  a  better  sailor  than  the 
4i  great  unknown  "  author  of  The  Pirate,  he  wrote  The  Pilot,  and  it  was 
our  first  naval  hero,  John  Paul  Jones,  again  of  Revolutionary  days,  whose 
exploits  were  detailed,  without  the  naming  of  his  name.  Once  again  the 
Revolutionary  period  was  laid  under  contribution  by  Cooper,  and  in  Lionel 
Lincoln  we  are  carried  along  the  road  to  Lexington  and  Concord,  we  see 
the  British  battalions  mowed  down  at  Bunker  Hill,  and  are  treated  to  the 
view  of  Dorchester  Heights  fortified  by  stealth  and  necessitating  the 
evacuation  of  Boston.  And  thenceforth  a  constant  stream  of  novels,  very 
greatly  varying  in  merit,  proceeded  from  Cooper,  touching  in  Mercedes  of 
Castile  the  undertaking  of  Columbus;  in  Wept  of  the  Wish-ton- Wish  the 
settlement  of  Connecticut ;  in  Satanstoe  and  others  the  conditions  of  colo- 
nial life  in  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century ;  in  Miles  Wallingford 
and  others  the  early  days  of  federal  government ;  and  in  several  more, 
phases  of  life  at  the  middle  of  the  present  century.  Indeed  the  famous 
"  Leatherstocking  Series"  reach,  in  the  lifetime  of  its  chief  character,  from 
the  days  of  the   French  and   Indian  war  to  the  early  movements  in  the 


544  THE    HISTORICAL   NOVEL   AND   AMERICAN    HISTORY 

development  of  the  great  West  after  the  federal  government  had  been 
firmly  established.  It  has  been  the  fashion  to  disparage  Cooper  some- 
what of  late,  to  consider  his  stories  as  fit  only  for  juvenile  readers,  and 
especially  boys.  But  their  standard  is  higher  than  that.  While  his 
characterization  is  very  feeble  ;  while  especially  his  heroines  are  all  cast 
in  the  same  oppressively  correct  mold  of  monotonous  propriety,  so  that 
the  tiresome  young  lady  of  Precaution  is  more  or  less  of  a  piece  with  all 
those  who  follow  her,  yet  Cooper  is  a  master  in  narration,  is  no  mean 
hand  at  a  plot,  is  unsurpassed  as  a  story-teller  of  the  sea  ;  and,  after  all, 
he  has  succeeded  in  making  one  creation  of  his  genius  immortal,  to-wit, 
old  Leatherstocking  himself.  But  the  great  merit  of  Cooper  is  his  love 
of  country,  which  is  with  him  a  passion,  and  so  pervades  and  burns  along 
his  pages  as  to  warm  the  heart  of  the  coldest  of  his  readers.  No  Ameri- 
can scholar  then  should  be  unfamiliar  with  these  tales  ;  if  we  do  not  read 
them  for  the  literature  of  them,  we  should  do  so  to  stimulate  our  patriot- 
ism. They  will  incite  to  a  more  loving  perusal  of  our  country's  annals. 
And  we  can  conceive  no  higher,  no  nobler  result  of  the  historical  novel 
than  to  thus  enlist  the  interest  and  the  affection  for  national  history. 

Even  our  great  Hawthorne — a  master  of  diction,  a  delineator  of  char- 
acter, a  student  of  motive,  as  Cooper  was  not — has  found  it  impossible  to 
resist  the  fascination  of  American  history.  In  his  Scarlet  Letter  he  intro- 
duces us  to  phases  of  early  New  England  life.  Yet  we  can  hardly  call  it 
a  historical  novel.  The  powers  of  the  author  are  exercised  along  their 
usual  lines,  not  so  much  to  depict  historical  situations,  or  to  use  them  to 
carry  on  his  story,  as  to  show  us  the  workings  of  the  human  conscience. 
In  Septimius  Felton,  a  work  that  was  left  in  a  state  of  incompleteness  at 
his  death,  we  get  some  vivid  pictures  of  that  earliest  battle  of  the  Revolu- 
tion at  Concord  and  Lexington.  But  again  its  main  use  is  to  aid  in  the 
unfolding  of  psychical  or  ethical  possibilities  rather  than  to  emphasize 
history.  A  specimen  of  a  notable  and  useful  class  of  novels  is  the  Hoosier 
Schoolmaster.  It  is  indeed  more  a  novel  of  manners  than  of  history.  But 
in  so  far  as  such  stories  are  true  to  the  facts,  and  are  intended  to  represent 
these  facts  as  illustrating  a  state  of  affairs  upon  the  frontiers  that  have 
since  become  almost  the  centre  of  population,  they  serve  a  very  distinct 
and  a  very  important  historical  purpose. 

With  more  or  less  direct  reference  to  the  foregoing  remarks,  it  becomes 
time  now  to  devote  a  few  pages  to  the  list  of  novels  of  recent  publication 
which  have  given  occasion  to  this  article. 

Standish  of  Standish  will  remind  the  reader  at  once,  by  its  very  sound, 
of  Longfellow's  The  Courtship  of  Miles  Standish,  and  it  treats  indeed  of 


THE   HISTORICAL   NOVEL   AND   AMERICAN    HISTORY  345 

the  same  period  and  persons.  It  furnishes  a  picture  of  the  first  settlement 
of  Plymouth  colony  by  the  Pilgrims,  beginning  with  the  arrival  of  the 
Mayflower  on  these  shores.  Although  the  author's  brother,  John  A. 
Goodwin,  author  of  The  Pilgrim  Republic  (1887)  applies  the  cold  scalpel  of 
historical  criticism  to  the  singular  mode  of  courting  adopted  by  the 
doughty  captain,  and  declares  the  whole  incident  absurdly  improbable,  it 
is  too  tempting  a  tradition  for  the  story-teller's  purposes,  whether  in  prose 
or  verse,  and  we  find  it  duly  served  up  for  our  delectation  in  the  novel. 
Yet  it  must  be  said  that  it  possesses  more  of  probability  as  wrought  over 
and  presented  by  Mrs.  Austin.  It  is  indeed  a  very  pleasing  book.  We 
find  an  illustration  in  it  of  one  of  our  points  made  above,  as  to  mooted 
historical  facts.  This  lady  adopts  the  notion  that  Captain  Jones — or 
Joans,  as  Bradford  puts  it — was  bribed  by  the  Dutch  to  mislead  the  Pil- 
grims, calmly  overlooking  the  fact  proved  by  documents  now  printed  that 
no  bribing  was  necessary,  as  the  States-General  had  openly  forbidden  the 
Pilgrims  to  settle  on  the  Hudson  river,  for  very  sensible  reasons  of  their 
own.  But  of  course  the  novel  had  to  accept  one  theory  or  the  other,  and 
on  the  theory  of  the  bribing  Jones  is  made  to  appear  in  rather  an  ugly 
light  throughout,  although  Bradford  is  very  mild  in  his  allusions  to  him. 
The  characters  of  this  novel  stand  out  vividly.  We  like  the  vivacious 
Priscilla,  and  it  is  well  to  remind  us  that  she  is  really  a  French  girl, 
brought  up  in  Holland,  else  the  demure  Puritan  maid  we  have  been  accus- 
tomed to  look  for  in  her  would  have  been  too  violently  dissipated.  Mary 
Chilton,  her  friend,  has  more  of  that  character.  But  yet  we  are  compelled 
to  say  that  this  novel  fails  to  place  the  Pilgrims  before  us  as  Pilgrims. 
These  people  are  too  worldly,  too  little  of  the  flavor  of  religion  is  in  their 
talk  or  actions  to  comport  with  the  motive  that  brought  them  to  America. 
Only  one  incident  is  characteristic  of  their  known  religiousness — Bradford's 
stopping  ball-playing  on  Christmas — and  really  it  sits  somewhat  unnatur- 
ally upon  the  rest  of  the  tale. 

My  Lady  Pohakontas  is  an  attempt  at  the  archaic,  an  attempt  to 
represent  a  writer  contemporary  with  the  events.  It  is  a  pleasant  little 
story,  not  badly  told,  but  the  endeavor  to  reproduce  the  antiquated  style 
is  not  very  successful.  The  disguise  is  constantly  broken  through  ;  the 
pseudo-editor's  notes  betray  too  readily  the  hand  of  the  author.  Cer- 
tainly Anas  Todkill  is  very  little  of  either  a  Puritan  or  a  Pilgrim  ;  and  it  is 
somewhat  of  a  mystery  how  he  could  claim  to  be  both,  as  there  was  a  very 
conspicuous  distinction  between  the  two  characters  at  the  time  he  is  sup- 
posed to  have  written.  The  Puritans  before  the  days  of  Cromwell  would 
have  been  loth  to  be  classed  among  the  Pilgrims.     It  is  doubtful  whether 


346  THE    HISTORICAL   NOVEL   AND   AMERICAN   HISTORY 

Smith  at  the  age  of  thirty  would  have  fallen  in  love  with  an  Indian  girl  of 
twelve.  It  is  all  very  pretty  and  pathetic  to  have  him  do  so  in  the  story, 
and  for  Pokahontas,  when  Mrs.  Rolfe,  to  die  of  a  broken  heart  when  she 
finds  Smith  alive  in  England.  Even  if  not  true  as  history,  it  is  the  novel- 
ist's right  to  represent  the  case  thus.  But  we  wonder  if  it  be  this  sup- 
posititious chronicle  which  the  author  of  the  Columbian  Novels  series  has 
accepted  as  serious  authority  for  giving  the  same  turn  to  his  story  of 
Pocahontas. 

TJic  Lady  of  Fort  St.  John  takes  us  up  to  the  Bay  of  Fundy,  into  the 
ancient  Acadia,  whose  later  history  has  given  an  incident  to  be  immortal- 
ized by  the  pen  of  Longfellow.  It  has  the  charm  of  great  brevity,  but 
merits  perusal  for  something  more  than  that.  It  is  a  little  difficult  to  see 
why  the  great  Dutch  colonial  leader  Van  Corlaer  is  transferred  so  far 
away  from  his  usual  surroundings,  and  made  to  meet  and  to  marry  the 
lovely  Mrs.  Bronck  there.  But  they  are  both  presented  in  a  light  quite 
according  with  their  characters  and  their  history  as  learned  elsewhere. 
The  story  has  a  tragic  end,  but  the  agony  is  not  overwrought.  The 
final  catastrophe  is  not  dwelt  upon  in  all  its  revolting  horror.  It  is  sug- 
gested rather  than  described.  The  story  gives  occasion  to  enforce  the 
general  remark  as  to  the  historical  novel,  namely,  that  history  may  be 
deviated  from.  For  instance,  if  it  were  a  fact  of  history  that  the  Lady  of 
Fort  St.  John  was  really  hung  (and  surely  the  wretch  D'Aulnay  was  capa- 
ble of  carrying  out  his  threat),  it  yet  was  legitimate  for  the  author  to 
make  her  die  a  natural  death  before  hanging,  because  in  fiction  our  personal 
interest  is  appealed  to  more  and  is  more  deeply  enlisted,  and  the  novelist 
may  deem  it  more  necessary  for  artistic  purposes  to  give  relief  to  our 
feelings  by  a  happy  issue,  than  to  work  them  to  too  high  a  pitch  by  the 
tragedy. 

Zachary  Phips  being  introduced  to  us  when  a  small  boy,  the  writer 
is  enabled  to  present  several  episodes  of  our  history  through  a  succession 
of  many  years.  We  first  float  down  the  Ohio  and  the  Mississippi  in  com- 
pany with  Aaron  Burr's  somewhat  mysterious  expedition.  Next  we  are  in 
the  midst  of  the  war  of  1812,  and  upon  the  Constitution  when  she  shows 
her  heels  to  five  ships  of  the  enemy,  and  when,  a  little  later,  she  immor- 
talizes herself  in  defeating  the  Guerriere.  But  we  lose  the  day  with 
Captain  Lawrence  in  the  Chesapeake,  and,  contrary  to  his  dying  order, 
we  give  up  the  ship.  Another  turn  and  we  are  in  the  Seminole  country, 
"and  get  very  indignant  with  Andrew  Jackson  for  carrying  things  with  so 
high  a  hand,  taking  Spanish  forts  and  hanging  English  subjects  with  equal 
nonchalance.     To    then    settle    down   in   London  as   private  secretary  to 


THE    HISTORICAL   NOVEL   AND   AMERICAN   HISTORY  347 

Minister  Rush,  from  the  United  States,  seems  rather  an  anti-climax.  But 
still,  in  spite  of  that  and  some  other  improbabilities — especially  in  the 
smooth  course  which  true  love  is  made  to  take  between  persons  so  unequal 
in  stations  and  advantages— we  enjoyed  the  story  very  much.  It  will 
answer  the  purpose  of  the  historical  novel  on  the  subject  of  American, 
history — i.e.,  to  stimulate  the  study  of  it,  and  promote  the  interest  in  it. 
"  The  Columbian  Historical  Novels  "  need  detain  us  but  for  a  few  mo- 
ments. It  is  a  little  hazardous  to  announce  that  historical  fiction  will  be 
done  to  order  at  such  and  such  a  rate  of  supply,  and  along  a  regularly  laid 
out  plan  of  work.  That  may  do  for  almanacs  or  cyclopedias,  but  it  can 
hardly  be  applied  with  success  to  works  of  genius.  Hence  we  cannot  be 
surprised  that  neither  of  the  four  stories  before  us  evince  the  marks  of 
genius.  It  cannot  even  be  said  that  they  reach  the  plane  of  serious  litera- 
ture. One  paragraph  early  in  the  first  novel  will  dispose  of  their  claims 
to  this:  ''This  theory  had  puzzled  older  heads  than  Hernando's.  The 
science  of  geography  and  natural  forces  were  in  their  infancy,  and  laws  of 
gravitation,  now  common  with  every  schoolboy,  almost  wholly  unknown." 
But  these  stories  tell  us  a  good  deal  of  history  in  a  pleasant  way,  that  will, 
perhaps,  be  useful  for  boys.  Yet  even  these  will  find  that  their  interest 
and  attention  will  be  quite  as  absorbingly  arrested  by  the  pages  of  Irving. 
The  accounts  of  the  early  explorers  who  followed  closely  after  Columbus, 
such  as  Ojeda  and  Balboa,  are  transferred  almost  bodily  from  the  pages 
of  this  historian — so  far  at  least  as  the  run  of  the  incidents  is  concerned — 
as  indeed  could  not  very  well  be  otherwise,  upon  the  plan  pursued  by 
this  author,  who  sets  out  to  teach  history  rather  than  to  produce  fiction. 
The  several  stories  are  strung  upon  a  thread  of  incidents  connected  with 
one  person  and  his  descendants.  He  is  a  boy  on  the  ship  with  Columbus, 
reaches  manhood  when  it  is  necessary  to  introduce  us  to  Pizarro,  Balboa, 
and  Cortez  ;  his  sons  or  grandsons  are  named  Estevan  and  Stephens, 
according  as  they  remain  among  Spaniards,  or  stray  away  among  English- 
men of  a  century  or  so  later.  The  illustrations  add  much  to  the  attrac- 
tiveness of  the  volumes,  and  will  be  an  additional  recommendation  to 
intelligent  juveniles.  But  we  cannot  think  it  possible  that  the  barrel  in 
which  Balboa  placed  himself  was  marked  with  the  unmistakably  English 
legend:  Pork!  The  adventurer  could  hardly  have  foreseen  so  infallibly 
the  use  which  would  be  made  of  his  ingenious  device  by  an  American 
novel-writer  of  the  present  decade. 


WHAT    SUPPORT    DID    JOHN    BROWN    RELY    UPON  ? 

THE   FAMOUS    RAID    AND    ITS    LOCALITIES 
By  Robert  Shackleton,  Jr. 

John  Brown  is  yet  to  be  fully  appreciated.  It  is  not  enough  to  believe 
that  in  his  work  he  all  blindly  brought  about  the  destruction  of  slavery; 
that  had  it  not  been  for  the  far-reaching  effect  of  his  efforts  slavery  might, 
perhaps,  even  yet  be  in  existence  in  this  country. 

One  who  would  justly  estimate  his  career  must  admit  that  the  attack 
at  Harper's  Ferry  was  a  cool,  considerate  undertaking,  well  planned  ;  that 
it  was  not  an  ill-judged,  poorly  conceived  scheme,  which  met  with  failure 
because  nothing  but  failure  could  with  reason  have  been  expected. 

"  It  was  among  the  best  planned  and  executed  conspiracies  that  ever 
failed,"  declared  Vallandigham,  after  listening  to  and  taking  part  in  a 
lengthy  examination  of  Brown  immediately  after  his  capture  ;  and  the 
words  but  justly  express  the  truth. 

"  They  are  mistaken,"  said  Governor  Wise  of  Virginia,  at  almost  the 
same  time,  "  they  are  mistaken  who  take  Brown  to  be  a  madman.  He  is 
a  man  of  clear  head.     He  is  cool,  collected,  and  indomitable." 

Exactly  what  were  Brown's  plans  will  never  be  known.  "  I  do  not 
know  that  I  ought  to  reveal  my  plans,"  said  he  courteously,  when  pressed 
for  fuller  explanations  while  under  arrest,  nor  did  he  ever  fully  explain 
them.  To  have  done  so  would  have  involved  in  danger  many  who  have 
never  been  suspected.  "  I  will  answer  freely  and  faithfully  about  what 
concerns  myself — I  will  answer  anything  I  can  with  honor — but  not  about 
others."  Such  was  his  calm  declaration,  and  it  was  a  declaration  which, 
when  published  throughout  the  land,  stilled  anxiety  in  many  a  distant 
man's  heart.  He  never  intended  to  carry  out  his  plans  with  such  force  as 
was  with  him  when  he  seized  the  arsenal  and  armory  buildings.  He  relied 
upon  prompt  reinforcements,  upon  a  speedy  rallying  about  him  of  large 
numbers  of  ardent  helpers. 

But  he  would  not  tell  what  he  expected,  and  such  of  those  who  were 
with  him,  or  might  have  known  somewhat  fully  regarding  his  plans,  were 
killed  in  the  fight  or  afterward  executed,  or,  if  among  the  few  who 
escaped,  felt  themselves  bound  in  honor  to  follow  the  example  of  silence 
set  by  their  leader.     Those  who  were  to  have  stood  by  him,  but  who,  at 


WHAT   SUPPORT   DID   JOHN   BROWN    RELY    UPON?  349 

the  supreme  moment,  failed  to  do  so,  will  certainly  never  tell.  Rather 
will  they  join  the  cry  about  the  rashness  of  the  undertaking.  Rather  will 
they  seek  to  discredit  the  practicability  of  the  plan,  even  while  constrained 
to  praise  the  disinterested  bravery  of  the  leader  whose  life  was  a  sacrifice 
to  its  failure. 

It  must  not  be  forgotten  that  Brown  was  far-sighted  to  a  remarkable 
degree,  and  that  he  was  able  to  coolly  design  the  successful  carrying  out 
of  daring  plans.  It  is  then  extremely  unlikely  that  he  would,  for  a  supreme 
effort  at  Harper's  Ferry,  project  a  movement  that  was  sure  to  be  inefficient. 
That  he  expected  extensive  reinforcements  is  certain.  These  were,  to  a 
great  extent,  to  come  from  among  the  slaves  themselves,  but  he  depended 
upon  much  of  trained  white  aid  as  well.  When  it  was  suggested  to  him, 
after  his  arrest,  that  no  man  in  the  possession  of  his  senses  could  have 
expected  to  succeed  with  such  a  handful  of  men  and  backed  only  by 
negroes,  he  replied  that  he  had  had  promises  of  ample  assistance.  In 
answer  then,  to  a  further  inquiry,  he  spoke  in  an  evasive  way  of  slave 
assistance,  and,  seeming  to  think  that  he  had  said  more  than  he  ought, 
would  not  particularize  regarding  the  other  ample  aid. 

To  the  master  of  the  armory  he  made  a  most  significant  statement. 
"  We  are  Abolitionists  from  the  North,"  he  said,  "  come  to  take  and  release 
your  slaves.  Our  organization  is  large  and  must  succeed."  Brown  was 
not  a  man  who  was  given  to  idle  boasting,  and  therefore  his  statement 
that  the  organization  was  large  is  worthy  of  careful  consideration. 

There  were  with  him  when  the  blow  was  actually  struck  little  more 
than  twenty  men,  but  the  fact  must  not  be  overlooked  that  almost  every 
one  was  an  officer  under  his  provisional  government,  and  Brown  was  not 
the  man  to  have  a  following  of  officers  alone.  It  must  have  been  intended 
that  the  officers  should  have  privates  under  them,  and,  indeed,  we  find  that 
Brown's  general  orders,  issued  but  a  few  days  before  the  attack,  provided 
for  the  dividing  of  his  force  into  battalions  of  two  hundred  and  eighty- 
eight  men  each. 

We  were  very  recently  at  Harper's  Ferry,  and  went  with  intense 
interest  about  the  localities  associated  with  the  incursion  of  Brown.  We 
were  fortunate,  too,  in  finding  a  man,  Jesse  Graham  by  name,  who  was 
one  of  the  prisoners  held  by  Brown  as  hostages  during  the  struggle.  His 
narrative  was  clear  and  graphic,  for  he  told  only  of  what  he  saw  and  what 
he  remembered,  without  any  attempt  at  argument,  although  personally  his 
feelings  were  with  the  anti-Brown  faction  and  in  the  war  he  took  part 
on  the  Confederate  side.  To  his  personal  knowledge  of  the  momentous 
events  that  occurred  at  Harper's  Ferry  he  has  not  added  by  reading  about 


3  50  WHAT   SUPPORT   DID   JOHN    BROWN   RELY    UPON? 

thorn  in  hooks,  and  when  such  a  man  tells,  in  unconsciously  graphic  style, 
the  plain  story  of  his  personal  experiences,  his  statements  should  be 
listened  to  carefully  and  with  a  large  measure  of  confidence. 

Without  the  slightest  idea  that  such  information  could  be  of  any  special 
interest  to  us,  he  told  how,  at  one  time,  Brown  looked  across  the  river  and, 
seeing  quite  a  party  of  armed  men,  in  reality  more  of  his  enemies,  hurrying 
onward  along  the  road  under  Maryland  Heights,  exclaimed  that  there,  at 
length,  were  some  of  his  friends ;  and  this  statement  seemed  to  us  to  be  of 
great  importance.  A  few  of  his  own  men  had  been  left  in  charge  at  what 
had  been  the  headquarters,  or  the  Kennedy  farm,  a  few  miles  from  the 
ferry,  and  had  these  few  men  tried  to  join   him   in  the  town  they  would 


HARPERS    FERRY   FROM    MARYLAND    HEIGHTS. 


have  come  by  the  road  under  Maryland  Heights.  It  could  not,  however, 
have  been  that  Brown  believed  the  force  that  he  saw  to  be  those  few  men, 
for  Graham  distinctly  states  that  the  party  consisted  of  a  considerable 
number.  It  is  clear,  then,  that  Brown  believed  the  force  to  be  the  first 
arrivals  of  the  reinforcements  so  eagerly  looked  for. 

Graham  states,  too,  that,  in  a  lull  of  the  firing,  Brown  remarked  that 
he  had  a  picket  line  established  from  there  to  the  Mississippi  river,  and 
this  remarkable  statement  throws  new  light  upon  the  extent  of  the  plot 
and  the  deep-laid  plans  of  the  one  who  conceived  it.  It  need  not,  of 
course,  be  supposed  that  Brown  had  a  literal  line  established,  but  it  seems 
clear  that  friends  and  supporters,  with  whom  he  had  a  distinct  understand- 
ing and  upon  whose  active  assistance  he  was  justified  in  relying,  were 
scattered  in  considerable  numbers  throughout  the  northern  states. 


WHAT   SUPPORT    DID   JOHN    BROWN    RELY    UPON?  35  I 

The  attack  upon  the  government  buildings  was  made  one  week  before 
the  date  first  decided  upon,  and  this  fact  will  explain  the  necessary  absence 
of  some  who  could  not,  upon  sudden  notice,  join  the  force  at  an  earlier 
time  than  had  been  anticipated  and  arranged  for.  Brown  himself  was 
always  ready,  and  made  the  mistake  of  supposing  that  his  followers  were 
always  ready  too.  He  had  for  years  made  no  arrangements  except  such 
as  might,  on  a  moment's  notice,  be  thrown  aside  should  the  one  great  aim 
of  his  life  so  demand,  and  he  believed  that  his  recruits  were  as  unreservedly 
committed  to  the  cause.  The  reason  for  the  change  of  date  is  not  known, 
but  it  is  believed  that  Brown  received  some  intimation  of  treachery,  and 
that  he  had  to  face  the  alternative  of  earlier  action  than  he  had  planned, 
or  certain  ruin  through  the  disclosures  of  a  traitor. 

Brown's  plan  was  carefully  devised.  It  was  most  needfully  matured, 
with  foresight  and  caution  mingled  with  the  daring.  It  was  most  bravely 
undertaken,  and  failed  through  circumstances  which  he  could  not  control. 
He  might,  indeed,  have  escaped  to  the  mountains  before  his  enemies  sur- 
rounded him  in  overwhelming  force,  but  rapid  retreat  was  not  what  he  had 
planned,  and  he  held  to  his  indefensible  position  in  the  village  in  the  vain 
hope  that  the  looked-for  help  would  surely  come.  Doubtless,  in  that  pas- 
senger train  which  he  stopped  on  the  bridge,  and  which  he  after  a  little 
allowed  to  proceed  on  its  way,  were  pale  and  frightened  men  who,  led  thus 
far  by  the  promptings  of  honor  and  the  promises  upon  which  Brown  relied, 
could  not,  when  put  to  the  final  test,  step  from  the  train,  and  join  the 
band  who,  defying  the  law  and  taking  their  lives  in  their  hands,  had 
actually  begun  a  rebellion. 

Brown  was  so  disappointed  by  the  failure  of  reinforcements  to  come 
from  any  direction,  that  his  wonderfully  clear  intellect  seemed  for  a  time 
to  be  dimmed,  and  even  after  his  principal  followers  counseled  retreat 
he  still  clung  with  tenacity  to  the  plan  of  holding  the  buildings.  When 
clearness  of  vision  again  came,  he  saw,  with  prophetic  sagacity,  that  all  was 
for  the  best,  and  that  slavery  was  doomed.  The  hero  of  Harper's  Ferry 
must  be  ranged  by  the  side  of  the  greatest  men  that  our  country  has 
known,  and  the  place  itself  must  be  considered  one  of  the  most  pro- 
foundly important  localities  associated  with  American  history. 

The  town  is  situated  in  the  midst  of  grandly  impressive  scenery. 
In  its  front,  two  dark  lines  of  mountain  heights  converge  grandly  toward 
each  other.  The  broad  Potomac  is  shadowed  by  the'one.  The  beautiful 
Shenandoah,  in  alternate  shallows  and  depths,  glides  at  the  base  of  the 
other.  Just  where  the  approaching  mountains  pause,  leaving  a  rugged 
gap  between,  the  two  streams,  there  uniting  into  one,  pour  their  waters 


50' 


WHAT    SUPPORT   DID   JOHN    BROWN    RELY    UPON? 


through,  with  the  lofty  cliffs  frowning"  down  on  either  side.  Facing  the 
gap  is  a  high  plateau,  almost  filling  the  space  between  the  two  rivers. 
It  is  girt  at  almost  every  point  with  abruptly  precipitous  banks,  and 
on  the  narrow  strip  of  low  ground  at  its  base  is  the  main  street  of  the 
town,  bending  about  the  rounding  plateau  point.  A  straggling  street 
picks  its  way  up  the  one  part  where  the  plateau  may  be  thus  scaled,  while 
here  and  there  houses  are  perched  at  isolated  points  along  the  sides.  That 
John  Brown  loved  mountains  as  he  did,  must  have  made  Harper's  Ferry 
seem  a  peculiarly  fit  place  at  which  to  make  his  great  attempt.  His  home 
at  North  Elba  was  among  mountains,  and  his  admiration  for  them  was 
intense  and  strong.  When  Thomas  Wentworth  Higginson  went  to  Brown's 
home,  to  take  Mrs.  Brown  with  him  to  visit  her  husband  in  prison  in  Vir- 
ginia, he  was  assured  by  one  of  the  family  that  John  Brown  loved  the  loca- 
tion of  his  home  because  of  the  romantic  beauty  of  its  surroundings.  And 
on  the  way  to  the  place  of  execution,  with  but  a  few  minutes  more  to  live, 
Brown  glanced  with  admiring  eyes  over  the  dark  line  of  the  mountains  and 
exclaimed  that  it  was  a  beautiful  country  ! 

But  dearly  as  he  loved  mountains  for  their  splendid  beauty,  there 
was  a  still  deeper  cause.  "  God  established  the  Alleghany  mountains 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world  that  they  might  one  day  be  a  refuge  for 
fugitive  slaves  !  "  he  had  once  exclaimed  ;  while  at  another  time  he  had 
said,  with  profound  earnestness  :  "  God  has  given  the  strength  of  the  hills 
to  freedom.  They  were  placed  here  for  the  emancipation  of  the  negro 
race." 

Brown  was  almost  six  feet  in  height,  of  slender,  wiry  build,  and  giving 
the  impression  of  unusual  strength.  His  gray  hair  stood  up  in  a  dense 
mass  above  his  forehead.  His  eyes  were  keenly  alert.  His  beard  was  long 
and  full,  but  could  not  hide  the  immovable  firmness  of  the  jaw  and  mouth. 
He  walked  rapidly,  making  way  for  none,  and  others  instinctively 
stepped  from  his  path  as  he  approached.  Such  was  the  man  who,  under 
the  mild  disguise  of  farmer  and  prospector,  had  rented  a  farm  among  the 
heights  near  Harper's  Ferry,  and  there  carefully  completed  his  prepara- 
tions. None  of  his  neighbors  had  suspected  that  he  was  other  than  what 
he  seemed.  He  was  reserved  and  self-possessed.  He  regularly  attended 
church.  He  was  ready  to  do  acts  of  real  kindness  to  those  living  about 
him,  and  his  endeavors  earned  their  gratitude.  His  name,  so  he  said,  was 
Isaac  Smith,  and  none  doubted  it. 

He  felt  the  supreme  importance  of  his  work,  and  with  tremendous 
strength  of  belief  considered  himself  a  foreordained  instrument.  All  that 
was  done  was  exactly  as  had  been  planned  countless  ages  before,  and  this 


WHAT   SUPPORT   DID   JOHN    BROWN    RELY    UPON  ?  353 

he  believed,  whether  his  plans  failed  or  were  successful.  He  did  not  plan 
to  be  captured  and  executed,  and  yet  his  clear  vision  saw  beyond  the 
temporary  defeat  to  ultimate  victory.  He  calmly  realized,  and  said, 
that  he  would  be  worth  much  more  dead  than  living,  and  thus  he  showed 
his  prophetic  insight  into  what  was  to  come. 

Writing  to  a  friend,  from  prison,  regarding  the  fact  that  the  slave- 
holders, through  his  failure,  had  learned  the  nature  of  his  plans,  and  were 
thus  forewarned  against  any  similar  attempt  by  others  in  the  future,  he 
said  :  "  If  Samson  had  not  told  Delilah  wherein  his  great  strength  lay, 
he  probably  never  would  have  pulled  down  the  house."  Thus  clearly 
did  he  foresee  that  in  his  death  he  would  indeed  pull  down  the  house  of 
slavery. 

The  story  of  Jesse  Graham,  told  us  as  we  sat  with  him  at  the  door 
of  his  home  in  the  village,  brought  vividly  to  mind  John  Brown  and  his 
great  attempt.  Roused  from  sleep  by  a  commotion  in  the  street,  early 
in  the  morning  of  Monday,  the  17th  of  October,  1859,  Mrs.  Graham 
hurried  to  a  front  window  and  saw  a  neighbor  expostulating  with  several 
men  who,  armed  with  rifles,  were  taking  him  along  with  them.  She  hurried 
to  her  husband,  telling  him  what  she  had  seen,  and  he,  naturally  enough, 
thought  that  the  neighbor  must  have  been  charged  with  some  offense  and 
that  the  armed  men  were  officers  sent  to  arrest  him.  Dressing  himself,  he 
hurried  out  into  the  street. 

"  Halt !  " 

Close  by  his  door  ("  Right  there !  "  as  he  pointed  out  to  us)  was  a 
sentinel,  grimly  surveying  him  with  rifle  half  raised. 

"  Halt  !     You  are  my  prisoner!  " 

"  What  for  ?  " 

"  No  matter.  Here  !  "  (to  another  sentinel,  a  few  rods  off)  "  take  this 
man  to  the  guard-house !  " 

But  Graham  did  not  want  to  go.     "  Why  must  I  ?  "  he  insisted. 

"  There's  no  time  for  words !  Hurry  along  !  "  was  the  peremptory 
reply,  whereupon,  without  further  objection,  he  walked  with  the  sentinel 
to  the  "  guard-house,"  a  little  building  within  the  armory  grounds  in  which 
were  kept  the  government  fire  engine  and  hose  cart.  Other  residents 
were  already  there,  and  every  few  minutes  more  were  brought  in.  None 
knew  the  cause,  and  all  were  in  momentary  fear  of  being  killed. 

"  Isaac  Smith  "  was  the  leader  of  the  lawless  force  ;  and  as  he  moved 
actively  about  from  point  to  point  the  prisoners  watched  him  in  nervous 
apprehension,  not  knowing  to  what  lengths  he  might  proceed. 

"You  don't  know  what  you  are  doing!  "  cried  one,  warningly. 

Vol.  XXIX.-No.  4.-23 


554 


WHAT    SUPPORT   DID   JOHN    BROWN    RELY    UPON? 


"Oh,  yes,  I  do;  perfectly." 

uBy  whose  authority  is  this?" 

"  By  my  own." 

Before  long  there  were  skirmishing  shots ;  and  Graham,  looking  out, 
could  see  men  cautiously  posting  themselves  here  and  there  in  position 
from  which  they  could  shoot  at  Smith  and  his  followers.  The  firing  was 
actively  returned,  but  the  assailants  rapidly  became  so  numerous  that 
Smith  was  compelled  to  relinquish  much  of  what  he  had  originally  planned 
to  hold,  and  the  little  guard-house  became  a  fort  and  his  headquarters. 


., 


OLD    ENGINE    HOUSE —     JOHN    BROWNS    FORT. 


"Captain,  we  can't  hold  the  bridge  any  longer!  "  exclaimed  one  of  his 
men,  hurrying  in. 

"  All  right,"  was  the  reply,  made  with  the  most  complete  calmness. 

Once,  looking  needfully  out,  Graham  saw  that  a  man  was  slowly 
moving  along  the  railroad  track  which,  on  low  trestle-work,  overlooked  the 
armory  grounds.  He  could  not  see  the  man  himself,  he  could  see  only 
his  hat,  and  he  watched  its  advance  with  eager  curiosity.  The  hat  ceased 
its  motion.  The  muzzle  of  a  rifle  appeared.  There  was  a  shot.  And  a 
bullet  whizzed  past  Smith's  head,  tore  off  some  of  his  hair,  and  then  struck 
another  man  on  the  knee.  Smith,  sitting  on  the  tongue  of  the  engine, 
just  inside  of  the  open  door,  merely  turned  slowly,  and  with  superb  cool- 


WHAT   SUPPORT   DID   JOHN    BROWN    RELY    UPON  ?  355 

ness,  and  as  he  shut  the  door,  nonchalantly  remarked  that  it  was  a  pretty 
good  shot. 

"  Did  you  ever  read  of  the  battle  of  Pottawatomie?"  said  he, 
suddenly,  in  a  lull  of  the  firing. 

"  No." 

"Then  you  haven't  read  much,"  was  the  blunt  comment,  and  at  this 
Graham  nervously  thought  that  he  "  remembered  something  about  it." 

"  Well,  I'm  Ossawatomie  Brown  !  "  And  the  announcement  of  this 
dread  name  struck  with  a  chill  of  terror  to  the  hearts  of  the  men  who  were 
held  prisoners  there  at  his  mercy. 

One  of  the  raiders,  shot  in  the  left  breast,  came  in,  pulled  off  his  belt, 
put  down  his  rifle,  unbuttoned  his  coat,  and  lay  down  on  the  floor. 

"  Where  are  you  hurt?  "  said  Brown,  and  the  man  feebly  showed  him. 
Graham  then  bent  down  to  examine  him,  and  found  that  the  ball  had 
struck  a  rib  and  glanced  around  the  body,  making  a  flesh  wound  only. 
"  Have  one  of  your  friends  cut  it  out  with  a  sharp  knife !  "  he  said. 

The  wounded  man  felt  the  bullet,  and  as  he  did  so  he  flushed  deeply 
over  neck  and  face.  Then,  without  a  word,  he  buttoned  his  coat,  put  on 
his  belt,  picked  up  his  rifle,  and  went  out,  and,  taking  up  a  position 
behind  a  tall  stone  gateway  pillar  which  is  still  standing,  fired  fifteen  or 
twenty  shots  with  steady  aim,  while  Graham  inwardly  fumed  at  this  result 
of  his  surgical  examination.  At  length,  however,  the  man  was  again 
wounded,  and  this  time  mortally,  although  he  lingered  in  agony  during 
that  day  and  the  ensuing  night  before  death  relieved  him. 

Another  wounded  man  moaned  in  pain.  "  Die  like  a  man  !  "  said 
Brown,  sternly,  and  the  moaning  ceased. 

Stephens  was  sent  out  with  a  flag  of  truce — the  same  Stephens  of  whom 
Annie  Brown  had  said,  "  He  tries  the  hardest  to  be  good,  of  any  man  I 
ever  saw  " — but  the  flag  of  truce  was  not  respected,  and  he  was  shot  down 
and  lay  writhing  on  the  ground. 

One  of  Brown's  sons  lay  down  and  slowly  died.  "  There  will  be 
buckets  of  blood  for  every  drop  of  his!"  said  Brown,  sternly,  and  again 
the  prisoners  trembled,  fearing  that  he  would  demand  life  for  life. 

At  length  the  terrible  day  was  over;  night  came  on.  Then  United 
States  troops  arrived,  and  the  garrison  and  prisoners,  with  wounded  and 
dying  and  dead  men  about  them,  waited  for  the  morning. 

Colonel  Robert  E.  Lee,  "  a  fine-looking  man,"  as  the  narrator  describes 
him,  advanced  to  a  point  not  far  from  the  building,  and  sent  one  of  his 
officers  (the  afterward  famous  J.  E.  B.  Stuart,  although  Graham  does  not 
seem  to  know  this)  to  demand  unconditional  surrender,  promising  to  hand 


356  WHAT   SUTPORT   DID   JOHN   BROWN   RELY    UPON  ? 

the  men  over  to  lawful  authority,  and  to  protect  them  against  mob 
violence.  But  Brown  would  not  accept  the  terms.  He  offered,  instead, 
to  give  up  the  place  if  allowed  to  cross  the  river  with  his  prisoners.  There 
he  would  at  once  liberate  them,  and  take  his  chances  in  the  mountains. 
Stuart  returned  to  Lee  with  this  message,  and  Graham,  closely  watching, 
saw  Lee  shake  his  head  in  disapproval.  Then  Stuart  came  once  more  to 
Brown  and  repeated  Lee's  first  proposition  as  being  the  most  favorable 
terms  that  could  be  offered,  whereupon  Brown  said  briefly,  "That  settles 
it,"  and  shut  the  door. 

And  then  came  the  attack  of  the  regularly  drilled  troops.  A  heavy 
ladder  was  brought,  and,  used  as  a  battering  ram,  soon  broke  through  the 
door.  An  officer's  voice  sounded  out  sharply  above  all  the  din  and  con. 
fusion  :  "  First  man  on  the  right,  go  in  !  " 

A  man's  head  and  shoulders  appeared ;  there  was  a  shot ;  and  the  man 
fell,  and  was  dragged  quickly  back. 

"  First  man  on  the  left  !  " 

Another  head  ;  another  shot ;  a  scream  of  pain  ;  and  the  gun  dropped, 
and  the  man  pressed  his  hand  against  his  mouth,  and  blood  ran  through 
his  fingers,  and  he  too  was  dragged  back.  And  then  blinding  smoke  filled 
the  room,  and  there  were  shouts  and  blows  and  groans,  and  Graham  was 
fiercely  grasped  and  dragged  outside  of  the  door. 

There,  apparently  dead,  lay  Brown.  His  head  was  gashed  and  bleed- 
ing, and  the  unconscious  body  was  rolled  on  its  face  and  then  again  on  its 
back  with  careless  roughness. 

One  of  Brown's  followers,  dying,  looked  full  into  the  face  of  a  man  who 
was  questioning  him,  and  it  was  with  a  strange  expression  of  peace  and 
firmness  and  with  wonderfully  calm  eyes. 

A  shadow  passed  over  his  face. 

"  He's  dead  !  " 

"No!  no!" 

But  he  was,  and  his  face  still  wore  that  expression  of  wonderful  peace. 

Brown  himself,  however,  was  not  dead,  and  recovered  from  his  wounds 
sufficiently  to  be  tried  for  his  life  for  his  daring  attempt.  He  was  con- 
victed and  sentenced  to  death,  and  on  the  day  of  his  execution  wrote  the 
following  words  : 

"  I,  John  Brown,  am  now  quite  certain  that  the  crimes  of  this  guilty  land 
will  never  be  purged  away  but  with  blood.  I  had,  as  I  now  think  vainly, 
flattered  myself  that  without  very  much  bloodshed  it  might  be  done." 

His  grave  is  in  northern  New  York,  among  the  wild  mountains  that 
encompassed  his  solitary  home.     It  is  but  a  few  rods  from  the  house,  and 


WHAT   SUPPORT   DID   JOHN    BROWN   RELY    UPON  ? 


357 


e^ 


is   close  beside   a  great,  massive   bowlder,  into  which   is  deeply   cut   the 

inscription  : 

"JOHN    BROWN.     1859." 

Charlestown,  where  he  was  tried  and  executed,  is  a  pleasant,  quiet,  not 
unattractive  town,  and  yet  with  nothing  distinctive  to  mark  it  out  from 
many  another.  The  court  house  is  still  pointed  out,  and  yet  it  can 
scarcely  be  considered  the  same  building,  as  the  old  structure,  with  the 
exception  of  a  portion  of  the  walls,  was  some  years  since  destroyed,  and 
the  present  building,  therefore,  is  almost  entirely 
new. 

Brown  was  executed  in  a  field  in  the  out- 
skirts of  the  town,  and  from  the  spot  may  be 
seen  a  wide-spreading  view  stretching  over  fields 
and  undulating  country,  and  hemmed  in  in  the 
distance  by  the  dark  blue  mountains,  impres- 
sively  grand    and    solemnly   beautiful.     What 
must  have  been   his  thoughts  as  he   looked  his 
last  at  the  beautiful  sky  and 
those  stretches  of  beautiful 
heights  !      And   what  must 
have  been  his  reflections  of 
mingled  joy  and  pain,  as  he 
gazed  at  the  distant  gap  in 
the  mountainswhich  marked 
the  site  of  Harper's   Ferry! 
The  arsenal  building  at  Har- 
per's Ferry  long  since  dis- 
appeared, and  a  hotel  now 
stands  upon  its  site.    Across 
the  street  from  the  arsenal 
was  the  entrance  to  the  in- 
closure  in  which  stood  most 

OI     tne     government     WOrKS,  charlestown  courthouse,  where  john  brown  was  tried. 

including   musket    factory, 

forge,   and  workshops.      The    inclosure  was  walled,  and  was   about  two 

hundred  feet  in  width  and  one-third  of  a  mile  in  length. 

These  buildings  long  since  disappeared,  and  where  they  stood  is  now 
a  desolate  scene.  Even  the  engine  house,  Brown's  fort,  which,  strangely 
enough,  survived  the  alternate  occupation  of  the  town  by  rival  armies  that 
tried  to  excel  each  other  in  the  destruction  of  public  works,  was  recently 


358  WHAT   SUPPORT   DID   JOHN    BROWN    RELY    UPON? 

torn  down,  and  its  bricks  were  shipped  to  Chicago  to  be  there  rebuilt  for 
exhibition  at  the  coming  World's  Fair.  The  marks  of  its  foundation  walls 
may  still  be  seen ;  weeds  and  broken  brick  are  all  about  the  spot ;  some 
stables  are  close  by  ;  several  saloons  are  near  at  hand  ;  some  of  the  iron 
pickets  which  were  on  top  of  the  wall  which  surrounded  the  inclosure  have 
been  most  prosaically  put  to  the  use  of  constructing  a  pen  for  the  keeping 
of  pigs.  The  tall  stone  gateway  pillars  at  the  entrance  to  the  inclosure 
are  still  standing.  Close  by  Brown's  fort  once  stood  the  paymaster's  build- 
ing, and  while  it,  like  the  other  structures,  has  disappeared,  some  iron  doors, 
once  used  to  protect  government  treasure,  are  still  standing  erect  among 
the  ruins. 

On  an  old  broken  dam,  which  stretches  in  a  long  half-circular  sweep 
across  the  stream,  we  one  day  crossed  the  Shenandoah  toward  Loudon 
Heights,  and  a  dense  mass  of  foliage  met  us  on  the  farther  side.  Trees 
and  bushes  and  vines  grow  in  rich  profusion  right  up  the  steep  ascents, 
except  where,  in  places,  there  are  bare  and  precipitous  stretches.  And 
there,  a  little  up  the  slope,  and  tucked  oddly  against  the  hillside,  we  found 
a  log  home,  whitewashed  and  picturesque.  No  wagon  road  leads  to  it, 
and  the  little  farming  that  the  owner  does  is  done  by  hand.  A  strangely 
isolated  spot  it  is,  although  within  plain  sight  of  the  town,  but  we  found 
there  something  more  than  picturesqueness  and  solitude. 

"  Would  you  like  to  see  the  grave  of  some  of  John  Brown's  men  ?  "  said 
the  owner,  and  then  he  led  us  to  a  small  potato  patch  some  little  distance 
from  the  house.  In  the  centre  of  the  patch  was  a  little  space  covered  with 
tall  weeds,  and  the  owner,  brushing  these  aside,  showed  us  the  little, 
rough,  unmarked  stone  which  he  himself  placed  there  to  mark  the  resting- 
place  of  the  buried  men. 

The  spot  is  directly  across  the  river  from  the  rifle  factory,  of  which 
Kagi,  one  of  Brown's  most  trusted  followers,  had  with  a  few  companions 
endeavored  to  hold  possession,  and  when  they  saw  the  hopelessness  of  the 
effort  and  endeavored  to  escape  to  the  farther  side  of  the  stream,  they 
were  shot  or  drowned.  Then  their  bodies  were  buried  together,  in  one 
grave,  on  that  lonely  mountain  side,  there  to  remain  unheeded,  except  for 
the  care  of  this  man,  who,  a  stranger  to  them  all,  assisted  at  the  burial  and 
still  is  the  only  one  to  in  any  way  care  for  the  grave. 

Within  view  of  the  town  that  they  helped  to  capture;  at  the  side  of 
that  river,  rushing  and  surging  onward  among  the  rocks;  and  at  the  foot 
of  those  lofty  heights,  towering  upward  in  splendid  abruptness — could  there 
be  a  more  striking  spot  for  the  last  resting-place  of  men  who  were  killed 
in  the  momentous  raid  ? 


^^1^   iP    /^m     /tr*~4 


/  (y        £/ 

/TLoOljCms- ;  v    Usfl,M~.    WTr.'TLs  £cjL.C4L>>        (Jk"ht>  M^t*    Jjrvuu    /ht<sC4    eOnsn*  isyv  7%JL~ 

Note — The  above  letter  of  John  Brown  is  indicative  of  the  simplicity  of  his  life  and  character. 
As  it  was  written  in  1854.it  has  a  connection  of  peculiar  value  with  the  portrait  forming  our  front- 
ispiece ;  both  placing  him  before  us  at  a  period  when  the  plain  farmer  had  not  yet  been  revealed  to 
the  world  as  a  hero  and  martyr.  The  facsimile  is  presented  through  the  courtesy  of  Mr.  Walter 
Romeyn  Benjamin  of  28  West  Twenty-third  street,  New  York. 


THE    RIDE    OF    PAUL    REVERE 

By  Howard  Alden  Giddings 

"  He  said  to  his  friend,  '  If  the  British  march 
By  land  or  sea  from  the  town  to-night, 
Hang  a  lantern  aloft  in  the  belfry  arch 

Of  the  North  Church  tower  as  a  signal  light.'  " 

Colonel  Paul  Revere's  ride,  commemorated  by  Longfellow  in  his 
famous  poem,  was  but  one  of  a  series  of  momentous  incidents  in  which  as 
messenger  and  express  to  Portsmouth,  New  York,  and  Philadelphia,  he 
carried  intelligence  on  occasions  of  emergency.  As  a  messenger  he  is  said 
to  have  been  steady,  vigorous,  sensible,  and  persevering,  and  he  was  the 
favorite  courier  of  the  continental  congress.  Revere  was  an  ardent  patriot, 
an  associate  of  Hancock,  Warren,  Adams,  and  other  leading  patriots,  and 
a  chosen  member  of  the  Boston  committee  of  correspondence,  inspection, 
and  safety. 

At  the  time  that  he  was  selected  by  Dr.  Warren,  the  president  of  this 
committee,  for  the  important  service  of  arousing  the  country  at  the  first 
hostile  movement  of  the  British,  he  was  thirty-two  years  old,  and  is 
described  as  being  a  handsome  young  man  with  dark  hair  and  eyes,  and 
strong  and  expressive  face.  He  filled  many  high  military  offices,  and  was 
one  of  the  chief  actors  in  that  memorable  event  the  "  Boston  tea  party." 

Paul  Revere  in  a  letter  to  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society,  dated 
January  I,  1798,  has  given  his  own  account  of  the  events  preceding  that 
historic  night,  "  the  eighteenth  of  April  in  seventy-five,"  and  his  adventur- 
ous ride,  in  the  following  words  : 

"  In  the  fall  of  1774  and  the  winter  of  1775  I  was  one  of  upwards  of 
thirty,  chiefly  mechanics,  who  formed  ourselves  into  a  committee  for  the 
purpose  of  watching  the  movements  of  the  British  soldiers  and  gaining 
every  intelligence  of  the  movements  of  the  tories. 

"  We  held  our  meetings  at  the  Green  Dragon  tavern.  We  were  so 
careful  that  our  meetings  should  be  kept  secret,  that  every  time  we  met? 
every  person  swore  upon  the  Bible  that  he  would  not  discover  any  of  our 
transactions  but  to  Messrs.  Hancock,  Adams,  Warren,  Church,  and  one 
or  two  more. 

44  In  the  winter,  towards  the  spring,  we  frequently  took  turns,  two  and 
two,  to  watch  the  soldiers  by  patrolling  the  streets  all  night. 


THE   RIDE   OF   PAUL   REVERE 


361 


"  The  Saturday  night  preceding  the  19th  of  April,  about  twelve  o'clock 
at  night,  the  boats  belonging  to  the  transports  were  all  launched  and 
carried  under  the  sterns  of  the  men-of-war.  We  likewise  found  that  the 
grenadiers  and  light  infantry  were  all  taken  off  duty.  From  these  move- 
ments we  suspected  something  serious  was  to  be  transacted. 

"  On  Tuesday  evening  it  was  observed  that  a  number  of  soldiers  were 
marching  toward  Boston  common.  About  ten  o'clock  Dr.  Warren  sent  in 
great  haste  for  me,  begging  that  I  would  immediately  set  of!  for  Lexing- 
ton, where  were  Hancock  and  Adams,  and  acquaint  them  of  the  move- 


NEWS    FROM    LEXINGTON. 


ments,  as  it  was  thought  they  were  the  objects.  On  the  Sunday  before,  I 
agreed  with  a  Colonel  Conant  and  some  other  gentlemen  in  Charlestown, 
that  if  the  British  went  out  by  water,  we  should  show  two  lanterns  in  the 
North  church  steeple,  and  if  by  land,  one,  as  a  signal ;  for  we  appre- 
hended that  it  would  be  difficult  to  cross  over  the  Charles  river  or  get  over 
Boston  neck. 

"  I  left  Dr.  Warren,  called  upon  a  friend,  and  desired  him  to  make  the 
signal.  I  then  went  home  [he  lived  in  North  square],  took  my  boots  and 
surtout,  and  went  to  the  north  part  of  the  town,  where  I  kept  a  boat.  Two 
friends  rowed  me  across  the  Charles  river,  a  little  to  the  eastward  of  where 


362  THE    RIDE    OF   PAUL   REVERE 

the  Somerset  lay.     It  was  then  young  flood,  the  ship  was  winding,  and  the 
moon  was  rising.     They  landed  me  on  the  Charlestown  shore." 

"  Meanwhile  his  friend,  through  alley  and  street, 
Wanders  and  watches  with  eager  ears." 

Captain  John  Pulling,  a  "high  son  of  liberty,"  and  an  intimate  friend 
of  Paul  Revere  from  boyhood,  was  entrusted  with  the  arduous  duty  of 
making  the  signals  when  it  should  be  certain  whether  the  British  went  by 
land  or  sea.  This  was  a  critical  and  hazardous  enterprise.  Christ  church, 
the  place  selected  from  which  to  display  the  signals,  was  the  most  north- 
erly church  in  Boston  and  had  a  very  tall  steeple,  at  that  time  one  hundred 
and  ninety-one  feet  high.  Standing  on  high  ground  it  formed  the  most 
conspicuous  landmark  for  vessels  entering  the  harbor,  and  was  well  known 
as  the*'  North  church."  The  British  soldiers  patrolled  the  streets  near  the 
church,  and  not  only  was  there  risk  of  the  signal  light  being  observed  in 
that  quarter,  but,  as  Pulling  said,  "he  was  afraid  some  old  woman  would 
see  the  light  and  scream  fire." 

At  half  past  ten  that  night  Lieutenant-Colonel  Smith  with  eight 
hundred  grenadiers  and  light  infantry  embarked  in  long  boats  at  the  foot 
of  Boston  common.  General  Gage  that  evening  told  Lord  Percy  that 
he  intended  to  send  a  detachment  to  seize  the  stores  at  Concord,  under 
command  of  Colonel  Smith,  who  knew  he  was  to  go,  but  not  where.  The 
object  of  the  expedition  was  not  yet  known,  and  he  begged  Lord  Percy  to 
keep  it  a  profound  secret.  As  this  nobleman  was  passing  from  the  general's 
quarters  home  to  his  own,  he  perceived  eight  or  ten  men  conversing 
together  on  the  common.  Approaching  them,  one  of  them  said  :  "  The 
British  troops  have  marched,  but  will  miss  their  aim."  "  What  aim  ?  " 
said  Lord  Percy.     "The  cannon  at  Concord,"  the  man  replied. 

Captain  John  Pulling,  as  soon  as  he  was  certain  the  troops  were  embark- 
ing, ran  to  the  house  of  the  sexton  of  Christ  church,  in  Salem  street,  and 
demanded  the  keys.  He  being  a  vestryman,  the  sexton  could  not  refuse 
them.  He  went  to  the  church  and,  locking  himself  in,  climbed  to  the 
upper  window  of  the  steeple  and  hung  out  the  two  lanterns,  by  which  the 
watchers  on  the  Charlestown  shore   should   "  know   that   the   British  were 

going  by  water." 

"  Meanwhile,  impatient  to  mount  and  ride, 
Booted  and  spurred,  with  a  heavy  stride, 
On  the  opposite  shore  walked  Paul  Revere." 

"  When  I  got  into  town,"  continues  Paul  Revere,  "  I  met  Colonel 
Conant  and  several  others,  who  told  me  they  had  seen  the  signal.     I  told 


THE    RIDE   OF    PAUL    REVERE  363 

them  what  was  acting,  and  went  to  get  me  a  horse.  I  got  a  horse  of 
Deacon  Larkin.  While  the  horse  was  preparing,  Richard  Devens,  one  of 
the  committee  of  safety,  came  to  me  and  told  me  that  he  came  down  the 
road  from  Lexington  that  evening,  after  sundown,  and  that  he  met  ten 
British  officers,  all  well  mounted  and  armed,  going  up  the  road. 

"  I  set  off  upon  a  very  good  horse  ;  it  was  then  about  eleven  o'clock 
and  very  pleasant.  After  I  had  passed  Charlestown  neck  and  got  about 
opposite  where  Mark  was  hung  in  chains,  I  saw  two  men  on  horseback 
under  a  tree,  whom  I  discovered  were  British  officers.  One  tried  to  get 
ahead  of  me  and  the  other  to  take  me.  I  turned  my  horse  very  quick  and 
galloped  toward  Charlestown  neck,  and  then  pushed  for  the  Medford  road. 
The  one  who  chased  me,  endeavoring  to  cut  me  off,  got  into  a  clay  pond. 
I  got  clear  of  him  and  went  through  Medford  over  the  bridge. 

"  In  Medford  I  awakened  the  captain  of  the  minute-men,  and  after  that 
I  alarmed  almost  every  house  till  I  got  to  Lexington.  In  Lexington  I 
was  joined  by  a  Mr.  Dawes  and  Dr.  Prescott.  We  rode  towards  Concord 
alarming  the  people.  After  proceeding  nearly  half  way,  the  Doctor  and 
Mr.  Dawes  had  stopped  to  alarm  the  people  in  a  house,  and  I  was  about 
one  hundred  rods  ahead,  when  I  saw  two  men  in  nearly  the  same  situation 
as  those  officers  were  near  Charlestown.  I  called  for  the  Doctor  and  Mr. 
Dawes  to  come  up,  when  in  an  instant  I  was  surrounded  by  four.  They 
had  placed  themselves  in  a  straight  road  that  inclined  each  way,  and  had 
taken  down  a  pair  of  bars  on  the  north  side  of  the  road  where  two  of  them 
were  under  a  tree  in  the  pasture.  We  tried  to  get  past  them,  but  they, 
being  armed  with  pistols  and  swords,  forced  us  into  the  pasture.  The 
Doctor  jumped  his  horse  over  a  low  stone  wall  and  got  to  Concord.  I 
observed  a  wood  at  a  small  distance  and  made  for  that.  When  I  got  there, 
out  started  six  officers  on  horseback  and  ordered  me  to  dismount.  One  of 
them,  who  appeared  to  have  the  command,  examined  me,  where  I  came 
from  and  what  my  name  was.  I  told  him.  He  asked  me  if  I  was  an 
express.  I  answered  in  the  affirmative.  He  demanded  what  time  I  left 
Boston.  I  told  him,  and  added  that  their  troops  had  catched  aground  in 
passing  the  river  and  that,  there  would  be  five  hundred  Americans  there  in 
a  short  time,  for  I  had  alarmed  the  country  all  the  way  up. 

"  He  immediately  rode  toward  those  who  stopped  us,  when  all  five  of 
them  came  down  on  a  full  gallop.  One  of  them,  whom  I  afterwards  found 
to  be  Major  Mitchel  of  the  Fifth  Regiment,  clapped  his  pistol  to  my  head, 
called  me  by  name,  and  told  me  if  I  did  not  give  true  answers  to  his  ques- 
tions he  would  blow  my  brains  out.  He  asked  me  questions  similar  to  the 
others  and,  after  searching  me  for  arms,  ordered  me  to  mount  and   pro- 


364 


THE    RIDE    OF   PAUL   REVERE 


ceed  in  front  of  them.  After  riding  a  little  way,  he  ordered  a  sergeant  to 
ride  beside  me,  and  told  him  to  blow  my  brains  out  if  I  attempted  to  run. 
"  We  rode  till  we  got  near  Lexington  meeting-house,  when  the  militia 
fired  a  volley  of  guns,  which  appeared  to  alarm  them  very  much.  The 
major  inquired  of  me  how  far  it  was  to  Cambridge  and  if  there  were  any 
other  road.  He  then  rode  up  to  the  sergeant  and  asked  him  if  his  horse 
was  tired.  t^He  was  a  sergeant  of  Grenadiers,  and  had  a  small  horse.)  He 
answered  him  he  was.  '  Then,'  said  he,  '  take  that  man's  horse.'  I  dis- 
mounted, and  the  sergeant  took  my  horse,  when  they  left  me  and  all  rode 
towards  Lexington  meeting-house. 

"  I  went  across  the  burying 
ground  and  some  pastures  and 
came  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Clark's 
house,  where  I  found  Messrs. 
Hancock  and  Adams.  I  went 
with  Mr.  Lowell,  a  clerk  to  Mr. 
Hancock,  to  the  tavern  to  get  a 
trunk  of  papers.  On  the  way  we 
met  a  man  at  full  gallop,  who 
said  the  British  were  coming  up 
the  rocks.  We  went  up  cham- 
ber, and  while  we  were  getting 
the  trunk  we  saw  the  British 
very  near  upon  a  full  march. 
We  hurried  towards  Mr.  Clark's 
house.  On  our  way  we  passed 
through  the  militia.  They  were 
about  fifty.  When  we  had  got 
about  one  hundred  yards  from 
the  rneeting-house  the  British 
troops  appeared  on  both  sides  of 
it.  In  their  front  was  an  officer 
on  horseback.  They  made  a 
short  halt,  when  I  saw  and  heard  a  gun  fired  which  appeared  to  be  a  pistol. 
Then  I  could  distinguish  two  guns,  and  then  a  continual  volley  of  mus- 
quetry;  when  we  made  off  with  the  trunk."  Revere  concludes  his  letter 
with  some  charges  and  information  against  Church,  who  proved  to  be  a 
traitor  in  the  continental  congress. 

Colonel  Paul  Revere  took  part  in  many  military  enterprises  during  the 
Revolution,  and  rose  from  the  rank  of  second  lieutenant  to  that  of  lieuten- 


THE    BOSTON    MASSACRE. 


THE   RIDE   OF  PAUL   REVERE  365 

ant-colonel.  In  the  Penobscot  expedition,  the  most  disastrous  expedition 
sent  out  from  Boston  during  the  war,  Colonel  Revere  commanded  the 
artillery.  He  was  an  artificer — for  the  most  part  self-taught — in  many 
trades.  He  cast  bells,  some  of  which  are  still  hanging  in  church  steeples ; 
and  cannon,  now  widely  scattered  as  the  spoils  of  war.  In  1805  a  De^  was 
placed  in  the  steeple  of  the  new  North  church  in  Boston,  weighing  one 
thousand  three  hundred  pounds,  and  costing  eight  hundred  dollars,  from 
the  foundry  of  Paul  Revere.  There  are  still  in  existence  many  products  of 
his  skill  as  a  silversmith  and  graver.  He  also  produced  a  large  number  of 
engravings  and  caricatures.  There  is  now  a  colored  engraving  of  the  Bos- 
ton massacre,  "  Engraved,  printed  and  sold  by  Paul  Revere,"  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  Connecticut  Historical  Society;  and  Revere's  agreement  for 
engraving  and  printing  the  paper  money  of  the  continental  congress, 
dated  December  8,  1778,  is  still  preserved  in  the  Massachusetts  archives. 

When  it  was  discovered  by  the  British  authorities  that  the  signals  which 
aroused  the  Americans  were  made  from  Christ  church,  "  a  search  was 
immediately  set  afoot  for  the  rebel  who  made  them."  The  sexton,  Robert 
Newman,  was  suspected  and  arrested,  but  he  protested  his  innocence,  and 
declared  that  the  keys  were  demanded  of  him  at  a  late  hour  that  night  by 
Captain  Pulling,  who,  being  a  vestryman,  he  thought  had  a  right  to  them. 
Meantime  Pulling  had  been  warned  by  friends  that  he  had  better  leave 
town  as  soon  as  possible  with  his  family,  and  this  he  did,  disguised  as  a 
laborer,  on  board  a  small  craft  loaded  with  beer  for  the  men-of-war  in  the 
harbor.  Mr.  Pulling  and  his  family  were  put  ashore  at  Nantasket,  where 
they  lived  in  want  until  they  returned  to  Boston  after  the  siege  was 
raised,  only  to  find  their  property  all  destroyed. 

An  attempt  has  been  made  to  set  up  a  claim  that  the  sexton  Newman 
hung  out  the  lanterns,  but  it  is  altogether  improbable,  even  if  there  were 
no  evidence,  that  Paul  Revere  would  have  entrusted  this  hazardous  enter- 
prise to  a  stranger,  after  swearing  on  the  Bible  not  to  discover  the  transac- 
tions of  the  committee  but  to  certain  trusty  men.  Another  claim  has  been 
made  that  Richard  Devens  was  the  "  friend  "  who  hung  out  the  lanterns; 
but  Revere  himself  says,  in  his  letter,  that  when  he  reached  Charlestown, 
Devens  came  to  him  and  told  him  of  meeting  British  officers  that  even- 
ing on  the  Lexington  road.  As  the  lanterns  had  only  just  been  hung  out 
at  that  time,  it  is  manifestly  impossible  that  Devens  was  the  person  who 
made  the  signal.  It  is  generally  admitted  that  Captain  Pulling  was  the 
man. 

It  has  also  been  claimed  that  the  North  meeting-house,  and  not  Christ 
church,  was  the  place  from  which  the  signal  was  made;  but  this  claim  is 


366 


THE    RIDE    OF   PAUL   REVERE 


absurd,  as  the  North  meeting-house  had  no  steeple,  and  a  light  could  not 
have  been  seen  from  it,  while  Christ  church  (then  known  as  the  "  North 
church  ")  stood  on  high  ground  directly  across  the  Charles  river  from 
Charlestown  and  had  a  very  tall  spire.  A  tablet  has  since  been  placed  in 
Christ  church  bearing  this  inscription:  "  The  signal  lanterns  of  Paul 
Revere  displayed  in  the  steeple  of  this  church,  April  18,  1775,  warned  the 
country  of  the  march  of  the  British  troops  to  Lexington  and  Concord." 


THE    FIRST   ATTEMPT   TO    FOUND    AN    AMERICAN 

COLLEGE 

By  Wm.  Armitage  Beardslee 

Scattered  through  the  records  of  the  Virginia  Company,  of  London, 
which  received  its  first  charter  from  King  James  I.  in  1606,  and  was  dis- 
solved by  order  of  the  same  king  in  1624,  there  are  a  number  of  references 
to  the  founding  and  endowment  of  a  college  at  Henrico,  one  of  the  settle- 
ments on  the  James  river  in  Virginia  ;  and  as  the  effort  there  made  was 
perhaps  the  first  attempt  to  provide  an  institution  of  higher  learning 
within  the  present  bounds  of  the  United  States,  it  may  be  of  interest  ta 
have  these  scattered  notices  gathered  together,  and  the  history  of  that 
movement  reconstructed  so  far  as  the  fragmentary  accounts  will  allow. 

The  first  official  notice  of  this  college  comes  from  the  hand  of  the  king 
himself.  In  the  year  161 7  James  wrote  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury 
authorizing  him  to  send  letters  to  the  English  bishops  giving  order  that 
11  collections  be  made  in  the  particular  parishes  four  severall  tymes  within 
these  two  years  next  coming,"  and  that  the  moneys  thus  collected  should 
be  transmitted  half-yearly  to  the  treasurer  of  the  Virginia  Company,  "  to 
be  employed  for  the  Godly  purposes  intended  and  no  other."  According 
to  the  treasurer's  report,  given  May  26,  1619,  these  collections  had  then 
amounted  to  one  thousand  five  hundred  pounds  or  thereabouts. 

In  the  meanwhile  (November  18,  1618)  the  Virginia  Company  had 
given  ten  thousand  acres  of  ground  "  for  the  endowing  of  said  University 
and  Colledge  with  convenient  possessions."  This  land  was  partly  within 
the  territory  of  Henrico,  where  the  buildings  were  to  be  erected,  and  partly 
farther  up  the  river,  a  little  below  the  present  site  of  Richmond.  During 
the  same  year  the  charge  of  the  college  was  offered  to  the  Rev.  Thomas 
Larkin,  who  thus  expresses  himself  in  one  of  his  letters  :  "  A  good  friend 
of  mine  propounded  to  me  within  three  or  four  days  a  condition  of  going 
over  to  Virginia,  where  the  Virginia  Company  means  to  erect  a  college, 
and  undertakes  to  procure  me  good  assurance  of  two  hundred  pounds  a 
year  and  better,  and  if  I  should  find  there  any  ground  of  dislike,  liberty  to 
return  at  pleasure.  I  assure  you  I  find  preferment  coming  on  so  slowly 
here  at  home,  as  makes  me  much  incline  to  accept  it."  He  determined, 
however,  to  "  do  nothing  rashly,"  and  he  never  came. 


36S  THE    FIRST   ATTEMPT   TO    FOUND   AN   AMERICAN   COLLEGE 

The  prospects  of  the  college  during  the  next  three  years  (1619-1621) 
seemed  to  be  constantly  growing  brighter. 

On  May  26,  1619,  when  the  treasurer  reported  the  amount  of  the 
collections  above  referred  to,  it  was  decided  by  the  company  that 
they  should  not  at  once  "  build  a  Colledge,  but  rather  forbeare  a  while, 
and  begin  first  with  the  moneesthey  have  to  provide  and  settle  an  Annuall 
revenue,  and  out  of  that  to  begin  the  ereccon  of  the  said  Colledge."  It 
being  "  a  waighty  busines,"  a  committee  of  seven  choice  gentlemen  was 
appointed.  One  month  later  (June  24,  1619)  their  report  was  given,  the 
substance  of  which  was  that  fifty  "  single  men,  unmarried,"  were  to  be 
sent  out  and  settled  on  the  college  land,  "  to  have  halfe  the  benefitt  of 
their  labors,  and  the  other  halfe  to  goe  in  getting  forward  the  worke  and 
for  mayntenance  of  the  Tutors  and  Schollers."  These  "  single  men, 
unmarried,"  were  to  be  "  smiths,  carpenters,  brick-layers,  turners,  potters, 
husbandmen,  brick-makers."  A  minister  was  to  be  "  entertained  at  the 
yearly  allowance  of  forty  pounds,"  and  there  was  also  to  be  a  captain  to 
have  charge  of  the  people  on  the  college  land,  for  it  was  situated  in  the 
wilderness,  almost  surrounded  by  Indian  tribes.  The  ship  carrying  these 
men  was  "  to  sett  out  soon  after  the  middest  of  July  at  the  furthest,  that 
by  the  blessing  of  God  they  may  arrive  there  by  the  end  of  October." 
Toward  the  end  of  that  year  Sir  Edwin  Sandys,  who  was  thoroughly 
acquainted  with  Virginia,  proposed  that  the  next  spring  the  number  of 
men  on  the  college  land  be  increased  by  one  hundred,  estimating  that  the 
hundred  men  thus  added,  being  rightly  employed,  would  not  yield  less  in 
value  than  one  thousand  pounds  yearly  revenue. 

On  June  21,  1619,  an  unknown  person,  evidently  of  high  church  tend- 
encies, presented  to  this  frontier  college,  "  A  Communion  Cup  with  a  cover 
and  vase,  a  Trencher  plate  for  the  bread,  a  Carpett  of  crimson  velvett, 
and  a  Linnen  Damaske  table  cloth."  The  next  year  (February  20,  1620) 
another  unknown  person  left  the  college  a  legacy  of  five  hundred  pounds. 
On  the  15th  of  November  of  the  same  year,  "a  straunger  stept  in  present- 
inge  a  Mapp  of  Sir  Walter  Rawlighes  contayninge  a  Descripcon  of  Guiana, 
and  with  the  same  fower  great  books  as  the  Guift  of  one  unto  the  Company 
that  desyred  his  name  might  not  be  made  knowne,  whereof  one  booke  was 
a  treatise  of  St.  Augustine  of  the  Citty  of  God  translated  into  English, 
and  the  other  three  great  Volumes  wer  the  works  of  Mr.  Perkins  newlie 
corrected  and  amended,  wch  books  the  Donor  desyred  they  might  be  sent 
to  the  Colledge  in  Virginia,  there  to  remayne  in  saftie  to  the  use  of  the 
collegiates." 

During  this   same   year   two   large   amounts  of  money  came   to    the 


THE   FIRST  ATTEMPT   TO   FOUND   AN   AMERICAN   COLLEGE  369 

college;  the  first,  of  five  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  in  gold,  "for  the 
bringinge  upp  of  Children  of  the  Infidlcs,  first  in  ye  knowledge  of  God 
&  true  religion  &  next  in  fitt  trades  whereby  honestly  to  live  " — evidently 
given  by  one  who  knew  where  it  was  necessary  to  begin  in  this  fine 
scheme  for  the  higher  education  ;  and  the  other  a  sum  of  three  hundred 
pounds  "  for  the  Colledge  in  Virginia  to  be  paid  when  there  shel  be  tenn 
of  the  Infidles  Children  placed  in  itt."  The  same  year  also  the  Rev. 
Thomas  Bargrave  of  Virginia  died,  leaving  to  the  college  his  library, 
valued  at  about  seventy  pounds. 

These  various  gifts  and  bequests  show  that  the  proposed  college  was 
generally  known  and  excited  considerable  interest  at  the  time.  The 
conversion  of  the  Indians  was  one  of  the  popular  enthusiasms,  and  no 
small  part  of  the  apparent  success  of  the  plan  for  a  college  is  due  to  the 
sentimental  interest  taken  in  the  "  infidel  children  of  the  forest."  This 
was  soon,  however,  to  receive  a  rude  shock.  In  the  spring  of  1622  the 
news  reached  England  of  the  great  massacre  of  March  22d,  which  fell  so 
suddenly  and  so  terribly  on  the  Virginia  plantation,  when  along  with 
many  other  settlements  the  little  palisaded  village  of  Henrico,  the  place 
chosen  as  the  site  of  the  proposed  university,  was  utterly  destroyed. 

Nevertheless,  the  plan  for  a  college  was  not  yet  abandoned.  The 
very  letter  which  contained  the  famous  Virginia  scheme  of  Indian  exter- 
mination for  the  sake  of  revenge  contained  also  directions  for  the  ordering 
and  resettling  of  the  college  tenants,  who,  henceforth,  were  to  be  left  to 
their  own  disposing  and  government,  and  that  they  might  "  reduce  the 
uncertaintie  of  halfe  to  the  certaintie  of  a  Rent,  we  have  therefore  agreed 
shal  be  every  pson  twenty  bushells  of  come  ;  60  waight  of  good  leafe 
tobacco,  and  one  pound  of  silke  to  be  yearly  paid  together  with  six  dayes 
labors  "  ;  and,  furthermore,  "  as  for  the  Brick-makers  we  desire  they  may 
be  held  to  their  contract  made  with  Mr.  Thorpe,  to  the  intent  that  when 
opportunitie  shal  be  for  the  erecting  of  the  fabricke  of  the  Colledge  the 
materialls  be  not  wanting." 

But  the  end  was  drawing  near.  The  next  year  (1623)  the  company 
fell  still  more  into  disfavor  with  the  king,  and  on  June  16,  1624,  their 
charter  was  declared  to  be  null  and  void.  The  last  notice  relating  to 
the  college  is  under  date  of  June  18,  1623:  "Edward  Downes  peticoned 
that  his  son  Richard  Downes  havinge  continued  in  Virginia  these  4 
yeares  and  being  bred  a  schollar  went  over  in  hope  of  preferment  in  the 
Colledge  there ;  might  now  be  free  to  live  there  of  himselfe  and  have  fifty 
acres  of  land  to  plant  upon.  The  Court  conceaving  his  suite  to  be  verie 
reasonable  have  recomended  the  graunt  thereof  to  the  next  Quarter  Court." 

Vol.  XXIX.-No.  4.-24 


370  GENERAL   MERCER  AT   PRINCETON 

Nothing  more  is  known  of  this  first  attempt  to  found  a  college  on 
American  soil.  By  the  wreck  of  the  Virginia  Company,  which  acted  as  its 
trustee,  it  lost  possession  of  its  extensive  lands,  and  the  thousands  of 
pounds  which  had  been  so  freely  bestowed  upon  it  by  way  of  endowment ; 
nor  is  there  any  trace  of  what  became  of  the  communion  set  with  its 
"  carpett  of  crimson  velvett,"  nor  the  curious  "  Mapp  of  Guiana,"  nor 
the  "  three  great  Volumes  "  of  Mr.  Perkins,  and  the  library  of  the  Rev. 
Thomas  Bargrave. 

Yet  had  it  not  been  for  the  wrath  of  King  James,  who  hated  the  policy 
pursued  by  the  Virginia  Company,  this  college  might  to-day  be  the  most 
venerable  of  American  universities,  thirteen  years  older  than  Harvard  ; 
founded,  indeed,  before  the  Mayflower  had  yet  set  sail  for  her  voyage  to 
Plymouth  Bay. 


GENERAL    MERCER   AT    PRINCETON 

By  Charles  D.  Platt 

Here  Mercer  fell,  with  bayonet-pierced  breast, 

Facing  his  country's  foes  upon  the  field, 

Scorning  to  cry  for  quarter  or  to  yield, 
Though  single-handed  left  and  sore  opprest. 

He,  at  his  chosen  country's  high  behest, 

Was  set  to  be  a  leader  and  to  shield 

Her  threatened  life  :— with  his  heart's  blood  he  sealed 
That  trust,  nor  faltered  till  he  sank  to  rest. 

Mourn  not  for  him  ;  say  not  untimely  death 

Snatched  him  from  fame  ere  we  could  know  his  worth, 

And  hid  the  lustre  of  a  glorious  name  : 
Such  souls  go  forth,  when  fails  their  vital  breath, 

To  shine  as  beacons  through  the  mists  of  earth 

And  kindle  in  men's  hearts  heroic  flame. 


AN    ACCOUNT    OF    TWO    MANUSCRIPT    VOLUMES    NOW    IN 
THE    LIBRARY    OF   CONGRESS,    AT   WASHINGTON,    D.C. 

By  Alexander  Brown 

The  regular  set  of  books  kept  by  the  Virginia  company  of  London 
consisted  of — first,  "The  blurr  books,"  on  the  order  of  our  "blotters:" 
all  business  transactions  were  entered  in  them  ;  second,  "  the  court  books," 
which  were  compiled  from  "  the  blurr  books,"  and  which  contained  only 
such  items  as  were  to  be  brought  before  the  courts  of  the  company  ;  and, 
thirdly,  The  Records  of  the  Courts,  which  were  especially  prepared  to  be 
read  by  "  the  generality  of  the  company  ;  "  that  is,  they  were  really  the 
reports  of  the  courts,  or  to  speak  more  definitely,  the  organ  of  the  admin- 
istration for  the  time  being,  containing  only  such  matter,  and  presented 
in  such  manner,  as  the  court  of  the  company  at  the  time  thought  advisable 
to  make  public.  A  copy  of  this  third  set  of  books,  The  Records  of  the 
Courts,  during  the  Sandys-Southampton  administrations,  from  April  28, 
1619,  to  June  7,  1624,  is  now  preserved  in  the  library  of  congress,  and  it  is 
the  history  of  this  most  interesting  relic  which  I  purpose  giving. 

The  management  of  the  company  was  largely  in  the  hands  of  men  of 
affairs  until  April  28,  1619,  when  the  enterprise  had  grown  to  be  a  matter 
of  real  importance  in  the  affairs  of  the  nation,  and  it  became  more  and 
more  a  factor  in  English  politics  until,  for  reasons  which  it  will  not  be 
necessary  to  explain  here,  Chief  Justice  James  Ley,  on  June  16,  1624, 
declared  the  patent  or  charter  of  the  company  "  thenceforth  null  and  void." 
On  June  26,  1624,  the  privy  council  of  England  ordered:  "Mr.  Nicholas 
Ferrar,  The  Deputy  for  the  late  Company  of  Virginia,  to  bring  to  the 
Council  chamber  all  the  Patents,  Books  of  accounts,  etc.,  to  be  retained 
by  the  Keeper  of  the  Privy  Council  chest  till  further  order."  On  July  15 
the  commission  was  sealed  to  the  committee  (appointed  June  24),  consist- 
ing of  fifty-six  leading  men  of  the  period,  who  were  ordered  "  to  take  into 
their  hands  and  custody,  all  Charters,  Letters-Patentes,  grantes  and  In- 
structions, all  Bookes,  orders,  Letters,  Advices,  and  other  writings  and 
thinges  in  anywise  concerninge  the  Colony  and  Company  of  Virginia,  in 
whose  handes  soever  the  same  be." 

The  making  of  the  said  copy  of  The  Records  of  the  Courts  had  begun 
about  June,  1623,  soon  after  the  books  were  returned  by  the  first  commis- 


372       TWO    MANUSCRIPT  VOLUMES   IN   THE    LIBRARY   OF   CONGRESS 

sioners  of  April-May,  1623,  and  it  was  completed  on  June  19,  1624,  just 
seven  days  before  Nicholas  Ferrar  was  ordered  to  bring  all  books,  etc.,  of 
the  company  to  the  privy  council  chamber.  The  copy  is -in  the  archaic 
handwriting  of  the  period;  it  is  bound  in  two  volumes,  and  they  are  fully 
described  in  the  following  memoranda : 

The  first  volume,  beginning  with  the  court  of  April  28,  1619,  and  end- 
ing with  the  court  of  May  8,  1622,  contains  three  hundred  and  fifty-four 
pages,  and  concludes  with  this  statement: 

Memorandum,  that  wee,  Edward  Waterhouse  and  Edward  Collingwood,  secretaries 
of  The  Companies  for  Virginia  and  the  Sumer  Hands,  have  examined  and  compared  the 
Booke  going  before,  conteyning  one  hundred  seventy-seven  leaves  from  Page  1  to  Page 
354,  with  the  originall  Booke  of  Courts  itself.  And  doe  find  this  Booke  to  be  a  true  and 
perfect  copie  of  the  said  originall  Courte  Booke,  savinge  that  there  is  wanting  in  the 
Copie,  of  Court  of  the  20th  May  1620,  and  the  beginning  of  the  Or.  Court  held  22nd  ;  but 
as  farre  as  is  here  entered  in  this  copie  doth  truly  agree  with  the  originall  itself. 

And  to  every  Page,  I,  Edward  Collingwood,  have  sett  my  hand  and  both  of  us  do 
hereby  testifie  as  above  that  it  is  a  true  copie. 

Jan'y  28.  1623  [i.e.  1624,  present  Style]. 

Edw:  Waterhouse,  secret. 
Ed:  Collingwood,  secret. 

The  second  volume  contains  three  hundred  and  eighty-seven  pages, 
and  is  concluded  with  the  following  : 

Memorand.  That  wee  Edward  Collingwood,  Secretary  of  the  Company  for  Vir- 
ginia, and  Thomas  Collet  of  the  Middle  Temple,  gentleman,  have  perused,  compared 
and  examined  this  present  booke,  beginninge  att  page  1,  att  a  Preparative  Court  held  for 
Virginia  the  20th  of  May  1622,  and  endinge  at  this  present  page  387  att  a  Preparative 
Court  held  the  7th  of  June  1624.  And  wee  doe  finde  that  this  coppie  dothe  perfectlie 
agree  with  the  originall  books  of  the  Court  belonging  to  the  company  in  all  things,  save 
that  in  page  371,  the  graunt  of  800  acres  to  Mr  Maurice  Berkley  is  not  entred,  and  save 
that  in  page  358  we  wanted  the  Lord's  letter  to  Mr  Deputy  Ferrar,  so  that  we  could  not 
compare  itt  and  likewise  saving  that  in  Page  348  wee  wanted  the  Governor  and  Counsell's 
Letter  from  Virginia  in  which  respect,  I,  Edward  Collingwood,  have  not  sett  my  hand 
to  those  three  pages,  but  to  all  the  rest  I  have  sett  my  hand  severally  to  each  in  confirma- 
tion, that  they  agree  truly  with  the  Originals.  And  in  witness  and  confirmation  that 
this  booke  is  a  true  Coppy  of  the  Virginia  Courts,  wee  have  hereunder  joyntly  sett  our 

hands  the  19th  day  of  June  1624. 

Thomas  Collett. 

Edward  Collingwood,  Secr. 

I  have  found  only  three  contemporary  accounts  of  these  volumes. 
Like  the  volumes  themselves,  they  were  prepared  by  members  of  the 
Sandys-Southampton  party,  and  are  ex-parte ;  but  they  are  very  inter- 
esting.    The  first  is  found  in  The  Discours  of  ye  Old  Company  of  Virginia, 


TWO    MANUSCRIPT   VOLUMES    IN   THE   LIBRARY   OF   CONGRESS       373 

which  was  addressed  in  April  or  May,  1625,  to  the  lords  of  the  privy 
council  of  Charles  I.  It  contains  about  fifteen  thousand  words  reviewing 
the  colonial  enterprise  in  Virginia  from  1607  to  1625.  It  is  severe  on 
11  Sir  Thomas  Smith,  Alderman  Robert  Johnson,  and  that  opposite  party." 
The  purport  of  the  paper  being  that  the  affairs  of  the  colony  of  Virginia 
should  be  taken  out  of  the  hands  of  the  commissioners,  in  which  they  then 
were,  and  should  be  replaced  into  the  hands  of  the  Sandys-Ferrar  party, 
who,  according  to  this  "  Discours,"  had  managed  the  colony  with  much 
success.  The  document  has  never  been  printed  ;  my  copy,  from  which 
I  extract  the  following  account,  was  made  for  me  in  the  British  museum, 
where  the  original  manuscript  now  is  : 

.  .  .  Nor  that  ever  they  [The  Commissioners.]  will  do  ye  Adventurers  of  ye 
late  Companie  right  in  matters  of  their  Estates  ;  that  have  so  violently  endeavoured  to 
do  them  wrong-  in  their  Honours  and  Reputations,  having  intended,  as  themselves 
wright,  a  Reformation  and  Correction  of  the  Originall  Court  bookes  of  ye  late  Companie, 
then  possessed  by  them,  if  they  could  have  gott  into  their  hands  certayne  copies  of  them 
which  Mr  Nicholas  Ferrarlate  Deputy,  had  at  his  owne  charges  caused  to  be  transcribed. 
But  before  their  severe  order  came  to  him,  he  had  delivered  his  Copys  to  the  Earle  of 
Southampton  : — who  sent  the  Commissioners  word  that  he  would  as  soone  part  with  the 
evidences  of  his  Land  as  with  the  said  Copies  ;  being  the  evidence  of  his  honour  in  that 
service  :  so  by  this  meanes  have  the  Originall  Court-bookes  yet  escaped  purging  : — And 
with  all  duety  wee  humbly  beseech  your  Lordships  that  they  may  hereafter  be  protected 
from  it.  And  that  howsoever  your  Lordships  shall  please  for  the  future  to  dispose  of 
the  Companie,  that  the  records  of  their  past  actions  may  not  be  corrupted  and  falsified. 

The  copy  of  the  second  volume,  as  we  have  seen,  was  attested  on  June 
19,  1624;  the  order  on  Ferrar  issued  on  June  26;  the  commission  sealed 
on  July  15  ;  the  Earl  of  Southampton  began  enlisting  troops  in  England 
to  fight  against  Spain  early  in  June,  and  about  August  went  over  to  the 
Netherlands,  where  he  died  on  November  10,  1624.  So  it  seems  that 
these  copies  must  have  been  placed  in  his  hands  after  June  19  and  before 
June  26,  and  that  his  answer  was  sent  the  commissioners  after  July  15 
and  before  August,  1624. 

The  second  contemporary  account  is  found  in  "  A  Short  Collection  of 
the  most  Remarkable  Passages  from  the  Originall  to  the  dissolution  of  The 
Virginia  Company. — London.  Printed  by  Richard  Cotes  for  Edward 
Husband,  at  the  Golden  Dragon  in  Fleet  Street.  165 1."  This  date — 
"  1651" — is  the  only  date  in  the  whole  tract;  but  the  manuscript  was 
originally  written  at  an  earlier  date,  probably  between  1635-45,  by  Mr. 
Arthur  Wodenoth,  evidently  in  the  interest  of  Sir  John  Danvers,  and  for 
some  special  purpose.  It  was  not  published,  however,  by  the  author,  but 
was  placed  by  Mr.  W.  Wodenoth,  the  author's   cousin,  into    the   hands  of 


574        TWO    MANUSCRIPT   VOLUMES    IN   THE    LIBRARY    OF   CONGRESS 

some  one,  who  signs  the  preface  with  the  initials  A.  P.  It  was  this  person 
who  had  the  manuscript  published  in  165 1,  and  it  was  not  revised  (cor- 
rected, dates  supplied,  etc.)  as  YVodenoth   requested. 

.  .  .  It  may  not  be  unfit  in  this  place  to  call  to  mind  some  speciall  acts  of 
Sir  John  Danvers,  wherein  he  took  opportunity  faithfully  and  kindly  to  serve  his  worthy 
friends.  One  whereof  was  this,  that  shortly  after  the  judgment  against  the  Virginia 
Company,  one  Mr.  Collingwood  came  to  him,  recounting  his  acknowledgement  of  great 
obligations  for  recommending  him  to  the  place  of  Secretary  to  the  Virginia  Company, 
which  was  growing  every  day  more  valuable  in  case  it  had  been  happily  continued  : 
and  at  the  same  time  acquainted  him,  that  three  Merchant  men,  one  after  another  had 
been  with  him  at  his  house,  commending  his  parts  and  abilities  for  imployment,  and  much 
pittying  his  case  to  be  now  destitute  of  meanes  for  the  maintenance  of  him  and  his 
family  but  concluding  in  a  subtil  &  soothing  way,  that  as  he  might  perceive  the  King's 
displeasure  against  the  Earl  of  Southampton  and  Sir  E.  Sandys,  so  would  he  gain 
imployment  and  great  benefit  to  himself  for  all  the  days  of  his  life,  by  saying  or  discov- 
ering ought  of  their  transactions,  or  otherwise,  that  should  bring  any  ill  reflection  upon 
their  persons.  When  his  answer  was — That  he  knew  nothing  but  honor  and  justice  in 
their  ways,  nor  upon  any  terms  would  bee  drawn  to  such  unthankfulnesse,  as  to  offer 
the  least  matter  against  them.  It  is  true  (said  he)  they  mentioned  nothing  relating  to 
yourself  (which  he  thought  was  forborn  in  regard  of  the  particular  relation  and  obliga- 
tion he  had  to  him)  .  .  Nor  could  Mr  Collingwood  think  it  possible  openly  to  detect 
and  convinct  those  Merchants  of  this  wickedness  ;  because  they  came  singly  unto  him, 
and  by  the  same  knavery  would  deny  their  attempts,  but  that  this  only  was  to  be  taken  as 
a  caution  against  such  kind  of  base  insinuation. 

Sir  John  Danvers  asking  further,  whether  there  was  any  of  relation  to  those  affairs 
that  might  be  tempted  to  such  Villany  : — he  answered  there  was  an  indigent  person, 
whom  he  had  made  use  of  to  write  and  make  entries  for  his  assistance,  whose  hand- 
writing and  intelligent  apprehension  had  caused  him  to  be  sent  for  divers  times  to 
Southampton  House,  and  employed  in  dictates  by  that  Earl  and  Sir  Edwyn  Sandys,  and 
he  being  of  unsettled  or  loose  life,  might  possibly  be  drawn  to  serve  the  turns  of 
Malevolents,  etc. 

Sir  J.  Danvers  took  speedy  course  to  ingage  him  for  a  long  time,  most  whiles 
lockt  up  in  a  chamber,  til  he  had  fairly  copyed  the  Leiger-Court  books  of  all  the  main 
transactions  of  the  Company  of  Virginia,  accordingly  attested  for  true  copies,  and  then 
encouraging  him  into  the  country  to  see  his  friends,  giving  him  a  part  of  reward  for  his 
pains,  and  obliging  him  to  come  to  him  again  for  the  remainder,  by  which  meanes  he 
kept  him  wholly  out  of  the  way  and  from  temptation.  And  as  soon  after  as  he  could 
speak  with  my  Lord  of  Southampton,  carryed  him  the  said  authenticall  copies,  declaring 
the  information  of  Collingwood,  and  that  having  sometimes  heard  of  a  great  governing 
court  Lady,  who  was  desirous  to  dispossess  a  female  Heir  that  had  married  a  young 
gentleman,  as  to  make  her  eather  a  wife  to  a  creature  or  attendant  of  her  owne,  and 
after  working  somewhat  in  diverting  their  affections,  each  from  other,  a  legall  prosecu- 
tion was  had  to  disprove  the  marriage,  which  not-with-standing  was  affirmed  by  all  sorts 
of  circumstances  and  witnesses,  yet  by  corrupting  a  Register,  who  in  his  entries  put  a 
negative  for  an  affirmative,  He  that  was  Judge  of  the  cause,  secundum  allegata  et 
probata,  expressed  on  the  Registry,  declared  a  nullity  of  the  former  marriage,  whereby 


TWO    MANUSCRIPT  VOLUMES   IN   THE    LIBRARY    OF   CONGRESS       375 

the  heir  was  remarried  to  a  second  person.  This,  said,  Sir  John  Danvers,  gave  him  to 
consider  how  the  malice  against  the  Earl,  etc.,  failing  in  all  other  inventions,  might 
possibly  in  like  manner  corrupt  the  records  of  The  Virginia  Company,  getting  them,  as 
they  did  not  long  after  into  their  custody  and  power.  Wherefore  he  presented  his  Lord- 
ship with  those  true  copies  to  be  alwaies  ready  for  his  justification. 

The  Earl  was  so  affected  therewith  that  he  took  Sir  J.  Danvers  into  his  arms  with 
very  great  thankfulnesse,  saying — Who  could  have  thought  of  such  a  friendship,  but 
Charles  Danvers  his  brother,  who  was  the  truest  friend  that  ever  man  had  ?  and  there- 
upon calling  his  kinsman,  Mr  Wriothsley  chiefly  entrusted  by  him,  declared  the  whole 
discourse,  and  in  conclusion  said,  Let  those  books  bee  carryed  and  safelv  kept,  at  my 
house  at  Tichfield,  they  are  the  evidence  of  my  honour  and  I  value  them  more  than  the 
evidence  of  my  lands. 

The  foregoing  account  is  written  "  in  a  subtil  and  soothing  "  way,  and 
I  doubt  if  it  be  strictly  accurate.  The  evidence  that  Nicholas  Ferrar,  Jr., 
and  not  Sir  John  Danvers,  had  these  copies  made,  seems  to  me  to  be  very 
strong,  if  not  conclusive.  And  this  account  is  in  several  other  ways  confus- 
ing. For  instance,  the  copying  could  not  have  begun  "  shortly  after  the 
judgment  against  the  Virginia  Company";  because  the  first  volume  was 
attested  on  January  28,  several  months  before  the  said  judgment,  and  the 
second  was  completed  on  or  before  June  19,  only  three  days  after  the  said 
judgment.  Mr.  Arthur  Wodenoth,  who  is  said  to  have  been  the  original 
author  of  this  document,  was  a  constant  friend  to  the  poet  George  Her- 
bert, whose  eyes  he  closed  at  death,  and  whose  executor  he  was. 

The  third  contemporary  account  is  found  in  the  "Memoirs  of  the  Life 
of  Mr.  Nicholas  Ferrar.  By  P.  Peckard,  D.D.,  Master  of  Magdalen  Col- 
lege, Cambridge.  MDCCXC."  These  memoirs  are  based  on  The  Com- 
plete Church  of  England  Man  exemplified  in  the  holy  Life  of  Mr.  N. 
Ferrar.  Written  by  his  brother  and  predecessor  in  the  office  of  deputy 
treasurer,  Mr.  John  Ferrar.  The  date  of  this  original  manuscript  is  not 
certainly  known,  but  it  was  probably  written  about  1654.  The  author  of 
it  died  in  1657. 

.  .  .  He  [Nicholas  Ferrar]  did  not  therefore  depend  upon  the  present  promising 
appearance  of  their  [The  Virginia  Company]  affairs  :  he  knew  that  malice  was  at  work  ; 
and  he  had  frequently  seen  a  temporary  calm  precede  the  most  destructive  storm.  Being 
under  apprehensions  of  this  sort,  about  a  year  before  the  dissolution  of  the  Company,  he 
procured  an  expert  clerk  fairly  to  copy  out  all  the  court  books,  and  all  other  writings 
belonging  to  them,  and  caused  them  all  to  be  carefully  collated  with  the  originals,  and 
afterward  attested  upon  oath  by  the  examiners  to  be  true  copies.  The  transcribing  of 
which  cost  him  out  of  his  own  pocket  above  ^50.;  but  this  he  thought  one  of  the  best 
services  he  could  do  the  Company. 

When  the  Lords  of  the  Council  therefore  had  (as  before  related)  seized  the  originals, 
Mr.  Ferrar  had  all  these  attested  copies,  as  yet  unknown  to  any  of  the  company  safe  in- 


i;6       TWO    MANUSCRIPT   VOLUMES   IN   THE   LIBRARY   OF   CONGRESS 

his  possession.  But  now  when  the  Lord  Treasurer  [Lionel  Cranfield,  Earl  of  Middlesex] 
had  procured  sentence  in  form  against  the  company,  and  all  their  muniments  had  been 
taken  from  them,  Mr.  Ferrar  informed  Sir  Edwyn  Sandys  and  some  other  of  his  most 
intimate  friends,  what  a  treasure  he  had  yet  remaining-  in  his  hands  ;  and  desired  their 
opinion  how  he  might  best  dispose  of  them.  On  hearing  this  they  were  equally  surprised 
and  overjoyed,  and  unanimously  desired  him  to  carry  them  to  their  late  worthy  Gov- 
ernor the  Earl  of  Southampton.  He  did  so,  and  farther  told  his  Lordship,  that  he  now 
left  them  entirely  to  his  Lordship's  care  and  disposal  :  that  if  hereafter  there  should  be 
opportunity,  he  might  make  use  of  them  in  justification  of  his  own,  and  the  late  Com- 
pany's most  honourable  and  upright  proceedings. 

The  Earl  of  Southampton  cordially  embracing  Mr.  Ferrar,  said  to  him  : — You  still 
more  and  more  engage  me  to  love  and  honour  you.  I  accept  of  this  your  present,  as  of 
a  rich  treasure,  for  these  are  evidences  that  concern  my  honour.  I  shall  value  them 
therefore  even  more  than  the  evidences  that  concern  my  lands  :  inasmuch  as  my  honour, 
and  reputation  are  to  me  of  more  estimation  than  wealth  or  life  itself.  They  are  also 
the  testimonials  of  all  our  upright  dealings  in  the  business  of  the  late  Company  and  the 
plantation.  I  cannot  therefore  express  how  highly  I  think  myself  obliged  to  you  for  this 
instance  of  your  care  and  foresight. 

Soon  after  this  interview,  Lord  Southampton  was  advised  not  to  keep  these  books 
in  his  own  house,  lest  search  should  be  made  there  for  them  ;  but  rather  to  place  them 
in  the  hands  and  entrust  them  to  the  care  of  some  particular  friend.  Which  advice,  as 
the  times  then  stood,  he  thought  proper  to  follow.  He  therefore  delivered  them  into  the 
custody  of  Sir  R.  Killegrew,  who  kept  them  safely  till  he  died.  He  left  and  recom- 
mended them  to  the  care  of  Sir  Edward  Sackville,  late  Earl  of  Dorset,  who  died  in  May 
1652  :  and  it  is  hoped  that  this  noble  family  still  hath  them  in  safe  keeping. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Peckard,  writing  about  1790,  makes  the  following  note 
on  this  passage.  "  On  application  to  the  Duke  of  Dorset,  his  Grace  with 
the  utmost  liberality  of  mind,  and  most  polite  condescension  directed  his 
library  to  be  searched  for  this  manuscript.  The  search  was  fruitless  ;  but 
some  detached  papers  were  found  which  his  Grace  most  obligingly  sent  to 
me,"  etc.  However,  they  had  no  bearing  on  the  copies  in  question.  I 
doubt  the  transfer  to  the  Earl  of  Dorset,  although  he  was  a  leading  mem- 
ber of  the  Sandys-Southampton  party  in  the  Virginia  Company,  not 
only  because  no  trace  of  them  was  found  in  the  library  of  that  noble 
family  ;  but  also,  as  the  volumes  were  bought  by  Colonel  Byrd  of  Vir- 
ginia directly  from  the  executors  of  the  Southampton  estate  in  England, 
the  infefence  is  that  they  were  kept  at  Tichfield  from  1624  until  they 
were  sold  to  Byrd.  I  also  doubt  the  accuracy  of  the  assertion  in  this 
last  account,  that  the  earl  transferred  the  volumes  to  the  custody  of  Sir 
R.  Killegrew,  because  Killegrew  was  a  member  of  the  commission  from 
which  we  are  told  the  manuscript  was  to  be  especially  concealed. 

The  last  account  places  the  delivery  of  the  copy  to  the  Earl  of  South- 
ampton after  "all  their  muniments  had  been  taken  from  them  " — while 


TWO   MANUSCRIPT   VOLUMES   IN   THE   LIBRARY   OF  CONGRESS       3/7 

the  first  account  places  it  "  before  their  severe  order,"  etc.;  but  it  agrees  in 
the  main  question  with  the  first  account,  and  not  with  the  second.  Of 
course,  it  is  possible,  though  not  probable,  that  there  were  two  sets  of 
copies,  the  one  made  for  Ferrar,  and  the  other  for  Danvers,  and  that  both 
sets  were  given  to  the  Earl  of  Southampton,  who  received  them  with  very 
similar  words  of  thanks  ;  or  it  may  be  that  Ferrar  and  Danvers  were  jointly 
interested  in  having  the  same  copy  made. 

Henry,  third  Earl  of  Southampton,  and  last  treasurer  of  the  Virginia 
Company  of  London,  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Thomas  Wriothesley  as 
fourth  earl,  who  inherited  the  copies  in  question.  He  also  succeeded  his 
father  as  a  member  of  the  council  for  New  England,  and  was  present  at 
the  meeting  on  April  25,  1635,  at  the  Earl  of  Carlisle's  chamber,  White- 
hall, when  the  declaration  for  the  resignation  of  the  great  New  England 
charter  was  issued.  In  1641  he  was  sworn  of  the  privy  council  to  Charles 
I.  In  November,  1647,  the  king  took  refuge  in  his  house  at  Tichfield, 
and  it  may  be  that  these  volumes  were  then  looked  over  by  that  unfortu- 
nate monarch.  On  January  30,  1649,  at  the  execution  of  Charles  I., 
Lodge  says  :  "  Southampton  was  perhaps  the  very  last  of  the  faithful 
servants  who  were  torn  from  his  royal  person."  He  remained  in  England 
in  peace  and  safety  during  Cromwell's  time.  And  on  the  restoration, 
Charles  II.  invested  him  with  the  order  of  the  garter,  appointed  him 
lord  high  treasurer,  member  of  the  privy  council  of  England,  and  one 
of  the  council  for  foreign  plantations.  He  died  May  16,  1667,  at 
Southampton  house  near  Holburne  (where  the  court  of  the  Virginia 
Company  of  London  had  frequently  met  in  former  times),  and  was  buried 
at  Tichfield.  He  left  no  male  heirs.  Elizabeth  Lady  Noel,  his  eldest 
daughter,  inherited  Tichfield  ;  his  second  daughter,  who  married  secondly 
the  unfortunate  Lord  William  Russell,  is  known  in  history,  to  which  her 
life  contributed  a  beautiful  page,  as  "  the  Lady  Rachel  Russell;"  his 
third  daughter  married,  first,  Joseline  Percy  (the  eleventh  and  last  Earl 
of  Northumberland  of  that  noble  family),  and  secondly,  Ralph,  Earl  of 
Montagu,  whose  town  house  occupied  the  present  site  of  the  British 
museum. 

Sometime  after  the  death  of  the  fourth  Earl  of  Southampton,  the 
manuscript  volumes  were  sold  by  the  executors  of  his  estate  (probably  for 
the  benefit  of  the  aforesaid  daughters  and  co-heirs)  to  Colonel  William 
Byrd  for  sixty  guineas.  The  exact  date  of  this  sale  is  not  known.  The 
purchaser  is  known  as  "  Colonel  William  Byrd  the  first  of  Virginia."  He 
was  born  in  London  in  1652,  and  first  came  to  Virginia  in  1671,  when  he 
was  probably  too  young  to  take  an  interest   in  such  things.     He  married 


about  the  year  1673,  Mary,  daughter  of  Colonel  Warham  Horsmanden,  a 
great-grand-nephew  of  Sir  Thomas  Smith,  the  first  treasurer  or  governor 
of  the  Virginia  Company  of  London.  I  infer  that  this  family  alliance 
had  an  influence  on  the  purchase,  and  that  it  was  made  after  his  marriage, 
while  he  was  on  one  of  his  visits  to  England  between  1673  and  1688. 
The  first  American  owner  of  these  volumes  died  at  his  seat  "  Westover  " 
in  Virginia,  on  December  4,  1704,  and  left  them  to  his  son  Colonel  William 
Byrd  the  second,  who  was  born  on  March  28,  1674,  and  died  on  August 
26,  1744.  He  is  alluded  to  by  the  Rev.  William  Stith  the  historian  as 
"  The  Honourable  William  Byrd,  Esq.,"  and  his  volumes  (the  originals  of 
which,  and  these  copies  thereof,  were  prepared  under  the  direction  of  "  the 
opposite  party  "  to  his  ancient  uncle  Sir  Thomas  Smith)  were  used  very 
vigorously  by  Stith  in  his  history  of  Virginia,  against  his  said  ancient 
uncle's  administration  of  the  Virginia  enterprise  from  1607  to  1619. 

The  first  reference  to  these  volumes  in  an  American  book  is  found  in 
the  preface  to  the  aforesaid  history,  which  was  written  by  Stith  at  Varina 
in  Virginia,  on  December  10,  1746. 

"  But  I  must  confess  myself  most  endebted  in  this  Part  of  my  History,  to  a  very  full 
and  fair  Manuscript  of  The  London  Company's  Records,  which  was  communicated  to 
me  by  the  late  worthy  President  of  our  Council,  the  Honourable  William  Byrd  Esq. 
.  .  .  As  these  Records  are  a  very  curious  and  valuable  Piece  of  the  Antiquities  of  our 
Country,  I  shall  give  the  Reader  an  Account  of  them,  which  I  received  many  years  ago 
in  conversation  with  Col.  Byrd  and  Sir  John  Randolph.  .  .  .  This  copy  was  taken, 
by  the  order,  [?]  and  for  the  Use,  of  the  Earl  of  Southampton,  the  company's  Treasurer 
at  that  time.  .  .  .  They  were  carefully  preserved  in  the  family.  .  .  .  .  After  the 
Death  of  that  Earl's  son,  the  Duke  [Earl]  of  Southampton  (the  worthy  Partner  in  the 
Ministry  with  the  Earl  of  Clarendon,  after  the  Restoration),  which  happened  in  the  year 
1667,  the  late  Col.  Byrd's  father,  being  then  in  England,  Purchased  them  of  his  Execu- 
tors, for  sixty  guineas." 

The  volumes  were  inherited  from  his  father  by  Colonel  William  Byrd 
the  third,  who  was  born  September  6,  1728,  and  died  January  I,  1777. 
Some  years  before  his  death  he  lent  them  to  Colonel  Richard  Bland,  who 
died  October  26,  1776.  When  Bland's  library  was  sold,  it  was  purchased 
by  Thomas  Jeffersdn,  and  these  volumes  came  to  Jefferson  with  that 
library,  as  the  following  extract  from  his  letter  of  October  4,  1823,  to 
Colonel  Hugh  P.  Taylor,  will  explain  : 

"...  The  only  manuscripts  I  now  possess  (relating  to  the  antiquities  of  our  coun- 
try; are  some  folio  volumes  ;  two  of  these  are  the  proceedings  of  the  Virginia  Company 
in  England.  .  .  .  The  account  of  which  you  will  see  in  the  Preface  to  Stith's  History 
of  Virginia.  They  contain  the  records  of  the  Virginia  company,  copied  from  the 
originals,  under  the  eye,  if  I  recollect  rightly,  of  the  Earl  of  Southampton,  [?]  a  member 


TWO    MANUSCRIPT   VOLUMES    IN   THE    LIBRARY    OF   CONGRESS        379 

of  the  company,  bought  at  the  sale  of  his  library  by  Doctor  [?]  Byrd  of  Westover,  and 
sold  with  that  library  to  Isaac  Zane.  These  volumes  happened  at  the  time  of  the  sa 
have  been  borrowed  by  Colonel  R.  Bland,  whose  library  I  bought,  and  with  this,  they 
were  sent  to  me.  I  gave  notice  of  it  to  Mr.  Zane,  but  he  never  reclaimed  them.  I 
shall  deposit  them  in  the  library  of  the  University  [of  Virginia],  where  they  will  be 
most  likely  to  be  preserved  with  care." 

Isaac  Zane  represented  Frederick  county,  Virginia,  in  the  Revolution- 
ary conventions  of  1775  and  1776.  I  do  not  know  when  Colonel  Byrd's 
library  was  sold  and  purchased  by  him.  The  volumes  were  entered  in  the 
catalogue  of  the  Westover  library  as  "  Records  of  the  Virginia  Com- 
pany, two  vols,  folio."  Thomas  Jefferson  died  on  July  4,  1826,  and  in  the 
course  of  time  these  volumes  passed  through  the  hands  of  his  heirs  to 
the  library  of  congress,  where  they  now  are. 

As  certain  copies  of  the  foregoing  original  copies  have  been  almost 
invariably  confused  with  these  originals,  in  order  to  make  this  sketch 
complete  it  will  be  necessary  to  give  a  brief  account  of  them.  They  were 
made  for  Colonel  Richard  Bland  from  Colonel  Byrd's  volumes,  and  passed 
to  his  son  Theodorick  Bland  of  Cawson's,  the  grandfather  of  John  Randolph 
of  Roanoke,  to  whose  hands  they  finally  came.  It  is  probable  that  these 
copies  should  have  passed  to  Jefferson  with  the  Bland  library,  and  that 
the  original  copies,  which  should  have  gone  to  Zane,  were  sent  to  him  by 
mistake. 

This  Bland-Randolph  copy  is  written  in  the  clear  and  plain  handwrit- 
ing of  the  eighteenth  century.  The  first  volume  begins  at  '' A  quarter 
Court  held  for  Virginia  at  Sir  Thos  Smith's  house  in  Phillpot  Lane,  28  of 
April  1619,"  embraces  the  proceedings  to  "  3  July  1622,"  and  ends  on 
page  635.  The  second  volume  begins  with  a  court  held  "  17  July  1622," 
embraces  proceedings  to  "  7  June  1624,"  and  ends  on  page  489. 

The  Bland-Randolph  volumes  were  used  by  John  Burk  when  writing 
his  History  of  Virginia  in  1804  ;  and  he  refers  to  them  in  his  preface  thus  : 
"  Chance  has  thrown  in  my  way  two  large  manuscript  volumes  containing 
the  minutes  of  the  London  Company."  He  frequently  refers  to  them  in 
the  course  of  his  work  as  "  MS.  penes  me,"  and  was  under  the  erroneous 
impression  that  he  had  the  original  copies  before  him. 

Hening  in  his  Statutes  at  Large,  vol.  i.,  p.  76,  note — written  about 
18C9 — wras  also  under  the  impression  that  these  copies  were  the  original 
Byrd  copies  which  had  come  into  the  possession  of  Randolph.  He  says  : 
"  The  late  John  Burk,  Esq.,  who  had  completed  three  volumes  of  the  His- 
tory of  Virginia  when  he  was  snatched  away  by  a  premature  death,  was 
favored  with  the  use  of  these  manuscripts  by  John  Randolph  Esquire,  into 


3^0       TWO    MANUSCRIPT   VOLUMES   IN   THE    LIBRARY   OF   CONGRESS 

whose  hands  they  had  fallen."  Burk's  reference  to  "  Chance  throwing  the 
books  in  his  way,"  was  a  curious  acknowledgment  to  make  to  John  Ran- 
dolph of  Roanoke. 

Owing  to  Randolph's  numerous  wills  and  codicils  these  MS.  volumes 
seem  to  have  been  thrown  into  abeyance.  In  a  codicil  written  in  1826, 
he  bequeathed  them  "  to  the  Master  and  Fellows  (and  their  successors) 
oi  Trinity  College,  Cambridge,  Old  England,  the  first  college  of  the  first 
University  of  the  World."  In  a  codicil  of  183 1  he  left  his  "library  to  his 
niece  E.  T.  Bryan."  He  died  May  24,  1833.  The  volumes  were  still  in 
the  library  at  Roanoke  on  Wednesday,  January  11,  1843,  on  which  day  the 
late  Hon.  Hugh  Blair  Grigsby  examined  them,  and  described  them  in  his 
diary:  "  The  handwriting  is  in  good  style  and  the  ink  black  enough  for  all 
purposes.  The  second  volume  has  the  name  of  Samuel  Perkins  of  Cawson, 
written  on  the  inside  of  the  board."  Mr.  Grigsby  also  mentions  these 
volumes  in  a  letter  about  this  library  which  was  published  in  The  Southern 
Literary  Messenger 'for  February,  1854.  Like  Burk  and  Hening  he  regarded 
them  as  the  original  Byrd  copies.  He  says  that  they  "  were  substantially 
bound  in  vellum,"  and  "  passed  through  the  Blands  to  Mr  Randolph,  I 
presume,  as  they  bore  the  book  plate  of  Cawson's."  Randolph's  library 
was  sold  in  1845,  kut  these  volumes  remained  in  the  hands  of  his  friend 
and  executor,  the  late  Judge  William  Leigh. 

On  June  22,  1868,  the  late  Hon.  Conway  Robinson  of  Washington, 
D.  C,  wrote  to  the  late  Mr.  Charles  Deane  of  Cambridge,  Mass.,  as  follows: 
"  Many  years  ago,  I  read  the  MS.  volumes  in  the  Library  of  Congress 
which  had  come  from  Mr.  Jefferson.  .  .  .  Afterwards  Judge  Leigh 
deposited  with  me  the  volumes  which  came  from  Mr.  Randolph.  .  .  . 
The  handwriting  of  these  volumes  is  clear  and  distinct,  very  different  from 
the  handwriting  of  the  volumes  in  the  Library  of  Congress."  On  June  26 
Mr.  Robinson  went  to  Richmond,  Virginia,  where  the  Randolph  volumes 
then  were,  examined  them,  and  on  July  1st  wrote  Mr.  Deane  a  full 
description  of  them.  In  1872  Mr.  Deane  came  to  Richmond  and  saw 
them  himself;  but  where  they  now  are  I  do  not  know. 


^iii,^'",r'MnnPlim',tt"*"*"'-**'"*-*muiV 


LETTER   OF    LUZERNE   TO    JEFFERSON 

Within  two  years  of  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  war  there  was  a 
complete  shifting  of  the  scene  of  war  from  the  north  to  the  south.  Boston 
had  early  to  be  abandoned  by  the  British  ;  Philadelphia,  later,  had  been 
taken  and  again  evacuated,  without  much  purpose  in  the  one  act  or  in  the 
other,  and  with  certainly  no  serious  consequences  to  the  American  cause 
in  either  case.  The  blow  at  New  York  had  told  with  lasting  effect ;  but  it 
failed  to  be  of  much  use  in  that  other  and  more  skillful  manoeuvre  which 
had  for  its  object  the  severance  of  the  colonies  by  the  possession  of  the 
Hudson  river  from  mouth  to  source. 

While  Washington  still  hovered  about  the  Hudson  and  kept  the 
British  hemmed  in  within  New  York,  Clinton  began  to  think  of  carrying 
the  war  into  the  south,  and  Cornwallis  was  dispatched  on  the  errand. 
This  necessitated  a  movement  in  the  same  direction  on  the  part  of  the 
patriots,  and  the  question  was,  Who  should  match  so  important  an  officer 
as  the  English  general?  Who  but  one  who  had  already  accomplished  so 
brilliant  a  feat  at  the  north  ?  Burgoyne  had  been  captured  by  him  ;  who 
should  doubt  but  that  Cornwallis  must  be  his  next  victim?  True,  General 
Gates  had  not  come  out  of  the  Conway  cabal  with  the  brightest  of  colors. 
But  still  the  glamor  of  the  success  at  the  north  had  not  been  quite 
extinguished,  and  Gates  was  appointed  to  the  chief  command  at  the 
south.  The  battle  of  Camden  finally  and  forever  dissipated  the  poor 
weak  man's  factitious  glory,  and  nothing  now  stood  in  the  way  of  appoint- 
ing Washington's  first  choice  for  commander  in  the  south.  General  Greene 
succeeded  the  eliminated  Gates,  and  his  splendid  generalship,  aided  by  the 
bold  and  successful  exploits  of  the  subordinates  whom  he  knew  how  to 
employ  most  effectively,  soon  changed  the  face  of  things  in  the  south. 
Cornwallis  was  manoeuvred  out  of  South  Carolina  and  out  of  North 
Carolina,  and  early  in  178 1  changed  his  field  of  operations  to  Virginia. 

Now  came  the  dark  hour  before  the  breaking  of  the  day.  Lafayette 
was  intrusted  with  the  command  in  this  state,  but  his  forces  were  altogether 
inadequate  to  cope  with  those  of  Cornwallis.  It  was  to  his  exceeding  great 
credit,  not  that  he  fought  battles  and  won  victories,  but  that  he  so  skill- 
fully avoided  battle  and  managed  to  escape  capture.  But  when  his  forces 
were  so  insufficient  as  to  make  this  policy  the  supreme  wisdom,  and  the 


332  ORIGINAL   DOCUMENT 

state  was  so  weak  that  its  own  militia  could  not  swell  the  patriotic  army 
for  its  proper  defense,  it  may  be  imagined  that  the  march  of  the  British 
hither  and  thither  through  the  state  was  marked  by  the  waste  and  the 
ruin  wrought  by  the  sword  and  by  fire. 

Thomas  Jefferson  was  governor  of  the  state  at  this  harrowing  period. 
At  tour  several  times  during  the  spring  of  1781  governor  and  legislature 
were  compelled  to  fly  precipitately  from  the  localities  where  they  were  in' 
session.  The  governor's  country  seat  at  Monticello  was  marked  for  attack, 
and  Jefferson  himself  nearly  captured  there.  Another  of  his  estates,  on 
the  James  river,  was  desolated  by  the  enemy,  who  destroyed  all  the  grow- 
ing crops,  all  the  barns,  killing  the  colts,  and  carrying  off  all  the  horses  and 
twenty-seven  slaves.  Such  things  were  done  as  part  of  a  deliberate  plan 
of  campaign,  and  surely  the  burden  of  war  pressed  heavily  and  painfully 
upon  the  devoted  state. 

But  she  was  not  forgotten.  Plans  were  maturing  in  Washington's 
mind  upon  which  the  situation  of  affairs  in  Virginia  had  a  most  vital  bear- 
ing. The  alliance  with  France  was  coming  to  be  of  a  more  practical 
utility  than  it  had  manifested  before ;  and  the  aid  expected  from  that 
quarter  was  intended  to  relieve  especially  the  distressful  condition  of  the 
south.  This  was  not  only  Washington's  intention,  but  it'  appears  from 
the  letter  which  we  subjoin  that  the  very  troubles  at  the  south  had  served 
to  stimulate  the  sympathy  and  generosity,  and  withal  to  promote  the 
promptness,  of  the  French  king,  or  government.  In  the  midst  of  his 
distress,  Thomas  Jefferson  received  from  the  Chevalier  de  la  Luzerne, 
envoy  of  Louis  XVI.  to  the  United  States,  these  encouraging  lines  : 

Philadelphia,  June  4,  1781. 
Sir, 

Unavoidable  obstacles  have  prevented  the  dispatching  of  our  second  division  at  the 
time  when  it  had  been  purposed  to  send  it.  I  can  not  enter  just  here  into  a  detailed 
account  of  the  reasons  for  this  change  in  our  plans  ;  but  I  have  done  so  in  part  to  Con- 
gress, and  that  body,  notwithstanding  the  hurtful  effect  this  may  have  upon  the  cam- 
paign, could  not  refrain  from  appreciating  the  wisdom  and  prudence  of  the  King  in  the 
part  which  he  has  pursued.  We  await  however  some  reinforcements;  but  they  are  in 
no  sense  equal  to  what  the  King's  friendship  towards  the  United  States  has  induced  him 
to  do  to  make  up  for  this  delay  in  the  plans  previously  arranged  ;  he  has  granted  them 
a  gratuitous  subsidy  the  disposition  of  which  has  been  left  to  Congress.  Mr.  Robert 
Morris,  Superintendent  of  the  finances,  has  been  charged  to  consider  the  gradual  applica- 
tion which  he  shall  make  of  it  to  the  needs  of  the  army  of  the  South.  For  the  rest,  Sir, 
although  I  can  not  enter  into  the  detail  of  the  plans  which  are  to  be  adopted  for  the 
assistance  of  the  United  States,  I  can  assure  you  that  they  will  be  efficacious,  that  the 
King  is  firmly  resolved  to  aid  them  to  the  full  extent  of  his  power,  and  that  if  they  will 
on  their  side  make  efforts  to   resist  the  enemy  some  time  longer,  they  may  count  confi- 


ORIGINAL   DOCUMENT  383 

dently  upon  a  happy  issue  of  the  glorious  cause  for  which  they  are  striving.  I  can 
assure  you,  moreover,  that  the  calamities  and  peril  of  the  Southern  Slate:,  furnish  an 
additional  motive  for  His  Majesty  to  redouble  his  interest  in  their  behalf,  thai  his  affec- 
tion derives  therefrom  additional  stimulus,  and  that  the  event  will  prove  that  they  are 
perfectly  justified  in  not  allowing  themselves  to  be  discouraged  by  the  difficulties  of  the 
present  juncture. 

I  have  the.honor  to  be,  Sir,  with  the  most  sincere  and  the  most  respectful  attachment, 
Your  Excellency's  Very  Humble 

and  Very  Obedient  Servant, 

de  la  Luzerne. 
His  Excellency 

Governor  Jefferson.1 

This  certainly  is  a  letter  full  of  noble  encouragement  to  struggling 
patriots  in  a  glorious  cause  ;  replete  with  assurances  of  deep  interest  not 
only,  but  profound  and  affectionate  sympathy  on  the  part  of  the  writer's 
royal  master.  Indeed  it  is  all  so  very  fine  that  we  are  inclined  to  regard 
it  merely  as  the  high-flown  courtesy  of  diplomatic  correspondence,  in  a 
language  where  fine  words  are  easily  uttered,  flowing  glibly  from  tongue 
or  pen  without  a  necessary  connection  with  inward  sentiment.  The  very 
man  to  whom  they  were  addressed  stood  aghast  a  few  years  later  at  the 
spectacle  of  horrible  oppression  directed  in  the  name  of  this  same  king 
against  his  subjects.  How  could  a  cause  really  seem  glorious  to  him 
which,  if  it  had  become  that  of  his  own  people,  would  have  hurled  him 
from  his  throne;  and  which,  when  the  infection  of  its  example  had  at  last 
struck  France,  not  only  hurled  him  from  his  throne  but  brought  him  like  a 
felon  to  the  scaffold  ?  At  any  rate  his  words  of  encouragement  were  wise 
and  sound.  The  event  did  indeed  soon  prove  that  with  a  little  more  per- 
severance, a  little  longer  holding  out  against  the  enemy,  the  happy  issue 
of  the  glorious  cause  was  assured.  But  it  was  due  largely  to  the  fact  that 
the  fine  words  were  preceded  by  the  more  material  encouragement 
afforded  by  the  arrival  of  that  "  second  division  "  announced  at  the 
beginning. 

In  1780  Count  de  Rochambeau  with  some  six  thousand  troops  had 
arrived  from  France,  had  landed  in  Rhode  Island,  and  had  there  in- 
trenched himself  in  fortified  quarters,  awaiting  whatever  plans  should  be 
made  for  the  use  of  his  contingent.  The  "  second  division  "  consisted  of 
some  three  thousand  more  troops,  besides  a  powerful  fleet  under  Admiral 
De  Grasse.     Here  entered  a  new  and  important  element  into  the  warfare 

1  The  original  of  this  letter  is  in  the  possession  of  the  well-known  autograph  collector.  Mr. 
Walter  Romeyn  Benjamin,  of  28  West  23d  St.,  New  York,  by  whose  courtesy  we  are  enabled  to 
present  herewith  a  facsimile  of  the  last  page. 


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ORIGINAL   DOCUMENT  3S5 

of  the  American  Revolution.  D'Estaing  had  been  over  before,  but  the  joint 
operations  of  the  American  land  forces  and  the  French  fleet  had  been 
mainly  signalized  by  magnificent  defeats,  both  at  Newport  in  the  north, 
and  Savannah  at  the  south.  Things  were  now  in  a  somewhat  different 
shape.  Washington  was  to  conduct  the  joint  operations  himself,  and  the 
French  army  and  navy  officers  were  very  much  better  men.  Barring 
those  two  dismal  and  sporadic  occasions,  the  American  army  never  had 
had  before  the  chance  for  a  combination  with  a  navy.  The  patriots 
simply  had  no  fleet,  while  the  enemy  had  the  best  in  the  world.  But  now 
conditions  were  reversed.  Washington  not  only  had  a  fleet  at  command, 
but  it  was  so  good  a  one,  and  the  English  as  the  result  of  some  blunder 
were  at  such  a  disadvantage  in  this  respect  just  at  this  juncture,  that  the 
Americans  actually  enjoyed  the  supremacy  of  the  sea  at  the  moment. 

Events  were  therefore  ripe  for  the  culmination  of  the  war.  Cornwallis 
having  had  the  free  range  of  all  Virginia,  toward  the  close  of  the  summer 
of  1 78 1  carefully  withdrew  into  a  cul  de  sac,  with  broad  waters  on  nearly 
all  sides  of  him,  and  a  narrow  strip  of  land  in  front,  which  the  alert  Lafay- 
ette was  not  slow  in  occupying  and  fortifying.  Next  Washington  and 
Rochambeau  came  down  from  the  north.  It  was  a  long  distance  from 
which  to  strike  so  true  a  blow,  but  the  aim  had  been  carefully  calculated, 
and  the  vital  point  was  not  missed.  On  October  19,  1781,  Lord  Corn- 
wallis surrendered  Yorktown. 

It  was  by  a  number  of  delicate  concatenations  of  circumstances  that 
this  fortunate  result  was  brought  about.  In  the  first  place,  it  required  a 
graceful  and  cordial  submission  on  the  part  of  the  proud  French  noble, 
Count  de  Rochambeau,  to  the  conditions  under  which  he  was  appointed 
to  the  command  of  the  French  contingent  in  America — that  he  act  in  all 
matters  not  only  in  concert  with  but  under  the  orders  of  the  American 
commander-in-chief.  It  was  a  striking — shall  we  not  say  a  providential  ? — 
circumstance  again  that  the  French  officers  among  themselves  grace- 
fully yielded  points  of  supremacy  in  rank.  De  Barras,  who  commanded 
the  squadron  which  had  brought  over  Rochambeau  in  1780,  although  the 
senior  of  De  Grasse,  declared  that  in  this  campaign  he  would  waive  all 
personal  consideration,  and  serve  under  the  latter's  orders.  The  three 
thousand  troops  landed  from  De  Grasse's  fleet  in  order  to  assist  Lafayette 
to  coop  up  Cornwallis  in  Yorktown  were  commanded  by  the  Marquis  de 
Saint-Simon,  who  was  Lafayette's  superior  in  the  French  army  ;  but, 
without  a  word  of  objection,  he  yielded  obedience  to  the  young  major- 
general,  because  he  was  in  the  American  service.  Frictions  between  these 
various   officers   might  have  ruined  the  whole  scheme,  so  much  depended 

Vol.  XXIX.- No.  4.-25 


386  ORIGINAL   DOCUMENT 

upon  harmony.  At  the  same  time  Rodney,  who  alone  could  have  defeated 
the  superior  French  fleet,  went  away  to  England,  so  that  the  English  ships 
who  sought  to  dispute  the  possession  of  the  Chesapeake  were  utterly 
routed.  And  Cornwallis's  position  would  have  been  entirely  tenable,  and 
even  advantageous,  had  the  English  retained  their  usual  supremacy  in 
American  waters. 

Yet  with  all  these  other  circumstances  there  was  need  to  combine  a 
very  important  one,  and  that  this  was  present  may  have  been  due  to  the 
letter  under  consideration.  The  perseverance  and  courage  of  the  people 
of  Virginia  was  an  element  contributing  to  the  glorious  result.  Had  they 
failed  to  antagonize  Cornwallis,  or  to  side  with  Lafayette's  endeavors,  the 
English  general  would  not  have  been  so  completely  reduced  at  last  to  the 
single  and  difficult  position  he  was  made  to  occupy  on  Virginia  soil.  It 
was  indeed  as  Luzerne  wrote.  He  could  not  display  all  the  plans  of 
operation  which  were  to  make  the  king's  troops  efficacious.  But  it  was  a 
fact  that,  "  with  all  his  power,"  his  majesty  was  aiding  the  cause  of  the 
colonies.  There  was  a  large  and  finely  equipped  army  under  Rocham- 
beau.  The  fleet  of  De  Grasse  consisted  of  twenty-eight  ships  of  the  line 
and  six  frigates  ;  it  carried  seventeen  hundred  guns,  and  twenty  thousand 
men.  Who  shall  say  that  it  was  not  this  assurance  of  sympathy  backed 
so  very  substantially  which  induced  the  people,  already  so  greatly  tried,  to 
"  resist  the  enemy  a  little  longer"  ?  Thus  they  could  heed  the  injunction 
not  "to  let  themselves  be  discouraged  by  the  difficulties  of  the  present 
juncture."  And  taking  all  the  circumstances  together,  the  king's  envoy 
was  justified  in  assuring  the  afflicted  and  struggling  colonists,  in  the  name 
of  his  master,  "  that  they  might  count  confidently  upon  a  happy  issue  of 
the  glorious  cause  for  which  they  are  striving."  Sooner  than  any  one  dared 
to  hope  this  prophecy  was  fulfilled. 


California  in  the  Civil  War  1  — 
In  Mr.  Norton's  "  United  States  in 
Paragraphs  " — Magazine  of  American 
History  for  January,  1893,  p.  62 — 
is  a  reference  to  the  15,725  soldiers 
furnished  by  California  in  the  civil  war. 
In  this  I  find  the  statement  that  these 
troops  "  were  mainly  employed  as  home 
guards  to  repress  Indian  outbreaks." 
I  am  convinced  that  a  more  careful 
examination  of  the  historical  evidences 
pertaining  to  that  period  in  the  history 
of  California  will  leave  a  different  im- 
pression than  that  afforded  by  the  "  Par- 
agraphs," and  that  the  following  facts 
will  be  conspicuous  :  California's  regi- 
ments were  not  taken  away  from  the 
Pacific  coast,  for  the  sole  reason  that 
secession  was  rife  in  every  direction  in 
this  then  remote  quarter  of  the  national 
domain.  The  War  Department  was  not 
only  afraid  to  take  any  loyal  soldiers  from 
this  coast,  but  it  also  kept  a  portion  of 
the  regular  army  here.  California,  very 
largely  made  up  of  Southern  men,  was 
by  no  means  a  safely  Union  state.  And 
as  went  California,  so  would  go  the  entire 
Pacific  coast.  Early  in  the  war  a  well- 
organized  conspiracy  to  take  the  state 
out  of  the  Union  was  frustrated — the 
seizure  of  the  forts  and  arsenals  having 
been  all  carefully  arranged  for.  It  was 
due  to  the  constant  vigilance  of  these 
same  soldiers  that  civil  war  did  not  make 
its  appearance  in  California.     Writh  the 

»  Contributed  by  Captain  F.  K.  Upham,  U.S.A. 


loss  of  California  to  the  Union,  with  its 
gold  as  sinews  of  war,  who  can  say  the 
war  would  not  have  resulted  differently? 
It  is  true  these  regiments  were  en- 
gaged in  arduous  Indian  campaigning, 
in  a  field  of  operations  extending  from 
the  British  Columbia  line  to  the  Rio 
Grande,  and  as  far  east  as  Salt  Lake, 
rendering  most  important  service  in  the 
westward  march  of  civilization.  This 
service  was  obscured,  if  not  wholly  lost 
sight  of,  owing  to  the  critical  events 
which  were  transpiring  elsewhere.  But 
all  this  was  only  incidental  to  the  main 
object  of  keeping  California  in  the 
Union    at    all    hazards. 

A  Lost  History  of  New  England 
— When  the  Rev.  Cotton  Mather  was 
engaged  upon  his  monumental  work,  the 
Magnalia  Christi  Americana,  he  had 
the  advantage  of  using  a  history  which 
is  inaccessible  to  investigators  of  this 
day.  This  was  the  Annals  of  God's 
Blessing  of  N.  £.,  written  by  Samuel 
Stow.  It  does  not  appear  that  this 
composition  ever  got  so  far  as  the  print- 
ing press,  and  Mather  consulted  the 
original  manuscript.  Through  him  we 
learn  of  the  existence  of  this  history,  for 
one  ;  and  one  other  proof  thereof  we 
possess,  inasmuch  as  the  court  of  elec- 
tion held  at  Hartford  in  May,  1695,  took 
occasion  to  put  into  a  resolution  their 
thanks  to  the  author  for  "  his  great 
pains    in    preparing   a    History    of    the 


338 


HISTORY    IN   BRIEF 


Annals  of  New  England."  Their 
gratitude  unfortunately  did  not  materi- 
alize into  an  offer  to  bear  the  expense  of 
publication.  It  would  almost  seem  as  if 
the  author  himself  despaired  entirely  of 
his  production  being  ever  reduced  to 
book  form,  for  he  tells  some  one  that  his 
manuscript  was  arranged  in  "  Decads  "  ; 
each  of  which  was  composed  of  a  num- 
ber of  sheets  tied  together  with  a  ring, 
or  loop,  through  one  of  the  corners, 
whereby  they  might  be  suspended  out 
of  the  reach  of  rats  and  mice. 

This  was  not  Mr.  Stow's  only  ven- 
ture in  the  field  of  literature  ;  another, 
and  equally  unsuccessful  one,  was  a 
work  entitled  Ten  Essays  for  Conver- 
sion of  the  Jews.  This  was  placed  by 
the  author  in  the  hands  of  Judge  Sew- 
all,  of  diary  fame.  The  latter  sent  it  to 
Nathaniel  Higginson,  at  London,  with 
the  expectation  that  some  wealthy  pa- 
tron might  be  found  who  would  defray 
the  cost  of  publication  in  return  for 
some  fulsome  dedication,  as  was  the 
way  of  doing  in  those  good  old  times. 
Such  patron  was  not  found,  however. 
The  following  details  of  the  author's 
life  have  recently  been  placed  before 
the  public  : 

Samuel  Stow  was  born  about  1622, 
probably  in  Kent.  He  may  have  been 
related  to  the  English  annalist  or  chron- 
icler, John  Stow.  With  his  five  brothers 
and  sisters  and  their  parents,  John  and 
Elizabeth  Stow,  he  arrived  in  New 
England  in  1634.  He  was  graduated 
at  Harvard  in  1645,  and  m  T^53  went 
to  Middletown,  Conn.,  where  he  preached 
for  a  number  of  years,  but  was  not  or- 
dained, as  no  church  was  gathered  until 
November  4,  1668,  when  Rev.  Nathaniel 


Collins  was  ordained  the  first  pastor  of 
the  place.  For  several  years  previous 
to  this  event  there  seems  to  have  been  a 
"  troublesome  difference  "  between  Mr. 
Stow  and  the  people  of  Middletown,  or 
some  of  them,  which  the  general  court 
more  than  once  took  notice  of.  During 
King  Philip's  war  he  supplied  the  place 
of  some  ministers  employed  in  the 
country  service,  for  which  the  governor 
and  council  voted  him  an  allowance. 
Subsequently  he  preached  at  Simsbury 
for  about  four  years,  but  was  not  set- 
tled there.  He  returned  to  Middletown 
about  1685,  where  he  continued  until 
his  death,  May  8,  1704,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-two. 

Fountain-heads  of  American  His- 
tory— More  than  fifty  years  ago,  New 
York  state,  after  thirty  years  of  agita- 
tion of  the  matter  on  the  part  of  the  New 
York  Historical  Society,  sent  an  agent 
to  Europe  to  collect  original  documents, 
or  copies  of  such,  bearing  on  the  history 
of  the  state.  Mr.  Brodhead,  the  agent 
selected,  went  to  London,  to  The  Hague, 
and  to  Paris.  He  found  that  he  was 
just  twenty  years  too  late  at  The  Hague. 
The  archives  of  the  West  India  Com- 
pany had  been  kept  complete  until  about 
1820  ;  then  many  of  the  papers  were 
sold  at  auction,  and  Mr.  Brodhead  had 
to  be  content  with  what  was  left.  Since 
his  day  many  papers  that  beyond  a  ques- 
tion formed  a  part  of  the  "  lost  "  West 
India  documents  have  come  to  light, 
and  several  of  these,  indeed,  have  even 
strayed  into  New  York  city.  But  the 
state  government  has  not  seen  fit  to  fol- 
low up  the  laudable  effort  of  1841,  and 
the   dark  caverns   of  many  a.n  archive- 


HISTORY    IN    BRIEF 


S89 


vault  in  Holland,  at  least,  to  say  nothing 
of  England  and  France,  may  now  be 
hiding  from  our  view  many  facts  of  his- 
torical importance  to  one  member  of  the 
American  Union. 

But  of  this  indifference  to  historical 
sources  all  the  states  are  equally  guilty. 
Only  of  late  has  George  Bancroft's  al- 
most pathetic  appeal  to  his  country 
borne  fruit  in  a  resolution  in  Congress 
looking  to  the  purchase  of  the  venerated 
historian's  invaluable  library,  replete 
with  original  authorities  illustrating  the 
history  of  the  republic.  His  own  re- 
searches have  indicated  the  direction 
whither  we  should  henceforth  particu- 
larly turn  for  important  additions  to  our 
stores  of  knowledge.  England,  Holland, 
France,  have  already  furnished  treasures 
of  this  kind,  and  may  yet  yield  greater 
if  the  mines  be  properly  worked.  But 
Germany  should  not  be  forgotten.  A 
vast  amount  of  material  relative  to  mil- 
itary events  of  the  war  of  American 
independence  still  lies  unpublished  and 
almost  unknown  in  the  archives  of 
Berlin  and  those  of  the  smaller  German 
•  states.  Most  of  the  officers  who  served 
in  the  German  contingent  of  the  British 
army  during  the  Revolution  were  men  of 
intelligence  and  education,  who  kept 
journals  of  the  events  through  which 
they  passed  while  in  this  country,  and 
which  are  to-day  among  the  most  valu- 
able materials  for  a  history  of  that 
eventful  period.  There  are  hundreds 
of  such  journals,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
letters,  reports,  and  other  papers  sent 
home  by  them  during  the  course  of  the 
struggle. 

It  is  to  be  sincerely  hoped  that  the 
bill  before  Congress  anent  the  purchase 


of  the  Bancroft  library  will  become  a 
law.  Meanwhile  citizens  generally,  ^nd 
especially  German- American  societies, 
should  interest  themselves  in  securing 
the  material  above  indicated,  so  obvi- 
ously valuable,  and  so  readily  obtain- 
able. 

Papers  Sent  by  the  Pope  to  the 
Columbian  Fair — In  view  of  the  con- 
nection of  the  occupants  of  the  papal 
chair  with  the  discovery  of  America,  it 
is  both  graceful  and  appropriate  that 
the  present  incumbent  should  be  heard 
from  on  the  occasion  of  the  celebration 
of  Columbia's  feat  by  means  of  the 
World's  Fair  at  Chicago.  The  papal 
contribution  is  in  the  shape  of  interest- 
ing historical  documents,  which  are  de- 
scribed as  follows  : 

The  first  is  a  paper  of  1448,  which 
contains  a  statement  of  the  northern 
land,  or  what  half  a  century  later  proved 
to  be  the  American  continent.  Pope 
Nicholas  V.  having  been  informed  that 
the  Christians  of  Greenland  had  been 
attacked  by  pirates,  who  had  plundered 
the  country  and  carried  away  into  cap- 
tivity many  of  its  inhabitants,  and  that 
no  priest  had  been  allowed  by  the  in- 
vaders to  remain  there,  granted  author- 
ity to  the  Norwegian  prelates  to  ordain 
priests  and  to  provide  the  vacant 
churches  with  pastors. 

The  second  document  is  the  bull  of 
Alexander  VI.,  Intercatera  divince  ma- 
jestatis  beneplacita,  dated  at  Rome  on 
the  3d  of  May,  1493,  granting  to  King 
Don  Fernando  and  Queen  Donna  Isabel, 
in  regard  to  the  Western  Indies  discov- 
ered and  to  be  discovered  the  same 
privileges  which  had    been    granted    to 


w 


HISTORY   IN    BRIEF 


the  kings  of  Portugal  in  respect  to  the 
western  coast  of  Africa. 

Document  Xo.  3  is  an  amplification 
of  the  same  privileges. 

Document  Xo.  4  is  a  confirmation  of 
the  bull  aforesaid,  praising  the  discovery 
made  by  Columbus,  and  marking  the 
famous  division  between  Spaniards  and 
Portuguese  by  means  of  a  line  drawn 
from  the  arctic  to  the  antarctic  poles,  at 
a  distance  of  one  hundred  leagues  west 
of  the  Azores. 

Document  No.  5  is  the  brief  granting 
Father  Boyle,  the  priest  who  accom- 
panied Columbus  on  his  second  voyage, 
power  and  authority  to  administer  the 
government  of  the  discovered  islands  in 
spiritual  and  religious  matters.  This 
brief  is  dated  June  25,  1493. 

Document  No.  6  is  a  papal  rescript  of 
the  early  part  of  the  sixteenth  century, 
in  which  Jules  II.  asks  of  the  king  a 
kind  and  gracious  reception  for  Diego 
Colon,  the  son  of  the  great  discoverer, 
and  Bartolome  Colon,  the  brother  of  the 
latter,  who  were  about  to  visit  his  maj- 
esty. 

Document  No.  7,  dated  June  7,  1526, 
is  a  brief  of  Pope  Clement  VII.,  ad- 
dressed to  Father  Juan  de  los  Angeles, 
the  general  of  the  Franciscan  friars, 
praising  his  zeal  for  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel  in  the  Indies,  and  granting  him 
permission  to  personally  superintend  the 
said  preaching  there. 

Document  No.  8  is  a  letter  of  the 
same  pope  to  Emperor  Charles  V.,  au- 
thorizing him  to  send  to  the  new  coun- 
tries 120  Franciscans,  70  Dominicans, 
and  10  Jeromites. 

Besides  these  documents,  His  Holi- 
ness  lias  engaged   to   send  two  ancient 


charts,  one  of  which  is  the  famous  one 
drawn  in  1529  by  Diego  Ribera,  Cos- 
mographer  Royal  of  Spain,  largely  from 
data  furnished  by  Estevan  Gomez,  who 
in  1525  had  visited  the  coast  of  the 
United  States,  and  had  discovered  the 
entrance  of  the  Hudson  River. 

Administrations  in  Alaska  2  — 
Alaska  became  Russian  property  about 
the  middle  of  the  last  century,  by  the 
right  of  exploration  and  settlement,  and 
remained  as  such  until  sold  to  the 
United  States  in  1867. 

It  is  to  be  greatly  regretted  that  ro- 
mance and  legend  have  so  far  usurped 
the  province  of  history  during  the  Rus- 
sian administration  as  to  give  us  a  long 
line  of  officials  for  Alaska  who  never 
existed.  As  to  the  so-called  "  Russian 
governors,"  only  one,  Prince  Marksutoff, 
was  duly  commissioned  by  the  Russian 
government.  All  the  others  were  merely 
agents  of  the  Russian-American  Com- 
pany, and  as  such  had  considerable  power 
in  managing  the  natives,  and  directing 
the  affairs  of  the  colony.  Of  these 
agents,  only  one,  Baron  von  Wrangell, 
the  distinguished  Russian  explorer  and 
naval  officer,  is  deserving  of  especial 
mention. 

Baron  Ferdinand  Petrovitch  von 
Wrangell  was  born  in  Pleskau,  Estho- 
nia,  December  29,  1796,  and  was  edu- 
cated in  St.  Petersburg.  In  181 2  he 
entered  the  Russian  navy,  and  five  years 
later  accompanied  a  scientific  expedition 
to  Siberia  and  Kamtchatka.  In  1820  he 
led  an  expedition  to  explore  the  Rus- 
sian polar  seas,  and  did  not  return  to  St. 
Petersburg  until  four  years  later,  during 

1  Contributed  by  Laurance  F.  Bower. 


HISTORY    IN    BRIEF 


391 


which  time  he  penetrated  as  far  north  as 
7 20  2'  north  latitude.  In  1825  Wrangell 
circumnavigated  the  globe,  and  in  1831 
went  to  Alaska — then  known  as  Russian 
America — as  the  agent  of  the  Russian- 
American  Company,  where  he  remained 
till  1836.  His  administration  was 
marked  by  very  great  improvements  in 
the  condition  of  the  natives,  by  the 
making  of  roads,  the  building  of  bridges, 
the  opening  of  mines,  the  erection  "of 
buildings,  and  many  other  internal  im- 
provements. He  returned  to  Russia  in 
1836,  and  during  the  next  year  was 
made  rear-admiral,  but  in  1839  he  re- 
signed from  the  navy  to  accept  the 
presidency  of  the  Russian-American 
Company.  He  returned  to  the  navy  in 
1854,  as  chief  director  of  the  hydro- 
graphical  department,  and  the  next  year 
became  chief  assistant  to  the  High  Ad- 
miral Grand  Duke  Constantine.  In 
1858  he  became  a  member  of  the  coun- 
cil of  the  empire,  and  in  1859  admiral 
and  aid-de-camp  to  the  Czar  Alexander 
II.     He  died  in  Livonia,  June  10,  1870. 

Following  is  a  complete  list  of  the 
agents  of  the  Russian-American  Com- 
pany, who,  even  though  they  were  not 
so  called,  were  practically  governors  of 
Alaska  : 

Grigor  I.  Shellikoff,  at  Kodiak,  Au- 
gust 3,  1784-July  27,  1791  ;  Alexander 
Baranoff",  at  Sitka,  July  27,  1791-Janu- 
ary  11,  1818  ;  Captain  Hagaymaster,  at 
Sitka,  January  11,  1818-1819  ;  Lieu- 
tenant Yanovisky,  at  Sitka,  1819-Janu- 
ary,  1821  ;  M.  I.  Mooraveff,  at  Sitka, 
January,  1 821-1826  ;  G.  Chrisstiakoff, 
at  Sitka,  1826-1831  ;  Baron  F.  P.  von 
Wrangell,  at  Sitka,  1831-1836  ;  I.  A. 
Kooprianoff,  at  Sitka,  1 836-1 840  ;   Lieu- 


tenant Commander  A.  A.  Etolin,  at 
Sitka,  1840- 1845;  Lieutenant  Com- 
mander Tebenkoff,  at  Sitka,  1845- 1850  ; 
Lieutenant  Commander  Rosenberg,  at 
Sitka,  1851-1853;  Commander  Vae- 
votsky,  at  Sitka,  1 854-1 859  ;  Com- 
mander Foornhelm,  at  Sitka,  1859-1864. 

In  1864  the  third  twenty-years  lease 
of  Alaska  to  the  Russian-American  Com- 
pany expired,  and  the  Russian  govern- 
ment commissioned  Prince  Demetrius 
Marksutoff  as  governor.  He  continued 
as  such  for  three  years,  or  until  the 
country  became  the  property  of  the 
United  States. 

The  purchase  of  Alaska  was  due  to 
the  influence  of  Secretary  Seward,  who, 
March  13,  1867,  concluded  a  treaty  with 
the  czar's  government  whereby  Alaska 
was  ceded  to  the  United  States  for  the 
sum  of  seven  and  a  half  million  dollars- 
This  treaty  was  ratified  by  the  senate 
the  9th  of  the  following  April,  and  the 
money  paid  to  Russia  on  the  first  day  of 
August,  1868. 

General  Lovell  H.  Rousseau  was  sent 
to  officially  receive  Alaska  from  the 
Russian  government,  and  to  assume  con- 
trol of  the  territory.  This  he  did  Octo- 
ber 18,  1867.  He  remained  in  command 
of  the  troops  in  Alaska  until  he  was  re- 
called in  1868  to  testify  in  the  impeach- 
ment trial  of  President  Johnson,  when 
he  was  succeeded  by  General  Jefferson 
C.  Davis,  who  was  in  command  until 
1873,  when  he  was  ordered  against  the 
Modoc  Indians  in  northern  California. 
From  this  time  until  the  act  of  congress 
dated  May  17,  1884,  by  which  the  Dis- 
trict of  Alaska  was  organized,  Alaska 
was  under  naval  rule,  the  senior  naval 
officer  being  commandant. 


392 


HISTORY   IX    BRIEF 


The  civil  government  was  inaugurated 
September  15,  1884,  since  which  time 
the  governors  by  presidential  appoint- 
ment have  been  :  John  H.  Kinkead  of 
Nevada,  republican,  September  15,  1SS4- 
September  15,  1SS5  ;  Alfred  P.  Swine- 
ford  of  Wisconsin,  democrat,  September 
15,  iS85-April  2,  1S89  ;  Lyman  E. 
Knapp  of  Vermont,  republican,  April 
21.  18S9. 

Instantaneous  Duel  at  the  Bat- 
tle of  Lexington — In  Hawthorne's 
posthumous  novel,  "  Septimius  Felton," 
the  hero  exchanges  shots  with  a  young 
British  officer,  in  the  course  of  the  des- 
ultory warfare  carried  on  upon  the  glo- 
rious day  of  Concord  and  Lexington. 
The  Englishman  falls  mortally  wounded, 
and  dies  soon  afterward,  and  his  grave 
is  dug  by  the  victor  ;  whence,  for  the 
latter's  benefit  and  to  promote  the  char- 
acteristic and  weird  purpose  of  the  nov- 
elist, proceeds  a  peculiar  flower  which 
shall  furnish  Septimius  with  the  desired 
elixir  of  life,  and  make  him  immortal, 
he  having  a  very  strong  objection  to 
death. 

Such  an  encounter,  what  may  be 
called  an  instantaneous  duel,  did  actually 
take  place  on  that  memorable  day.  but 
with  fatal  results  to  both  parties.  The 
name  of  the  American  was  James  Hey- 
wood,  of  Acton,  Mass.,  and  to  com- 
memorate this  event  the  state  of  Massa- 
chusetts cooperated  with  the  town  of 
Acton,  in  1852,  in  erecting  a  monument, 
a  granite  shaft  suitably  inscribed.  The 
representative  from  Acton  in  the  legis- 
lature at  the  time,  in  advocating  the  meas- 
ure, gave  the  following  account  of  the 
historic  incident  :   "  At  Fiske's   Hill,  in 


Lexington,  they  had,  as  some  thought, 
the  severest  encounter  of  all  the  way. 
The  road  ran  around  the  base  of  a  steep, 
thick  wooded  hill.  James  Heywood^ 
who  had  been  active  and  foremost  all 
the  way  after  the  British  had  passed  on, 
came  down  from  the  hill  and  was  aiming 
for  a  well  of  water — the  same  well  is 
still  to  be  seen  at  the  two-story  Dutch 
roofed,  red  house  on  the  right  from 
Concord  to  Lexington,  not  two  miles 
from  the  old  meeting-house.  As  he 
passed  the  end  of  that  house  he  spied  a 
British  soldier  still  lingering  behind  the 
main  body  plundering.  The  Briton  also 
saw  him  and  ran  to  the  front  door  to 
cut  him  off.  Lifting  up  his  loaded  mus- 
ket, he  exclaims  :  '  You  are  a  dead  man  ! ' 
Heywood  immediately  said,  '  So  are 
you  ! '  They  both  fired  and  both  felL 
The  Briton  was  shot  dead,  and  Heywood 
mortally  wounded,  the  ball  entering  his 
side  through  this  hole  (holding  up  a 
pierced  powder  horn),  driving  the  splin- 
ters into  his  body.  He  lived  eight  hours. 
Before  he  died  his  father  asked  him  the 
question,  '  Are  you  sorry  that  you  turned 
out  ? '  '  Father,  hand  me  my  powder 
horn  and  bullet  pouch.  I  started  with 
one  pound  of  powder  and  forty  balls. 
You  see  what  is  left  of  them  (he  had 
used  all  but  two  or  three),  you  see  what 
I  have  been  about,  I  am  not  sorry  I 
turned  out.'  " 

The  old  powder  horn  with  the  sug- 
gestive bullet-hole  is  sacredly  preserved 
by  the  town.  An  old  slate  stone  was 
placed  originally  at  the  head  of  Hey- 
wood's  grave,  but  now  it  lies  on  one  side 
of  the  mound  upon  which  the  monu- 
ment is  erected.  The  following  lines 
are  inscribed  upon  it  : 


HISTORY   IN    BRIEF 


393 


This  monument  may  unknown  ages  tell 
How  brave  young  Heywood  like  a  hero  fell 
When  fighting  for  his  countries  liberty 
Was  slain,  and  here  his  body  now  doth  lye — 
lie  and  his  foe  were  by  each  other  slain, 
His  victims  blood  with  his  ye  earth  did  stain. 

Upon  ye  field,  he  was  with  victory  crowned 
And    yet    must    yield   his    breath    upon    that 

ground. 
He   expressed    his   hope    in    God    before  his 

death, 
After  his  foe  had  yielded  up  his  breath. 
Oh,  may  his  death  a  lasting  witness  lye 
Against  oppressor's  bloody  cruelty. 

Mistake  about  General  Charles 
Lee — Professor  John  Fiske,  in  a  recent 
lecture  before  the  New  England  His- 
toric Genealogical  Society,  spoke  as  fol- 
lows about  this  singular  and  not  very 
savory  figure  of  revolutionary  times : 

"  It  is  singular  how  many  people  seem 
to  be  unaware  of  Charles  Lee  having 
been  a  foreigner.  I  have  often  been 
asked  what  was  his  relation  to  the  great 
Lee  family  of  Virginia,  and  I  have  even 
seen  it  stated  in  print  that  he  was  the 
father  of  General  Robert  E.  Lee,  a  fact 
from  which  the  writer  seems  to  derive 
the  latter's  hereditary  propensity  to  trea- 
son. He  was  born  in  Cheshire,  England, 
and  commissioned  a  captain  at  the  age 
of  eleven.  This  was  not  such  an  unusual 
thing  in  those  days,  a  more  remarkable 
instance  being  the  act  of  a  certain  lord, 
who  commissioned  his  infant  daughter  a 
cornet  in  his  own  regiment  as  soon  as 
she  was  born,  and  she  retained  the  com- 
mission until  in  her  twenties,  when  she 
surrendered  it  in  exchange  for  a  pension, 
a  contrivance  which  seems  to  have  been 
overlooked  by  the  present  framers  of 
pension  bills.     He  was  one  of  the  men 


who  were  attracted  to  the  American  side 
in  the  Revolution  solely  by  the  love  of 
adventure  and  the  thirst  for  notoriety 
and  rank.  He  had  a  variegated  and  ad- 
venturous career,  serving  during  the  first 
forty-two  years  of  his  life  all  over  the 
world  :  in  the  French  and  Indian  wars, 
during  which  he  was  adopted  into  the 
Mohawk  tribe,  and  in  Turkey,  Poland, 
and  Portugal.  He  did  good  service 
during  the  earlier  stages  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, when  he  was  intrusted  with  high 
commands,  under  the  impression  that  he 
was  really  a  great  European  soldier,  and 
enjoyed  the  reputation  of  a  great  master 
of  the  art  of  war.  He  was  given  the 
most  important  subordinate  commands, 
and  the  utterances  of  John  Adams  and 
others  seem  to  indicate  that,  while  Wash- 
ington was  appointed  commander-in- 
chief  for  political  reasons,  the  real  reli- 
ance was  put  on  Lee's  supposed  military 
talents  and  experience.  Lee  himself  en- 
couraged this  idea,  and  strenuously  en- 
deavored to  nourish  the  idea  that  he  was 
the  man  to  achieve  American  independ- 
ence. But  his  selfish  scheming  and  re- 
fusal to  cooperate  with  Washington's 
plans,  amounting  to  downright  insubordi- 
nation, was  disastrous  to  the  American 
arms,  and  his  capture  by  the  British, 
when  he  so  carelessly  exposed  himself 
away  from  his  troops,  was  a  blessing  in 
disguise." 

Arnold's  Raid  on  Connecticut 
Avenged — In  the  local  paper  of  Groton, 
Connecticut,  Mr.  Austin  Chester,  a  ven- 
erable resident  of  that  place,  tells  an  inter- 
esting story  about  his  ancestors.  Groton, 
a  picturesque  place  on  the  banks  of  the 
Thames  river,  was  the  home  of  "  Mother  " 


594 


HISTORY    IX    BRIEF 


Bailey,  the  famous  old  woman  who,  at 
the  time  of  Arnold's  massacre  at  Fort 
Griswold,  took  off  her  red  flannel  petti- 
coat and  gave  it  to  the  fort's  defenders  to 
be  used  for  gun  wadding.  Connecticut 
people  never  tire  of  hearing  of  that  mas- 
sacre, how  the  male  members  of  the 
Large  and  only  Christian  church  in  the 
place  were  cut  down  in  the  fort,  and  how 
forty  widows  garbed  in  mourning  occu- 
pied desolated  seats  in  the  church  on  the 
following  Sabbath.  Mr.  Chester  inti- 
mates that  the  Groton  massacre  was  finally 
avenged  at  Fayal,  one  of  the  Western 
Islands,  by  Captain  Reed  in  the  priva- 
teer General  Armstrong.  Much  has  re- 
cently been  printed  concerning  Captain 
Reed  and  his  famous  battle  with  the 
British,  and  the  article  shows  how  it  was 
that  Captain  Reed  was  able  to  conduct 
himself  so  bravely  and  determinedly. 
He  came  from  fighting  stock,  and  his 
mother's  connection  with  the  scenes  fol- 
lowing the  massacre  at  Groton  is  lent  an 
additional  interest  by  a  thread  of  ro- 
mance running  through  them. 

Rebecca  Chester  was  a  Groton  girl, 
and  all  of  her  family  except  herself  were 
slain  at  the  time  of  Arnold's  massacre 
in  1 781.  She  saw  that  battle,  and  helped 
to  care  for  the  dead  and  dying.  Peace 
came,  and  with  it  a  young  lieutenant  of 
the  English  navy,  who  asked  her  to 
become  his  wife.  She  refused  him,  al- 
though she  loved  him,  and  when  he  per- 
sisted in  his  suit  she  finally  told  him,  "  I 
will  never  be  the  wife  of  an  English 
officer."  Lieutenant  Reed,  the  young 
officer,  then,  determining  to  win  her, 
threw  up  his  commission  and  became 
an  American  citizen.  Again  he  sought 
Rebecca,  and  she  willingly  capitulated. 


And  so  they  were  married.  A  son  was 
born  to  them,  to  whom  she  gave  the  name 
of  her  father,  James  Chester.  In  1814, 
thirty  years  from  that  time,  says  Mr. 
Chester,  "  that  boy,  then  Captain  James 
Chester  Reed,  stood  upon  the  deck  of 
the  General  Armstrong  in  the  harbor  of 
Fayal.  There  was  within  him  the  spirit 
of  his  mother,  Rebecca  Chester."  The 
English  fleet  ordered  him  to  surrender. 
How  the  British  were  repeatedly  repulsed 
with  a  loss  of  125  men,  how  Captain 
Reed  finally  scuttled  his  vessel  by  firing 
through  her  bottom  with  his  "  long  torn," 
and  how  an  Englishman  wrote,  "  If  this 
is  the  kind  of  men  that  Yankees  are,  the 
Lord  deliver  us  !  " — are  matters  that 
have  been  told  in  prose  and  poem.  Mr. 
Chester  makes  the  point,  in  concluding, 
that  the  Fayal  battle  was  so  destructive 
to  the  English  fleet,  which  was  on  its 
way  to  New  Orleans,  that  it  never 
reached  that  port  and  New  Orleans  was 
saved. 

F)ramatic  Ending  of  John  Quincy 
Adams's  Career — For  a  number  of 
months  past  Scribners  Magazine  has 
presented  its  readers  with  exceedingly 
graphic  descriptions  of  "  Historic  Mo- 
ments," the  range  covered  including 
other  countries  than  our  own.  In  the 
March  number,  the  event  thus  signal- 
ized took  place  within  our  republic,  and 
we  deem  it  eminently  worthy  of  atten- 
tion. The  "  moment "  is  that  of  the 
death  of  the  "  old  man  eloquent,"  John 
Quincy  Adams,  on  the  very  spot  of  the 
later  triumphs  of  his  career,  which  made 
him  a  more  conspicuous  figure  in  our 
country's  history,  and  has  sent  his  name 
down  to  posterity  with  a  more   lasting 


HISTORY    IN    BRIEF 


395 


fame,  than  the  fact  of  his  occupancy  of 
the  presidential  office  over  a  score  of 
years  before. 

The  article  is  from  the  pen  of  the 
Hon.  Robert  C.  Winthrop,  who  was 
speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives 
at  the  time,  was  an  eye-witness  of  the 
startling  occurrence,  and  was,  moreover, 
on  intimate,  and  even  affectionate,  terms 
with  Adams. 

"  On  Monday  morning,  the  20th  [of  Febru- 
ary, 184S],"  writes  Mr.  Winthrop,  "  he  was  in 
his  seat  at  the  house,  with  his  proverbial 
punctuality.  Prayers  had  been  offered  by  the 
chaplain.  The  yeas  and  nays  had  been  called 
by  the  clerk,  and  I  was  proceeding  to  make 
some  announcement  or  to  put  some  formal 
question,  when  Mr.  Adams  rose  impulsively — I 
had  almost  said  impetuously — with  a  paper  in 
his  outstretched  hand,  exclaiming  with  more 
than  his  usual  earnestness  and  emphasis  :  '  Mr. 
Speaker  !  Mr.  Speaker  ! '  The  reiteration  rings 
again  in  my  ears  as  I  write  these  words.  But 
before  he  could  explain  his  object,  or  add  an- 
other syllable,  his  hand  fell  to  his  side  and  he 
sank  upon  the  arm  of  his  chair,  only  saved  from 
dropping  to  the  floor  by  being  caught  by  the 
member  nearest  to  him.  An  exclamation  was 
almost  instantly  heard,  '  Mr.  Adams  is  dying  !' 
Business  was  at  once  suspended,  and  the  excite- 
ment and  confusion  which  ensued  can  be  imag- 
ined better  than  described.  More  than  two 
hundred  representatives,  in  all  parts  of  the  hall 
and  from  all  parts  of  the  country,  were  seen 
rising  from  their  seats  and  pressing  forward 
toward  their  beloved  and  revered  associate, 
almost  at  if  it  were  in  their  power  to  reverse 
the  will  of  God,  and  rescue  him  from  the  power 
of  the  great  destroyer. 

"  Few  persons  of  equal  eminence — or  of  any 
eminence — have  been  distinguished  by  such  a 
presence  at  their  death-scene.  Fortunately 
there  were  several  physicians  among  the  mem- 
bers of  the  house.  Dr.  William  A.  Newell, 
afterward  the  Governor  of  New  Jersey,  had  the 
seat  immediately  in  front  of  Mr.  Adams,  and 
took  the  lead  in  repressing  the  throng,  securing 


air  for  the  sufferer,  and  rendering  all  the  medi- 
cal aid  which  was  possible.  He  cobperated 
with  others  in  removing  Mr.  Adam-,  on  a  sofa 
into  the  rotunda,  and  thence,  with  but  little 
delay,  at  my  urgent  instigation,  into  the  speak- 
er's official  chamber. 

"  'This  is  the  end  of  earth,'  was  heard  from 
his  lips,  as  he  fell,  or  when  he  was  placed  on 
the  little  couch  which  was  hastily  prepared  for 
him,  with  the  addition,  as  was  alleged,  '  I  am 
composed,'  or,  '  I  am  content.'  But  all  signs 
of  consciousness  soon  ceased,  and  he  lingered, 
entirely  insensible,  until  a  quarter  past  seven  on 
Wednesday  evening,  the  23d. 

"  I  was  with  him  during  a  large  part  of  this 
time,  and  in  company  with  my  colleagues  from 
Massachusetts  and  a  few  others,  was  at  his  side 
when  he  ceased  to  breathe.  Neither  the  house 
nor  the  senate  transacted  any  business  during 
the  three  days,  but  adjourned  from  morning  to 
morning,  until  the  end  came.  The  anniversary 
of  Washington's  birthday  was  one  of  the  inter- 
vening days,  but  it  was  recognized  with  few,  if 
any,  of  the  customary  festivities.  The  impend- 
ing death  of  Mr.  Adams  cast  a  gloom  over  the 
whole  city." 

The  Journal  of  a  Colonial  Sol- 
dier : — We  present  below  a  copy  of  a 
diary  of  the  expedition  of  General  Am- 
herst against  Crown  Point  and  Ticon- 
deroga  in  1759,  kept  by  John  Hurlbut, 
the  uncle  of  the  George  Hurlbut  who  dis- 
tinguished himself  in  the  action  at  Tar- 
rytown,  an  account  of  which  was  given 
in  the  Magazine  of  American  His- 
tory, November,  1890.  The  original  is 
the  property  of  Mr.  Barbour's  mother. 
The  girnal  of  John  Hurlbut,  Jr. 

Hartford,  May,  9th — Then  I  marched  from 
there  to  Albany,  where  we  encamped. 

Albany,  May,  20th,  1759 — Then  we  en- 
camped there. 

May,  29th — Then  was  old  haince  (?)  shot  to 
death  at  Albany,  1759. 

June,  14th,  1759 — Then  we  encamped  there. 

1  Communicated  by  George  Hurlbut  Barbour,  Alle- 
gheny, Pa. 


396 


HISTORY    IN    BRIEF 


June  17th  a  flag  of  truce  came  in  there  at  half 
way  brook  between  Fort  Edward  and  the  Lake. 

Half  way  Brook.  June  26 — We  have  built  a 
small  picket  fort  here. 

lune  30th.  1759 — There  was  a  frost  here  and 
as  cold  as  at  Indian  harvest  time,  and  there  was 
two  men  came  in  that  has  been  prisoners  amongst 
the  indians.  One  taken  in  1756  and  other  1758 
and  they  were  27  days  passage. 

July  2nd.  1759 — There  was  7  guard(?)men 
killed  at  the  lake  and  5  taken  prisoners  by  the 
indians  and  3  wounded. 

July  3d — A  cannon  went  from  Ft  Edward  to 
the  lake. 

July  i-jth — Then  we  marched  to  the  lake  and 
encamped  there. 

July  16 — Captain  Shelding  came  in  at  the 
lake  with  his  company  of  new  recruits. 

July  17th.  1759 — A  flag  of  truce  came  in  at 
Lake  George. 

July  21,  1759,  Lake  George — We  embarked 
and  July  22  we  land  without  resistance  and  July 
23  we  marched  up  to  tiantarog  write  into  their 
intrenchments. 

July  27  we  are  making  a  fasen  battery  on 
side  of  the  brestwork  and  droughing  up  the 
canon  and  mortar  pieces — July  27  about  mid- 
night the  French  march  out  of  fort  and  our  men 
march  in.  The  French  set  the  fort  on  fire  when 
they  marched  outside  and  destroyed  all  they 
could.  We  never  fired  one  gun  but  they  fired 
canon  and  flung  bums.  When  the  French 
marched  from  the  fort,  Rogers  fell  upon  and 
killed  a  great  many  of  them  and  took  a  hundred 
of  them.  Cabbage  is  very  plenty  and  all  sorts 
of  greens  which  they  got  in  the  French  garden. 
They  had  a  fine  garden  large  anuf  to  give  the 
whole  army  a  mess.  We  have  not  lost  one  man 
nor  had  one  man  wounded  in  our  regiment.  In 
the  whole  loss  of  men  was  16  killed,  one  colonel, 
one  ensign,  belonging  to  the  17th  regiment  and 
50  wounded  in  the  siege  of  Ticontaroga.  They 
had  in  the  fort  a  fine  stable  of  horses  over  the 
magazine  which  they  blew  up  and  killed  about 
Fifty.  The  burnt  up  a  great  many  guns  and 
they  left  16  canons  and  six  mortar  pieces.  Ti- 
conderoga  is  a  very  strong  fort,  stronger  than 
fort  Edward. 

July  30 — Captain  Shelding  died  at  the  mills 
at  Ticonderoga, 


August  1,  1759 — The  French  blew  up  Crown 
Foint  and  went  off. 

Ticonderga,  August  3 — There  was  a  man 
hanged  here  for  deserting. 

Aug.  4,  1759 — Our  army  marched  up  to  Crown 
Point. 

Aug.  14 — Captain  Haul  (?)  died  at  Ticonderoga. 

Ticonderoga,  Aug.  25 — There  is  about  200 
men  to  work  at  the  fort  and  has  been  ever  since 
we  have  been  here. 

Sept.  1,  Ticonderoga — They  built  a  sloop  here 
in  about  16  or  18  days,  so  that  they  launched 
her  and  she  will  carry  upward  of  200  ton. 

Sept.  14,  1759,  Ticonderoga — They  are  built- 
ing  another  sloop  hee.  The  other  is  almost  fit 
to  sail.  The  men  are  yet  at  work  at  the  fort 
our  regiment  and  Colonel  Worster's  all  except  a 
relief  to  guard. 

Sept.  6,  1759 — They  fired  the  guns  on  board 
the  brig  twice  round  and  the  next  day  launched 
the  sloop  fired  ten  guns  more  on  board  the  brig. 

Oct.  10',  1759,  Ticonderoga — The  sloop  sailed 
for  Crown  Point  and  went  about  two  miles  and 
fired  two  guns.     She  carries  16  guns. 

Oct.  20 — general  amhars  went  to  Sandy  Creek 
and  took  one  sloop  and  returned  back  to  Crown 
Point.     Then  it  snowed  here  at  Ticonderoga. 

Oct.  30 — Then  the  brig  came  down  from 
Crown  Point,  the  redow.  Our  men  took  one 
sloop  of  8  guns  and  four  swiffels  and  brought 
her  in  at  Crown  Point. 

Ticonderoga,  Nov.  2 — The  Boston  men  ris 
and  went  off  from  the  mdls.  General  Lyman 
and  his  regiment  went  down  the  South  bay  to 
stop  them  but  they  did  not  go  that  way.  Twenty 
Boston  men  went  from  Ft.  Edward  as  far  as 
Ft.  Miller  and  four  regulars  brought  them  back 
again.  The  Redow  came  down  from  Crown 
Point  here  and  took  1600  barrels  of  provisions 
and  went  back  again. 

Nov.  10 — There  was  24  canon  fired  here  be- 
cause it  was  the  king's  birthday. 

Nov.  25,  Ticonderoga — Then  we  marched 
over  the  lake  and  encamped  there. 

Dec.  2,  1759 — We  came  into  number  four. 

4th — We  marched  to  Major  Bellowses 

5th — to  Talos  at  the  river 

6th — to  Montag  " 

7th — to  Hadley  new 

Dec.  8th,  1759 — I  camehome from  Ticonderoga. 


QUERIES 


Lafayette's  body  guard — Where 
can  be  obtained  a  list  or  muster-roll  of 
the  body  guard,  or  company,  of  about  one 
hundred  men  said  to  have  been  brought 
over  from  France,  armed  and  equipped 
by  Lafayette  at  his  own  expense,  when 
his  services  were  accepted  and  he  was 
appointed  an  officer  in  our  army,  in  the 
Revolution  ?  G.  W.  V.  S. 


I  desire  information  in  regard  to  the 
Indian  war  of  1835  in  Alabama  and 
Georgia.  I  am  very  desirous  of  obtain- 
ing a  captain's  name  who  served  in  this 
war  under  Winfield  Scott,  in  the  vicinity 
of  Lagrange,  Ala.  Does  any  one  know 
of  a  muster-roll  to  which  access  can  be 
had? 

G.  W.  Stevenson 


REPLIES 


The  oldest  dwelling  house  in  new 
york  state  [xxix.  p.  185] — The  oldest 
dwelling  house  erected  in  New  York  state 
may  be  "  the  old  Moore  house  at  South- 
hold,  Long  Island,  New  York.  The  tra- 
dition is  that  it  was  built  in  1647,  which 
is  considered  approximately  correct.  As 
early  as  1673  the  old  Dutch  commission- 
ers dined  there.  It  is  owned  now  by 
J.  H.  Cochran,  Esq."  I  copy  the  above 
from  a  very  interesting  and  illustrated 
pamphlet  by  Messrs.  Vanderbilt  &  Hop- 
kins of  New  York,  which  contains  a 
picture  of  this  old  house  and  several 
others.  T.  L.  Cornell 


House  occupied  by  lafayette — 
In  reply  to  the  inquiry  in  March  num- 
ber, I  would  say  that  there  is  an  old 
stone  house  in  the  village  of  Ringoes, 
Hunterdon  Co.,  New  Jersey,  whose 
occupants  claim  that  Lafayette  stopped 
there  for  several  weeks  while  suffering 
from  sickness.  They  could  not  tell 
whether  it  was  while  recovering  from 
his  wound,  or  some  other  ailment  that 
confined  him  to  the  house.      D.  E.  T. 


First    place    of  worship  on  Man- 


hattan island — The  exact  location  of 
the  mill  in  whose  loft  the  first  religious 
exercises  were  held,  may  not  be  easily 
determined.  But  there  are  possibly 
some  plausible  conjectures  in  regard  to 
the  question.  The  location  of  the  fort 
is  well  known  ;  it  occupied  the  ground 
now  bounded  by  Bowling  Green,  State 
street,  Bridge  street,  and  Whitehall 
street.  Directly  east  of  it  were  erected 
the  stone  or  brick  storehouses  (  Winkels) 
on  a  line  running  from  Bridge  or  Stone, 
to  Beaver  or  Marketfield  street,  about 
half  way  between  Whitehall  and  Broad. 
Now,  keeping  on  in  an  easterly  direction 
we  cross  Broad  street,  and  strike  what 
is  South  William.  But  this  used  to  be 
Mill  street  in  English  times,  and  Molen 
straat  in  the  Dutch  days.  Why  may 
not  this  name  have  been  derived  from 
the  historic  mill,  whose  loft  first  resound- 
ed with  the  swelling  strains  of  Dutch 
psalmody  ?  Later,  about  midway  in  the 
block  (the  street  is  only  one  block  long), 
on  the  north  side,  stood  the  Jewish  syna- 
gogue. Is  it  not  supposable  that  the 
spot,  or  the  actual  building,  may  have 
supplied  a  place  of  worship  to  this 
thrifty  race  ? 


Connecticut — At  the  regular  month- 
ly meeting  of  the  New  Haven  Colony 
Historical  Society,  it  was  announced  that 
the  new  building  erected  for  the  society 
by  the  son  of  Governor  English  as  a  me- 
morial to  his  father  and  mother  would 
be  dedicated  on  June  22.  Several  new 
volumes  were  received.  A  paper  was 
read  on  the  "  Surrender  of  Detroit  by 
General  Hull."  The  reader  gave  a  vivid 
picture  of  the  political  and  warlike  policy 
of  the  times,  with  a  glowing  account  of 
the  circumstances  which  led  up  to  and 
attended  the  surrender,  and  concluded 
with  a  strong  appeal  for  justice  for  Gen- 
eral Hull.  The  paper  was  published  in 
the  local  paper,  and  has  created  great 
interest  in  Detroit  and  other  western 
localities. 

— The  Connecticut  Historical  Society, 
at  its  meeting  in  February,  at  Hartford, 
listened  to  a  paper  giving  an  exhaustive 
description  of  the  historical  treasures, 
literary  and  otherwise,  in  its  possession. 
An  application  has  been  made  by  the 
society  to  the  legislature  for  an  appropri- 
ation in  order  to  aid  it  in  preserving  this 
valuable  material,  which  is  of  the  great- 
est interest  to  the  entire  state. 

— At    the    meeting    of   the    Fairfield 


County  Historical  Society  at  Bridgeport, 
in  March,  a  paper  was  read  on  "  Con- 
necticut's East  India  Company  ;  or,  The 
Story  of  Wyoming,"  a  graphic  account 
of  an  interesting  chapter  in  the  state's 
history. 


Delaware — The  Historical  Society 
of  Delaware,  at  its  session  in  February, 
took  appropriate  action  in  regard  to  the 
death  of  ex-Chief  Justice  Joseph  P. 
Comegys,  who  was  one  of  its  vice-presi- 
dents. 


Georgia — At  the  annual  meeting  of 
the  Georgia  Historical  Society  at  Savan- 
nah, in  February,  General  Henry  R. 
Jackson  was '  elected  president.  The 
reports  of  the  various  officers  indicated 
the  condiiion  of  the  society,  and  special 
attention  was  given  to  the  proper  manage- 
ment of  the  Telfair  gallery,  which  is  under 
its  care. 

— At  Macon  a  historical  club  has  just 
been  formed  consisting  of  ladies  and 
gentlemen.  Its  proposed  manner  of 
work  is  worthy  consideration,  and  is  de- 
scribed as  follows  :  "  The  subject  of  the 
next  meeting  will  be  English  history 
from  the  Norman  conquest  to  the  Magna 


NOTE. — This  department  aims  to  present  such  notes  of  the  proceedings  of  historical  societies 
throughout  the  country  as  are  of  general  historical  interest,  with  such  items  of  a  local  nature  as 
will  serve  to  stimulate  the  formation  of  new  societies,  or  to  encourage  the  activities  of  those 
already  established.  Thus  we  hope  to  furnish  a  comprehensive  survey  of  the  character  of  the 
actual  historical  work  done  by  these  organizations,  and  to  indicate  the  growth  everywhere  of 
the  historical   spirit. 


NOTES    FROM    THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


399 


Charta.  Each  member  will  send  in  to  a 
committee  appointed  for  the  purpose  six 
questions  on  the  above  subject,  answers 
attached,  and  from  these  that  commit- 
tee will  select  the  most  useful  questions, 
which  will  be  propounded  at  the  meet- 
ing and  discussed. 

'*  The  manner  in  which  the  questions 
will  be  answered  is  unique,  and  adds 
greatly  to  the  interest  of  the  occasion. 
The  members  seat  themselves  four  or 
five  at  a  table,  there  being  about  six 
tables,  and  six  questions  at  a  time,  writ- 
ten out  upon  a  slip  of  paper,  are  left  at 
each  table,  and  as  soon  as  that  table  has 
done  its  best  to  write  answers  to  each, 
the  slips  containing  questions  are  ex- 
changed, thus  passing  from  table  to 
table,  so  that,  in  the  course  of  an  hour 
or  so,  each  group  of  four  has  answers 
ready  to  some  two  or  three  dozen  ques- 
tions, and  then  the  answers  are  com- 
pared. Some  answers  may  miss  the 
mark  a  long  distance,  but  the  correct 
answer  is  finally  made  known  to  all." 


Illinois — The  quarterly  meeting  of 
the  McLean  County  Historical  Society 
was  held  at  Bloomington,  in  March,  at 
which  several  characteristic  papers  were 
read,  of  value  to  citizens  of  the  west. 
Among  them  was  one  on  "  Sports  and 
Amusements  of  the  Pioneers,"  and  an- 
other related  "  Experiences  in  Crossing 
the  Plains  and  in  California  in  its  Early 
Days." 


Iowa — The  board  of  trustees  of  the 
Iowa  historical  collection  at  their  last 
meeting  at  Des  Moines  decided  to  revive 
their  publication  of  the  Annals  of  Iowa, 
a  historical  quarterly  published  by  the 


Iowa  Historical  Society  at  Iowa  City, 
but  suspended  several  years  ago  for  lack 
of  funds.  It  was  full  of  the  most  valu- 
able historical  materials,  such  as  will 
soon  be  lost  by  the  death  of  the  old  set- 
tlers unless  preserved  in  some  permanent 
form  like  this.  The  first  number  will  be 
issued  some  time  in  February,  and  will 
contain  several  valuable  historical  papers 
now  ready. 

— There  has  been  presented  to  the 
State  Historical  Society  a  printing  press 
curio  in  the  shape  of  a  funeral  notice 
dated  February  25,  1854.  The  notice 
is  by  no  means  one  of  the  handsomely 
printed  announcements  on  a  four-page 
leaflet  of  book  paper,  such  as  we  see 
these  days.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  on  a 
thin  strip  of  "  proof  "  paper  a  couple  of 
inches  wide  and  a  few  inches  long. 

— An  addition  has  been  made  to  the 
Aldrich  collection  of  the  Iowa  Histor- 
ical association.  It  is  a  bronze  medal 
of  the  poet  Tennyson  with  a  medallion 
portrait  of  him  on  one  side,  and  the 
"  Tennyson  "  in  large  raised  letters  on 
the  other  side.  This  medal,  which  was 
presented  by  Senator  Aldrich  to  the 
association,  was  purchased  by  him  when 
in  London.  The  association  has  made 
arrangements  by  which  it  will  shortly 
come  into  possession  of  complete  files 
of  the  census  bureau  at  Washington, 
from  1840  up  to  the  present  date.  The 
census  of  1840  shows  that  there  were 
from  twenty-five  to  forty  slaves  held  in 
the  state  of  Iowa,  partly  in  Dubuque 
and  Des  Moines  counties. 


Kansas — It  is  hoped  that  the  legis- 


400 


NOTES   FROM    THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


lature  this  session  will  provide  room  in 
the  state  house  for  the  library  of  the 
State  Historical  Society  (Topeka).  At 
Topeka  the  materials  of  the  history  of 
the  whole  state  are  being  saved  in  this 
library.  It  is  the  most  remarkable 
library  in  the  country,  in  that  it  is 
preserving  the  regular  issues  of  all  the 
newspapers  published  in  Kansas,  and 
has  been  for  seventeen  years  past.  In 
all,  the  library  contains  nine  thousand 
and  fifty-four  volumes  of  Kansas  news- 
papers. These  have  been  the  free  gift 
to  the  state  by  the  publishers.  These 
files  alone  are  worth  more  to  the  people 
of  Kansas  than  all  the  Historical  Society 
has  ever  cost  the  state.  The  library 
not  only  contains  newspaper  files,  but 
books,  pamphlets,  manuscripts,  pictures, 
and  numberless  historical  relics.  The 
institution  has  created  a  world-wide 
interest,  and  has  attracted  gifts  from 
every  quarter,  until  it  numbers  now 
upwards  of  seventy  thousand  volumes. 
Earnest  endeavors  are  making  all  over 
the  state  to  induce  the  legislature  to 
provide  suitable  quarters  for  this  valu- 
able historical  collection.  At  its  last 
meeting  it  received  a  pair  of  scales  and 
weights  used  in  weighing  coins,  a  manu- 
script table  of  coins  adopted  by  the  New 
York  Chamber  of  Commerce  in  1784, 
and  an  autograph  letter  of  Aaron  Burr. 


Maine — The  Maine  Historical  So- 
ciety has  been  promised  the  gift  of  a 
sword  which  was  taken  from  the  British 
brig  Boxer  during  the  naval  battle  be- 
tween the  American  ship  Enterprise  and 
the  Boxer,  a  short  distance  from  Port- 
land. The  sword  was  obtained  from 
the  widow  of  Mr.  Charles  Harding,  who 


received  it  from  his  brother-in-law,  the 
late  Captain  William  Cammett.  The 
sword  is  a  reminder  of  that  memorable 
conflict  that  our  own  Longfellow  has 
sung  about,  and  bears  the  scars  of  active 
service.  It  will  be  a  valuable  addition 
to  the  already  large  group  of  interesting 
relics  in  the  possession  of  the  society. 

— The  annual  meeting  of  the  Sagada- 
hoc Historical  Society  was  held  on  Janu- 
ary 27th.  The  board  of  officers  who 
have  served  the  past  year  were  re- 
elected. Papers  are  projected  on  the 
Huguenots  of  Dresden,  on  Ferdinando 
Gorges,  and  on  Arrowsic. 


Maryland — At  the  monthly  meeting 
of  the  Maryland  Historical  Society,  held 
at  Baltimore,  March  13th,  an  interest- 
ing paper  was  read  on  a  Columbus 
monument  erected  in  that  city  in  1792, 
a  description  of  which  appeared  in  the 
Mail,  or  CI  ay  pole's  Daily  Advertiser, 
Philadelphia,  August  22,  1792.  There 
was  a  story  that  the  monument  was 
erected  by  a  French  gentleman,  ap- 
pointed a  consul  of  France  in  1778,  in 
memory  of  a  deceased  horse  of  which 
he  was  very  fond.  But  the  monument 
bears  the  inscription  :  "  Chris  Colom- 
bus,  Octr.  12,  MDCCVIIIC  ;  "  and  this 
would  indicate  clearly  enough  the  real 
purpose  of  its  erection. 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  society 
in  February,  the  reports  of  the  officers 
showed  a  prosperous  condition,  and  the 
library  has  received  numerous  donations 
of  pamphlets  and  books.  Besides  the 
papers  read  before  the  society  at  the 
successive  meetings,  giving  accounts  of 
historical    investigations    made    by    the 


NOTES   FROM    THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


401 


members,  it  has  issued  two  volumes  of 
the  State  Archives ;  one  being  com- 
posed of  documents  connected  with  the 
colonial  history  of  the  state,  and  the 
other  being  the  records  of  the  Council  of 
Safety,  to  whom  was  entrusted  the  man- 
agement of  "the  state's  affairs  during  the 
Revolutionary  war.  These  are  a  valu- 
able contribution  to  the  materials  for 
the  "history  of  the  country,  and  have 
hitherto  been  practically  inaccessible  for 
historical  purposes. 

— The  Frederick  County  Historical 
Society,  a  notice  of  whose  recent  organi- 
zation appeared  in  our  preceding  num- 
ber, is  enlisting  the  interest  and  attention 
of  the  citizens  of  that  section  of  the 
state.  The  spirit  of  research  has  taken 
hold  of  the  people,  and  valuable  material 
for  a  historical  collection  has  been  un- 
earthed. As  time  advances  the  treasures 
will  accumulate,  until  the  city  of  Fred- 
erick will  have  a  historical  museum  of 
great  value  and  interest. 

— The  quarterly  meeting  of  the  Harford 
County  Historical  Society  was  held  in 
January  last,  at  Bel  Air.  Donations  in 
great  numbers  were  made  of  documents 
and  pamphlets.  Several  of  these  were 
presented  by  President  Gilman  of  Johns 
Hopkins  university.  Among  other  curi- 
osities donated  were  specimens  of  iron 
ore  (probably  bog  ore)  from  a  long  aban- 
doned mine  on  the  new  road  from  Bush 
to  Harford  station,  which  was  worked  by 
the  Bush  River  Iron  Company  about  150 
years  ago.  It  is  now  filled  with  water. 
The  wood-work  of  some  parts  of  the 
machinery  is  still  to  be  seen. 

— The  German  Historical  Society  of 

Vol.  XXIX.— No.  4.-26 


Maryland  held  its  annual  meeting  in 
Baltimore,  in  February.  The  society  was 
presented  with  a  German  book  printed 
in  Philadelphia  in  1705,  twenty  years 
after  the  settlement  at  Germantown.  It 
had  not  been  known  that  German  books 
were  printed  in  Philadelphia  before  1 735. 
It  has  been  discovered  that  a  German 
correspondent  existed  in  Baltimore  in 
1809,  and  in  1830  a  Baltimore  gazette 
was  printed  in  German.  The  secretary's 
report  shows  the  society  has  gained  com- 
mendation throughout  the  country.  It 
has  eighty  members. 


Massachusetts — In  February  the 
Berkshire  Historical  Society  listened  at 
Pittsfield  to  an  address  by  Prof.  John 
Bascom,  on  Mark  Hopkins,  prominent  as 
president  of  Williams  college,  and"  one 
of  the  most  representative  men  New 
England  has  ever  produced. 

— In  January  the  Beverly  Historical 
Society  held  an  interesting  meeting,  Co- 
lumbus being  discussed  among  other 
topics.  Steps  wrere  taken  towards  secur- 
ing a  desirable  room  to  receive  gifts  and 
exhibit  them.  There  is  a  plan  to  give  the 
society  a  suitable  place  for  this  purpose, 
and  a  valuable  and  interesting  collection 
of  articles  can  soon  be  placed  on  exhibi- 
tion. 

— At  its  annual  meeting  in  January, 
the  Hyde  Park  Historical  Society  ap- 
pointed a  committee  to  get  up  a  proper 
celebration  of  the  twenty-fifth  anniver- 
sary of  the  town,  which  takes  place  in 
April,  and  one  to  arrange  for  lectures 
under  the  auspices  of  the  society.  One 
thousand  volumes  have  been  added,  dur- 


402 


NOTES   FROM    THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


ing  the  year,  to  the  library,  and  there  is 
a  prospect  of  getting  a  larger  room  for 
the  society,  when  still  further  additions 
would  be  made  to  the  library. 


— The  Fitchburg  Historical  Society, 
organized  only  a  little  over  a  year  ago, 
has  increased  in  membership  very  satis- 
factorily, and  is  on  a  firm  basis  finan- 
cially. It  is  expected  that  a  permanent 
home  will  soon  be  secured,  where  the 
society  will  hold  meetings  and  have  its 
collection  of  books,  pamphlets,  etc., 
safely  stored  and  readily  accessible  to 
all  persons  desiring  information.  The 
amount  of  historical  material  collected 
during  the  past  year  (over  one  hundred 
bound  volumes,  over  six  hundred  pam- 
phlets, besides  maps,  manuscripts,  papers, 
etc.),  is  very  gratifying  ;  mainly  donated 
by  a  few  persons,  mostly  members  of 
the  society.  A  few  interested  friends, 
not  yet  members,  have  kindly  sent  con- 
tributions which  were  highly  appreciated. 

— The  Weymouth  Historical  Society, 
in  response  to  his  generous  offer,  noticed 
in  the  preceding  number,  passed  the 
following  resolution  : 

Whereas,  Hon.  Charles  Francis  Adams 
has  generously  offered  to  give  the  town 
of  Weymouth  a  monument  to  commem- 
orate its  first  settlement  and  the  spot 
where  Miles  Standish  fought  and  defeat- 
ed the  Indians  ;  therefore,  be  it 

Resolved,  by  the  Weymouth  Histor- 
ical Society,  that  the  park  commission- 
ers are  requested  to  take  such  steps  as 
they  deem  necessary  to  secure  a  proper 
site  for  said  monument  by  Hon.  Charles 
Francis  Adams,  and   to   recommend   an 


appropriation   by  the  town  for  the  pay- 
ment thereof. 


— The  Massachusetts  Historical  So- 
ciety at  its  meeting  in  February,  in  Bos- 
ton, was  presented  with  a  silver  watch 
once  owned  by  Cotton  Mather  and  an 
original  miniature  of  Increase  Mather. 
These  interesting  relics  were  sent  for 
presentation  to  the  Society  by  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  A.  B.  Ellis,  a  lineal  descend- 
ant of  Cotton  Mather.  In  her  letter 
Mrs.  Ellis  writes  that  the  watch  is  "  the 
one  carried  by  him  among  the  Indians, 
who,  hearing  the  ticking,  were  frightened 
and  thought  he  carried  the  devil  in  his 
pocket,  and  ran  away  from  him.  It  has 
been  handed  down  from  one  generation 
to  another"  in  the  family.  Personal 
reminiscences  of  Bishop  Brooks  were 
then  given  by  Colonel  Henry  Lee,  W.  S. 
Appleton,  and  C.  F.  Adams,  who  had 
known  him  almost  from  infancy,  and  who 
narrated  several  interesting  facts  con- 
nected with  his  early  life,  and  Dr. 
Brooks'  experience  as  a  teacher  in  the 
Boston  Latin  school. 

— At  Franklin,  the  example  of  the 
Dedham  and  Medfield  Historical  So- 
cieties is  stirring  up  the  citizens  to  form 
a  similar  society.  Several  prominent 
men  have  started  the  movement,  which 
will  no  doubt  be  successful. 

— The  Colonial  Society  of  Massachu- 
setts, of  which  Dr.  Benjamin  Apthorp 
Gould  is  president,  is  the  name  of  the 
new  historical  association  whose  forma- 
tion we  announced  in  our  March  num- 
ber under  the  title  of  the  Massachusetts 


NOTES   FROM    THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


403 


Society.  The  name  was  changed  as 
above  in  order  to  avoid  possible  con- 
fusion with  that  of  the  Massachusetts 
Historical  Society.  At  the  first  stated 
meeting,  Mr.  Andrew  McFarland  Davis 
read  a  paper  on  "  Historical  Work  in 
Massachusetts,"  giving  the  origin,  his- 
tory, and  a  sketch  of  the  labors  of  the 
several  societies  in  this  state  devoted 
to  that  branch  of  research.  The  an- 
nouncement was  also  made  at  this 
meeting,  of  the  revival  of  the  Lady 
Mowlson  scholarship  at  Harvard  uni- 
versity. The  existence  of  this  scholar- 
ship, or,  at  least,  the  identity  of  its 
founder  and  the  availability  of  the 
"  foundation  "  may  be  said  to  have  been 
discovered  by  Mr.  Davis.  The  Lady 
Mowlson  scholarship  is  the  first  "founda- 
tion "  of  the  sort  in  this  country,  and 
amongst  the  oldest  in  the  world,  having 
been  made  in  1643.  Its  revival  at  this 
time  comes  as  another  link  between 
Harvard  university  and  its  venerable 
past. 

— In  Lowell  there  is  an  Old  Residents' 
Historical  Association,  which  holds  quar- 
terly meetings,  at  which  sketches  are 
given  of  the  lives  of  prominent  citizens 
who  have  passed  away. 

— The  Dedham  Historical  Society 
held  its  annual  meeting  at  its  Historical 
Building,  March  1,  and  the  re-elected 
officers  for  1893-94  included  President 
Don  Gleason  Hill  and  Librarian  John 
H.  Burdakin.  The  reports  showed  that 
the  society  was  in  a  prosperous  finan- 
cial condition  ;  that  many  bound  books 
and  historical  pamphlets  had  been  added 
to  the  library  during  the  past  year,  and 


that  its  publication,  the  Dedham  His- 
torical Register,  just  entering  upon  its 
fourth  volume,  was  a  success.  The 
Register  is  in  every  way  a  credit  to  the 
society. 

— At  its  meeting  in  March,  the 
Watertown  Historical  Society  arranged 
for  making  a  "  Revolutionary  Night  "  of 
it,  by  the  papers  and  discussions  pre- 
sented then. 


Minnesota — The  State  Historical 
Society  is  confidently  expecting  the  pas- 
sage of  the  bill  through  the  legislature, 
appropriating  $150,000  for  the  erection 
of  a  fireproof  building  for  its  use.  At 
its  session  in  March,  a  member  intro- 
duced the  subject  of  opening  the  library 
to  the  public  Sunday  afternoons  and 
evenings.  There  are  a  great  many,  it 
was  urged,  who  are  too  busy  on  week 
days  to  even  visit  the  historical  rooms. 
The  question  was  referred  to  the  library 
committee  without  any  discussion.  The 
society  has  just  issued  a  volume  entitled 
"  The  Mississippi  River  and  its  Source." 
In  this  treatise  the  ultimate  source  of 
the  river  is  declared  to  be  in  a  partially 
inclosed  basin  containing  many  ponds, 
lying  directly  south  of  Lake  Itaska,  and 
distant  from  its  head  about  three  miles. 
For  all  practical  and  popular  purposes, 
therefore,  Lake  Itaska  may  continue  to 
be  known  as  the  source  of  the  Missis- 
sippi. The  state  of  Minnesota  has  set 
apart  the  region  about  Lake  Itaska  as  a 
state  park. 


Missouri — The   State  Historical  So- 
ciety was  lately  presented  with  a  curious 


404 


NOTES    FROM    THE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETIES 


relic  of  slavery  times.  It  was  a  shackle 
once  worn  by  a  slave  at  Lexington, 
Missouri.  His  master  bad  attached  it 
to  bis  leg,  with  a  chain  tour  feet  long, 
and  a  weight  of  twenty-five  pounds  at  the 
end  of  the  chain,  to  prevent  his  running 
away.  A  humane  iron  founder  relieved 
the  poor  negro  of  this  painful  appendage, 
throwing  the  ball  and  chain  into  a  well, 
and  keeping  the  shackle,  which  he  do- 
nated to  the  society. 

— At  the  regular  monthly  meeting  of 
the  ex-Confederate  Historical  and  Be- 
nevolent Association  held  in  February,  at 
St.  Louis,  the  treasury  was  reported  in  a 
healthy  condition,  and  a  member  was 
deputed  to  find  the  St.  Louisan  who  was 
with  Jefferson  Davis  when  he  was  cap- 
tured, and  invite  him  to  give  a  correct 
account  of  the  event  at  the  next  meet- 
ing. 


tion  of  officers,  an  item  of  general  inter- 
est was  the  report  of  a  committee  that 
the  die  for  the  centennial  medal  which 
the  society  had  adopted  was  finished. 


Montana — The  State  Historical  So- 
ciety has  among  its  collection  over  four 
hundred  volumes  of  the  newspapers  of 
Montana,  which  some  day  will  be  of  great 
value  as  a  foundation  for  a  history  of 
the  state.  It  has  also  diaries,  letters  of 
historic  interest,  and  many  manuscripts 
of  value,  in  addition  to  volumes  of  his- 
torical interest.  Indian  relics  are  also  to 
be  secured.  The  Indian  race  is  fast 
disappearing,  and  a  few  years'  work  in 
collecting  and  putting  in  form  the  man- 
ners and  customs  and  legends  of  the 
various  Indian  tribes  in  Montana  will  be 
of  great  value  at  some  future  day. 


New  Jersey — The  annual  meeting  of 
the  State  Historical  Society  was  held  at 
Trenton  in   January.     Besides  the  elec- 


New  York — The  New  York  Histor- 
ical Society  is  arranging  for  the  celebra- 
tion, on  April  8,  of  the  two  hundredth 
anniversary  of  the  establishment  of  a 
printing  press  in  the  New  York  colony 
by  William  Bradford,  the  exact  date  of 
which  was  April  io,  1693.  On  the  same 
occasion  the  founding  of  the  first  news- 
paper, the  Neiv  York  Gazette,  October  23, 
1725,  will  also  be  commemorated.  The 
paper  was  printed  on  the  site  of  the 
present  Cotton  Exchange,  and  it  is  in 
the  main  room  of  the  exchange  that  the 
celebration  will  take  place,  its  use  having 
been  tendered  to  the  society.  On  the 
day  of  the  celebration  two  tablets  will 
be  set  up  — one  on  the  site  of  the  old 
newspaper,  and  the  other  where  the  print- 
ing press  stood.  Beginning  with  April 
4,  some  of  the  Bradford  imprints  will  be 
on  exhibition  at  the  library  of  the  society 
for  two  weeks. 

— At  the  regular  meeting  of  the  Yonk- 
ers  Historical  and  Library  Association, 
in  March, a  paper  was  read  on  "The  Battle 
of  Phillipse's  Bridge,"  an  event  in  Revo- 
lutionary history  which  took  place  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  city  of  Yonkers. 

— At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Suffolk 
County  Historical  Society  at  Riverhead, 
Long  Island,  in  February,  the  usual  elec- 
tion of  officers  took  place,  and  steps  were 
taken  to  secure  a  building.  The  venerable 
local  historian,  the  Rev.  Epher  W.  Whit- 
taker,  read  a  very  able  and  interesting  bio- 


NOTES    FROM    THE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETIES 


405 


graphical  sketch  of  Mrs.  Martha  J.  Lamb, 
who  was  a  leading  and  active  member  of 
the  society.  The  sketch  was  not  only 
eloquent,  but  a  tender  and  loving  tribute 
from  a  life-long  friend.  A  vote  of  thanks 
was  tendered  the  reader,  and  the  sketch 
ordered  placed  on  file. 

— The  Rockland  County  Historical  and 
Forestry  Society  held  its  annual  meeting 
at  Nyack,  in  February.  The  usual  dinner 
was  enjoyed,  officers  elected,  and  a  dis- 
play made  of  recently  acquired  historical 
relics.  Rockland  county  is  rich  in  his- 
toric relics  and  teems  with  history  of 
patriotic  events  in  this  country's  early 
struggles  for  liberty.  It  seems  to  be 
proper,  then,  that  the  objects  for  which 
the  Historical  Society  was  formed  ought 
to  receive  earnest  recognition  from  every 
portion  of  the  county. 

— The  Historical  Society  of  Newburgh 
Bay  and  the  Highlands  held  its  annual 
meeting  at  Newburgh,  on  March  1.  E.  M. 
Ruttenber,  the  well-known  authority  on 
the  Indians  of  the  Hudson  River  region, 
was  re-elected  president.  Newburgh 
has  already  a  place  of  deposit  for  relics 
of  the  past  at  Washington's  headquar- 
ters, but  the  society  is  not  on  that  ac- 
count debarred  from  the  anticipation  of 
some  day  having  a  building  of  its  own. 
At  any  rate  the  organization  is  doing 
useful  work  in  gathering  and  putting 
into  form  for  permanent  preservation 
valuable  records  of  past  events  in  that 
region  that  would,  but  for  its  care,  be 
irrecoverably  lost.  Some  notable  con- 
tributions to  local  history  have  already 
been  made  at  the  instance  of  this  so- 
ciety. 


— The  Troy  Conference  Historical 
Society  has  received  a  valuable  relic 
from  a  Baltimore  (Maryland)  contribu- 
tor. It  consists  of  a  picture  of  Charles 
Wesley,  1 708-1 788,  occupies  one  half 
of  the  space,  and  on  the  opposite  side 
is  a  musical  page  from  the  Gospel  Maga- 
zine, 1776.  The  framed  relic  is  highly 
prized  and  will  be  placed  in  the  ar- 
chives of  the  society. 

— A  meeting  of  the  Minisink  Valley 
Historical  Society  was  held  in  Port 
Jervis,  in  March.  Interesting  exercises 
were  held,  consisting  of  the  reading  of  a 
poem  written  expressly  for  the  celebra- 
tion of  February  22,  and  brief  addresses 
by  different  speakers  selected  for  that 
purpose,  interspersed  with  music,  both 
vocal  and  instrumental. 

— The  Johnstown  Historical  Society, 
at  its  meeting  in  February,  received  a 
present  of  great  historical  value — an  au- 
tograph letter  of  Sir  William  Johnson,  the 
celebrated  secretary  of  New  York  colony 
for  Indian  affairs,  whose  home  was  at 
Johnstown. 

—At  the  monthly  meeting  of  the 
Oneida  Historical  Society  held  in  Feb- 
ruary, at  Utica,  the  librarian  reported  a 
large  number  of  gifts  to  the  society. 
The  committee  to  whom  was  referred 
the  matter  of  a  monument  to  General 
Nicholas  Herkimer  prepared  a  bill 
which  would  be  sent  to  Albany.  It  was 
urged  that  all  influence  be  used  in  favor 
of  the  bill.  It  is  entitled  "  An  act  to 
provide  for  enlarging  and  enclosing  in  a 
suitable  manner  the  family  burial  lot 
upon  which  are  interred  the  remains  of 


4O0 


NOTES    FROM    THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


General  Nicholas  Herkimer,  and  also  to 
erect  thereon  a  monument  to  his  memory, 
and  making  an  appropriation  therefor." 
The  consideration  of  the  proposition  to 
admit  women  to  membership  of  the  so- 
ciety was  decided  favorably,  and  many 
were  duly  elected  members  of  the  so- 
ciety, the  constitution  being  amended  so 
as  to  exempt  women  members  from  the 
payment  of  annual  dues. 

— At  the  February  meeting  of  the 
Rochester  Historical  Society,  a  paper 
was  read  by  Henry  C.  Maine  of  more 
than  usual  interest.  The  subject  was 
''An  Unknown  Exile,"  the  mysterious 
personage  who  immediately  after  the 
French  Revolution  bought  a  large  tract 
of  land  in  Madison  county,  in  this  state, 
and  built  a  chateau  on  a  high  hill  in 
Georgetown,  where  he  liyed  in  strange 
seclusion,  yet  like  the  French  gentleman 
that  he  plainly  was.  Mr.  Maine  made 
it  clear,  from  a  mass  of  evidence,  that  he 
might  have  been  the  Duke  of  Artois,  a 
brother  of  Louis  XVI.  (afterward  Charles 
X.  of  France),  in  hiding  from  Napoleon 
Bonaparte. 

— It  is  gratifying  to  observe  that  a 
meeting  has  been  held  and  steps  have 
been  taken  for  the  formation  of  an  Or- 
leans County  Historical  Society. 


Ohio — Among  the  relics  in  possession 
of  the  Newark  Historical  Society  which 
will  probably  have  a  place  in  the  Ohio 
department  at  the  World's  exposition  at 
Chicago  is  the  likeness  of  Johanna 
Heckvvelder,  the  first  white  woman  born 
on  Ohio  soil.  She  was  born  in  Salem, 
one  of  the  Moravian  missionary  stations, 


in  Tuscarawas  county,  April  16,  1781. 
She  died  at  Bethlehem,  Pennsylvania, 
September  18,  1868,  aged  eighty-seven 
years,  five  months,  and  two  days. 

— The  New  Century  Historical  Society 
and  the  Pioneer  Society  of  Marietta 
have  assumed  the  responsibility  of  fur- 
nishing the  vestibule  of  the  Ohio  build- 
ing at  the  Columbian  exposition.  Many 
relics  and  bronze  tablets  appropriate  to 
the  commemoration  of  the  first  settle- 
ment of  the  "  northwest  territory  "  will 
figure  conspicuously  in  these  decora- 
tions. 

— The  trustees  of  the  State  Archaeo- 
logical and  Historical  Society,  at  their 
meeting  last  evening,  elected  General  R. 
Brinkerhoff  of  Mansfield,  president,  to 
succeed  the  late  ex-President  Hayes. 
It  was  decided  to  have  a  celebration  at 
Greenville  in  1895,  on  tne  anniversary  of 
the  making  of  "  Mad  "  Anthony  Wayne's 
treaty  with  the  Indians.  There  was  an 
informal  discussion  upon  the  question  of 
omitting  the  word  "  archaeological  "  from 
the  title  of  the  society  and  calling  it 
simply  the  Historical  Society,  but  no 
action  was  taken.  The  superintendent 
of  Fort  Ancient  was  authorized  to  make 
certain  changes  in  the  roads  and  build- 
ings for  the  preservation  of  the  property. 
The  relics  collected  for  exhibition  at  the 
World's  fair  are  many  and  rare,  among 
which  is  a  silver  tankard  brought  over 
in  the  Mayflower  and  used  at  the  first 
communion  service  in  this  country  at 
Plymouth.  An  old  millstone  used  in  the 
first  mill  in  Ohio  has  also  been  loaned 
to  the  society  by  the  Dodge  family  of 
Beverly,  Ohio.     Mrs.    Dodge    will    also 


NOTES    FROM    THE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETIES 


407 


furnish  two  remarkable  dresses,  one  of 
which  was  worn  at. a  ball  in  commemo- 
ration of  the  battle  of  Yorktown. 


Nova  Scotia — The  Nova  Scotia  His- 
torical Society  held  its  annual  meeting 
in  February,  at  Halifax.  The  treas- 
urer's report  showed  a  balance  to  the  so- 
ciety's credit  of  $426.66.  Officers  were 
elected,  and  a  short  but  interesting  paper, 
entitled  "The  Log  of  a  Halifax  Privateer 
m  ]757?"  was  read  by  Professor  Mac- 
Meehan. 


Pennsylvania — The  Historical  So- 
ciety of  Western  Pennsylvania  held  its 
monthly  meeting  in  February,  at  Pitts- 
burg. A  paper  was  to  have  been  read 
on  "  The  Beginning  of  Iron  and  Steel 
Manufacturing  in  Western  Pennsylva- 
nia ; "  it  was  postponed  to  the  March 
meeting.  In  membership  and  finances 
the  society  is  in  a  most  flourishing  con- 
dition. 

— The  Dauphin  County  Historical 
Society  of  Harrisburg  expects  to  cele- 
brate its  twenty-fifth  anniversary  on 
June  4. 

— At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Mont- 
gomery County  Historical  Society,  at 
Norristown.  in  February,  a  committee 
was  appointed  to  memorialize  the  legis- 
lature to  appropriate  $30,000  for  the 
purchase  of  Valley  Forge,  and  another 
committee  to  consider  the  purchase  of 
historical  works  by  local  authors.  A 
proposition  was  made  for  changing  the 
name  of  the  organization  to  Montgomery 
County  Historical  and  Genealogical  So- 
ciety, but  action  was  deferred. 


— A  list  just  issued  by  the  Moravian 
Historical  Society  shows  the  total  num- 
ber of  its  members  to  be  289.  Of  these 
there  are  239  members  resident  in  Penn- 
sylvania, 15  in  New  York,  7  in  Ohio,  5 
in  New  Jersey,  and  23  in  other  states  and 
foreign  countries.  Bethlehem  has  129 
members,  Nazareth  has  52,  Lititz  has  8, 
while  Easton  and  South  Bethlehem  have 
only  4  each.  The  headquarters  of  the 
society  are  at  Nazareth,  in  the  old 
Ephrata  house,  begun  by  George  Whit- 
field in  1740.  The  society  has  published 
three  volumes  of  transactions,  containing 
many  valuable  papers  on  the  early  his- 
tory of  the  country.  The  fourth  vol- 
ume, now  in  process  of  publication,  has 
articles  on  the  Moravian  settlement  at 
Broadbay,  Maine,  by  John  W.  Jordan  ; 
on  the  history  of  Nazareth,  by  James 
Henry  ;  a  historical  sketch  of  the  wid- 
ows' house  at  Bethlehem,  by  John  W. 
Jordan  ;  and  the  diary  of  a  journey  from 
Salem,  N.  C,  to  Bethlehem,  in  1815,  by 
Rev.  Gotthold  Benjamin  Reichel. 

— The  regular  quarterly  meeting  of 
the  American  Catholic  Historical  So- 
ciety was  held  in  its  library,  in  the 
Athenaeum  building,  in  Philadelphia,  in 
March.  From  the  proceedings  it  was 
learned  that  the  society  has  about  ten 
thousand  works  in  its  library,  all  of  rare 
historical  interest  to  Catholics,  and  dur- 
ing the  past  quarter  thirteen  hundred 
new  members  were  elected,  exclusive  of 
about  fifty  enrolled  at  the  meeting  yes- 
terday. The  financial  secretary  reported 
having  received  since  the  last  meeting 
eight  hundred  and  forty  dollars. 

—  At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Wy- 


4oS 


NOTES    FROM    THE   HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


oming  Historical  and  Geological  Society, 
held  at  Wilkesbarre,  in  February,  the 
usual  election  of  officers  took  place. 
The  secretary  reports  to  us  that  the 
handsome  building  erected  for  the  per- 
manent quarters  of  the  society  by  the 
trustees  of  the  Osterhout  Free  Library 
was  ready  for  use.  The  trustees  were 
appointed  to  arrange  for  a  public  open- 
ing of  the  rooms  in  April.  The  treas- 
urer reported  a  completed  building,  per- 
manent and  free  quarters,  and  an  invested 
fund  of  eight  thousand  dollars. 


battle  was  fought,  and,  as  a  boy,  wit- 
nessed the  battle.  His  paper  was  a 
description   of  the   battle   as   he   saw  it. 


Rhode  Island — A  paper  was  read 
before  the  Rhode  Island  Historical  So- 
ciety in  Providence,  in  February,  on 
Samuel  Gorton,  one  of  the  early  colo- 
nists of  Rhode  Island.  Mr.  Sheffield 
spoke  of  the  antagonisms  under  which 
the  colony  was  settled,  and  of  the  mate- 
rial which  the  historian  found  for  study 
in  the  widely  differing  views  of  the  peo- 
ple who  were  active  in  bringing  about 
the  settlement  of  Rhode  Island.  At  the 
meeting  in  March  a  paper  was  read  on 
"  The  World  of  Commerce  in  1492." 
The  paper  was  an  exhaustive  one,  treat- 
ing of  the  methods  of  conducting  com- 
merce in  the  latter  part  of  the  fifteenth 
century,  and  the  limited  facilities  at  the 
command  of  the  different  nations  en- 
gaged in  commercial  enterprises. 


Tennessee — The  regular  meeting  of 
the  Tennessee  Historical  Society,  held 
in  February,  at  Nashville,  was  of  more 
than  ordinary  interest.  This  was  due 
to  the  very  entertaining  and  instructive 
paper  read  by  Mr.  T.  M.  Hurst  on  "  The 
Battle  of  Shiloh."  Mr.  Hurst  was  not 
a  participant,  but  lived  near  where  the 


Virginia — Success  attends  the  newly 
organized  Richmond  Literary  and  His- 
torical Association,  mentioned  in  our 
March  number.  In  February  a  largely 
attended  meeting  of  this  association 
was  held.  In  response  to  the  invitations 
sent  by  the  secretary  quite  a  number  of 
ladies  were  present.  The  constitution 
was  read,  after  which  the  president  ex- 
plained the  objects  of  the  association. 
The  names  of  about  twenty-five  ladies 
and  several  gentlemen  were  added  to 
the  roll.  The  meetings  of  the  associa- 
tion will  be  held  the  first  and  third  Tues- 
day of  each  month  hereafter. 


Wisconsin — A  bill  has  been  intro- 
duced in  the  state  senate,  to  authorize 
the  construction  of  a  building  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  collections  of  the 
State  Historical  Society,  the  library  of 
the  state  university,  and  such  other 
libraries  as  may  be  placed  in  the  cus- 
tody of  such  institutions,  or  of  either  of 
them.  The  bill  appropriates  two  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars  to  the  university 
fund  income,  which  shall  be  used  by  the 
board  of  regents  of  the  university  for  the 
partial  construction  of  such  building,  and 
provides  that  there  shall  be  levied  and 
collected  annually,  for  four  years,  a  state 
tax  of  one-tenth  of  one  mill  for  each  dol- 
lar of  the  assessed  valuation  of  the  tax- 
able property  of  the  state,  which  amount 
is  appropriated  to  the  university  fund  in- 
come, and,  so  far  as  needed,  shall  be  used 
by  the  board  of  regents  for  the  comple- 
tion and  equipment  of  such  building. 


EDITORIAL    NOTES 


There  is  no  telling  wheat  this  searching 
for  relics  of  Columbus  will  end  in.  The 
cask  in  which  he  placed  an  account  of 
his  discovery,  and  which  he  then  threw 
overboard,  is  as  yet  missing.  But  the 
Columbian  Fair  has  not  opened  at  the 
present  writing,  and  there  is  still  time 
for  it  to  "  turn  up."  In  the  meantime  a 
journal,  from  the  sober  and  truthful 
Quaker  city  of  Brotherly  Love,  placidly 
informs  us  that  one  of  the  anchors  of 
the  Santa  Maria  has  been  discovered  and 
is  now  on  the  way  to  Chicago.  It  was 
found  at  Cape  Haytien,  on  Hayti,  or 
the  old  Hispaniola.  The  Santa  Maria 
went  to  pieces  on  the  coast  of  that  island, 
and  this  anchor  has  considerately  con- 
cealed itself  until  they  were  ready  to 
give  it  an  honorable  place  at  the  Expo- 
sition. 


It  is  somewhat  discouraging  to  enter 
too  microscopically  into  the  details  of 
history  during  periods  that  are  usually 
regarded  as  most  heroic.  William  of 
Orange  encountered  untold  difficulties 
growing  out  of  petty  jealousies  between 
provinces,  cities,  and  religious  denomina- 
tions. Harrowing  also  beyond  expres- 
sion were  the  annoyances  to  which 
Washington  was  subjected  by  reason  of 
sectional  envy  in  the  army  and  in  Con- 
gress. It  required  all  the  force  and  fervor 
of  the  few  great  spirits  that  made  such 
epochs  heroic,  to  brush  away  the  pyg- 
mies whose  only  power  lay  in  annoy- 
ance, and  to  advance  their  generation 
up  the  heights  of  achievement  of  which 
all  their  contemporaries  now  share  the 
renown. 


True  greatness  attracts.  Where  we 
find  it  to  be  genuine  our  minds  and 
hearts  are  taken  captive.  As  Emerson 
has  said:  "It  is  natural  to  believe  in 
great  men.  Nature  seems  to  exist  for 
the  excellent.  The  world  is  upheld  by 
the  veracity  of  good  men  :  they  make 
the  earth  wholesome.  They  who  lived 
with  them,  found  life  glad  and  nutritious. 
Life  is  sweet  and  tolerable  only  in  our 
belief  in  such  society  ;  and  actually,  or 
ideally,  we  manage  to  live  with  superiors. 
We  call  our  children  and  our  lands  by 
their  names." 


Necessarily,  so  recently  after  Mrs. 
Lamb's  death,  we  come  upon  touching 
evidences  among  her  papers  of  some 
of  her  characteristic  traits  as  a  literary 
worker.  Upon  one  envelope  covering 
an  article  she  had  written  :  "  Must  see 
Sparks,"  indicative  of  her  conscientious 
industry.  Another  brief  note  seemed 
like  a  wail  of  despair  from  an  over- 
burdened heart  or  an  overworked  brain. 
It  was  found  on  an  envelope  containing 
some  voluminous  article,  not  written  in 
the  most  comfortable  of  chirographics, 
and  on  a  subject  none  of  the  liveliest. 
One  can  imagine  her  looking  at  it  in  a 
weary  way,  contemplating  the  mass  of 
similar  work  pressing  upon  her  time, 
with  the  relentless  days  revolving  steadily 
and  bringing  around  ever  more  swiftly 
the  fatal  "  publishing  day."  And  then 
comes  this  unhappy  MS.  like  a  block  in 
the  wheels  of  progress.  Evidently  it 
was  too  much  for  her,  for  on  the  envel- 
ope she  wrote  these  significant  words, 
speaking   volumes   to    those   who    know 


4io 


EDITORIAL   NOTES 


what  an  editor's  vexations  are  :   "  Don't 
see   when  I  can 


•t  time  to  go  through 


this: 


Of  General  Mercer,  who  forms  the  sub- 
ject of  the  sonnet  in  this  number,  an 
interesting  account  occurs  in  Hageman's 
History  of  Princeton,  When  one  of  the 
Virginia  regiments  was  to  be  officered, 
the  house  of  burgesses  was  greatly  embar- 
rassed because  no  applications  wrere 
made  except  for  field  officers.  At  this 
juncture  a  scrap  of  paper  was  handed  in, 
on  which  was  written  :  "  Hugh  Mercer 
will  serve  his  adopted  country  and  the 
cause  of  liberty  in  any  rank  or  station  in 
which  he  may  be  appointed."  Mercer 
was  a  veteran  soldier,  bred  in  European 
camps,  highly  esteemed  by  Washington. 
This  evidence  of  modesty  and  patriotism 
led  the  house  at  once  to  appoint  him 
colonel  of  the  regiment. 

* 

If  what  we  adduce  below  is  to  be 
entirely  relied  on,  we  seem  to  get  im- 
portant light  on  a  very  interesting  ques- 
tion. It  is  among  the  theories  which 
endeavor  to  account  for  the  population 
of  the  American  continent,  that  the 
human  race  swept  over  into  it  from  the 
human  beehive  of  Asia  across  that  nar- 
row channel  to  which   the  vast   space  of 


ocean  is  reduced  at  Bering  strait.  But 
it  has  been  earnestly  contended  that 
even  this  theory  must  fail,  because  the 
crossing  of  Bering  strait  is  impractic- 
able except  in  vessels  much  beyond  the 
arts  of  primitive  times,  and  that  as  the 
strait  was  never  closed  up  by  ice,  it 
could  not  have  been  crossed  in  that 
manner.  A  recent  graduate  of  Hanover 
College,  Indiana,  Mr.  W.  T.  Lopp,  went 
out  to  take  charge  as  teacher  of  a  mis- 
sion school  at  Port  Clarence,  Alaska. 
In  a  letter  to  the  president  of  his  col- 
lege, dated  August  31,  1892,  he  writes, 
speaking  of  the  preceding  winter  :  "No 
thaws  during  the  winter,  and  ice  blocked 
in  the  strait.  This  has  always  been 
doubted  by  whalers.  Eskimos  have  told 
them  that  they  sometimes  crossed  the 
strait  on  ice,  but  they  have  never  be- 
lieved them.  Last  February  and  March 
our  Eskimos  had  a  tobacco  famine. 
Two  parties  (five  men)  went  with  dog 
sleds  to  East  Cape,  on  the  Siberian  coast, 
and  traded  some  beaver,  otter,  and  mar- 
ten skins  for  Russian  tobacco,  and  re- 
turned safely.  It  is  only  during  an  oc- 
casional winter  that  they  can  do  this. 
But  every  summer  they  make  several 
trips  in  their  big  wolf-skin  boats,  forty 
feet  long.  These  observations  may 
throw  some  light  upon  the  origin  of  the 
pre-historic  races  of  America." 


MISCELLANEA 


An  officer  of  the  Essex  Institute  at 
Salem  makes  this  statement  regarding 
the  objection  to  the  proposed  "  Witch- 
craft Monument,"  on  Gallows  hill  in 
that  city  :  "  The  reason  why  some  peo- 
ple object  to  the  erection  of  this  monu- 
ment is  because  they  do  not  know  or  do 
not  care  to  know  its  purpose.  It  is  not 
to  commemorate  the  awful  witchcraft 
delusion  of  two  hundred  years  ago  ;  it  is 
not  to  commemorate  the  deaths  of  the 
unfortunate  victims  of  the  delusion. 
But  this  monument  will  be  erected  to 
perpetuate  and  commemorate  the  abso- 
lute extermination  of  the  delusion.  If 
people  would  only  learn  to  look  at  it 
that  way,  the  objection  would  cease." 


There  is  a  proposal  to  establish  a 
state  historical  museum  in  Maryland. 
There  is  an  abundance  of  material  to 
make  a  beginning  with.  Among  other 
treasures  ready  to  hand  are  some  flags 
captured  from  Cornwallis  at  Yorktown, 
and  many  bundles  of  pamphlets  and 
books  which  have  been  stored  away  for 
generations  in  the  state  house  cellar. 
A  number  of  these  books,  it  is  stated, 
throw  light  upon  the  early  history  of  the 
state.  The  senate  and  executive  cham- 
bers and  the  hall  of  the  house  of  dele- 
gates contain  enough  paintings  to  fill  a 
gallery  devoted  to  their  display.  In  the 
executive  chamber,  for  instance,  there 
is  a  fine  three-quarter  portrait  of  George 
Calvert,  first  Lord  Baltimore,  who  was 
secretary  of  state  to  James  I.  and 
Charles  I.  ;  another  of  Frederick,  sixth 
Lord    Baltimore  :  and  one  of    Thomas 


Holliday  Hicks,  Maryland's  war  gov- 
ernor. A  large  painting  in  the  senate 
chamber  reproduces  the  surrender  by 
Washington  of  his  commission  as  com- 
mander-in-chief of  the  American  army. 
It  is  by  Edwin  White.  In  the  house 
of  delegates  is  a  picture  of  Washing- 
ton receiving  the  terms  of  surrender 
accepted  by  Cornwallis.  With  the 
commander-in-chief  are  Lafayette  and 
Colonel  Tench  Tilghman,  of  Maryland, 
and  the  American  troops  are  repre- 
sented passing  in  view.  Many  framed 
autograph  letters  of  Washington  also 
decorate  the  walls. 


It  is  reported  from  Cedar  Rapids, 
Iowa,  that  workmen  excavating  a  cellar 
in  Adams  county,  that  state,  recently 
came  upon  an  interesting  memento  of 
some  long-forgotten  race.  They  struck 
what  at  first  appeared  to  be  a  solid  ledge 
of  rock,  or  coal,  and  sitting  down  to  rest, 
one  of  their  number  began  idly  to  peck 
at  an  apparent  fissure,  when  a  solid  block 
nearly  two  feet  square  disappeared  with 
a  dull  thump.  The  men  set  eagerly  at 
work,  and,  removing  the  bottom  of  the 
pit,  discovered  a  chamber  with  a  fifteen- 
foot  ceiling  and  twelve  by  twenty  feet  in 
extent,  the  walls  being  of  neatly  seamed 
stonework.  Ranged  in  rows  on  rudely 
constructed  platforms  were  skeletons, 
each  with  a  tomahawk  and  an  arrow  at 
his  side,  ear-rings  and  bracelets  of  lead 
lying  where  they  were  dropped,  and 
piles  of  what  appeared  to  have  been  furs 
in  the  centre  of  the  platform,  each  pile 
crumbling  to  dust  as  soon  as  exposed  to 
the  light.     A  number  of  tools  made  of 


41- 


MISCELLANEA 


copper  were  also  unearthed,  and    fresh 
discoveries  are  constantly  being  made. 


One  of  the  oldest,  if  not  the  oldest, 
house  in  the  lower  section  of  Philadel- 
phia, Pennsylvania,  is  the  little  three-story 
building,  No.  30  South  street.  The  origi- 
nal deed  of  the  property  is  still  preserved. 
It  is  of  parchment,  and  sets  forth  in  an- 
tiquated phraseology  the  fact  that  on 
the  tenth  day  of  May,  1689,  Josiah 
Wharton  became  proprietor  and  owner 
of  the  property  in  question.  The  docu- 
ument  is  signed  by  William  Penn  him- 
self. Over  a  hundred  years  ago  the 
building  was  known  as  the  Monument 
house,  and  was  a  favorite  resort  among 
the  British  officers  when  the  city  was  in 
their  hands  during  the  Revolution. 
General  Gage  gave  a  banquet  in  the 
house  shortly  before  the  evacuation  by 
his  troops,  and  less  than  a  month  later 
the  same  banquet  hall  was  occupied  by 
the  officers  of  the  colonial  army,  who 
there  celebrated  the  recapture  of  the 
city.  Early  in  the  present  century  the 
old  inn  underwent  a  complete  meta- 
morphosis, and  became  a  ship  chandler's 
shop.  It  was  next  occupied  as  a  tavern 
by  Arthur  Nugent,  who  continued  in 
possession  until  1865.  It  then  became 
a  grocery  store,  boarding  house,  china 
store,  junk  shop,  and  candy  store  in 
rapid  succession.  It  is  now  a  clothing 
store. 


Thehistorical  committee  of  the  United 
Confederate  Veterans,  of  which  General 
E.  Kirby  Smith  is  chairman,  have  had 
under  consideration  the  preparing  of  a 
school  or  family  history  of  the  United 
States  which  shall  be  acceptable  to 
southern  people.  The  main  object  of 
the  committee  was  to  devise  and  suggest 
the  best  plan  of  securing  a  general  history 
of  the  United  States,  which  shall  be 
non-partisan,  but  shall  give  special  prom- 
inence to  southern  literature  and  the 
causes  which  led  to  the  war  between  the 
states,  the  war  itself,  and  the  period 
since  the  war. 

General  Hill  explained  that  the  com- 
mittee was  gratified  to  report  that  several 
histories  of  the  United  States  suitable  for 
use  in  schools  and  academies  have  been 
written  in  the  past  few  years,  which, 
though  non-partisan,  deal  fairly  with  all 
questions  touching  the  south  and  the  war 
between  the  states.  This  evidence  that 
the  best  thought  of  southern  as  well  as 
northern  writers  is  now  directed  to  this 
matter,  encourages  the  hope  that  the  long 
and  sorely  felt  want  of  a  correct  history 
for  our  children  will  soon  be,  if  it  is  not 
already,  supplied.  He  also  suggested  that 
the  president  of  this  committee  be  re- 
quested to  confer  with  the  best-informed 
historical  experts  in  the  country  touching 
the  merits  and  demerits  of  such  school 
histories  as  are  likely  to  be  applicants 
for  adoption  in  the  southern  schools. 


*s£r>- 


The  French  War  and  the  Revolu- 
tion,   by    William    Milligan    Sloane, 
Ph.D.,  L.H.D.,  Professor  in  Princeton 
university.    With   maps.     New  York  : 
Charles  Scribner's  Sons.     1893.     (The 
American  History  Series.) 
The  second  volume  of  this  interesting 
and  instructive   series   more   than  satis- 
fies   the  expectations  awakened   by   the 
first,  Dr.  Fisher's  Colonial  Era,  noticed 
on  p.  191  of  this  volume  of  the  Magazine. 
It,  of  course,  takes  up  the  thread  of  his- 
tory  where   the  other  dropped    it,   and 
presents  two  clearly  marked  and  impor- 
tant   epochs    in    our   country's    annals. 
Like  two  electric  shocks  they  caused  the 
chaotic     elements     of    nation-building, 
which  had  been  brought  into  unorganic 
juxtaposition    by    the    progress    of    our 
colonial  history,  to  be  welded  together 
into  an  organic  form  and  union,  such  as 
resulted  in  national  being. 

The  French  war  had  to  be,  to  make 
possible  the  Revolution  and  the  Federa- 
tion. It  had  to  teach  the  colonies  what 
they  were,  or  could  be,  to  each  other  ; 
they  were  too  selfishly  isolated  in  feeling 
and  action  before,  perhaps  an  inevitable 
result  of  their  separate  origin  and  the 
varying  causes  for  their  existence.  The 
French  war,  too,  was  to  remove  a  threat- 
ening and  disturbing  element  from  their 
borders,  which  while  it  remained  kept 
several  of  the  strongest  and  most  influ- 
ential colonies  from  thinking  much  about 
anybody  but  themselves.       Imperfectly, 


but  yet  to  a  sensible  degree,  unified  in 
action  and  sentiment  by  the  war  against 
the  French  and  Indians  ;  and  rejoicing 
in  the  relief  from  threatened  massacring 
expeditions  from  Canada ;  they  were  in 
a  condition  to  act  an  independent  and 
national  part  should  the  occasion  arise 
therefor.  The  mother  country,  ruled  by 
mediocre  talent  under  a  narrow-minded 
but  despotically  inclined  king,  stupidly 
furnished  the  occasion.  The  English 
nation  rejoiced  exceedingly  over  the 
conquest  of  Canada ;  by  the  irony  of 
fate  and  the  blunders  of  their  own  rulers, 
it  was  but  the  prelude  to  a  far  more 
serious  loss. 

This  fact  is  brought  out  very  clearly 
by  the  excellent  little  treatise  before  us. 
Concise  as  it  is,  it  does  not  stint  space 
for  the  more  philosophical  reflections 
which  the  subject  under  discussion  so 
temptingly  affords.  The  titles  of  the 
chapters  furnish  a  suggestion  as  to  the 
mode  of  treatment,  which  rightly  at- 
tributes more  importance  to  the  polit- 
ical and  other  conditions  bringing  about 
the  events  of  the  two  wars  which  give 
the  title  to  the  book,  than  to  those 
events  themselves.  Three  chapters  at 
the  beginning  treat  respectively  of  "  The 
English  People  in  the  Eighteenth  Cen- 
tury," "  Institutions  of  the  English 
Colonies,"  and  "  The  English  and 
French  in  North  America."  In  the 
course  of  the  last  chapter  the  author 
has  occasion   to  deal  with  the  Indians, 


414 


RECENT    HISTORICAL   PUBLICATIONS 


which  he  does  with  some  fullness,  dis- 
cussing a  few  of  their  personal  traits,  as 
well  as  their  capacity  for  political  and 
military  combinations.  There  is  not  a 
very  marked  air  of  admiration  running 
through  this  treatment,  and  as  to  the 
theory  of  their  religious  ideas,  in  which 
some  people  recognize  a  rather  surpris- 
ing purity  and  spirituality,  Professor 
Sloane  has  some  very  unmistakable 
words  to  the  contrary.  ;'  The  darkest 
form  of  fetichism,  which  some  would 
dignify  by  the  name  of  ancestor  wor- 
ship, was  the  cement  of  their  society, 
but  their  spiritual  strivings  were  some- 
what higher  in  character,  being  a  form 
of  nature  worship.  Each  object  had  its 
spirit,  or  manitou,  and  among  these  spir- 
itual essences  were  orders,  some  regu- 
lated by  locality,  some  by  inherent  in- 
feriority or  superiority,  but  the  prevalent 
notion  that  they  had  a  conception  of 
one  supreme  personal  spirit  is  false." 

In  the  transition  from  the  one  war  to 
the  other,  a  period  of  about  fifteen  years 
elapses.  Professor  Sloane  says  of  it  : 
"The  years  from  1760  to  1775  are 
among  the  most  important  in  the  history 
of  constitutional  government,  because  in 
them  was  tried  the  issue  of  how  far  un- 
der that  system  laws  are  binding  on 
those  who  have  no  share  in  making 
them."  We  find,  accordingly,  that  the 
second  war  period  is  again  preceded  by 
an  array  of  chapters  treating  of  the  po- 
litical lessons  which  the  preparation  for 


it  furnishes.  They  are  :  "  A  New  Issue 
in  Constitutional  Government,"  "  The 
Stamp  Act,"  "Conflict  of  Two  Theo- 
ries," "  The  Constitutional  Revolu- 
tion," and  "  Resistance  to  Oppression." 
Synoptical  as  the  book  must  necessarily 
be,  Professor  Sloane  is  bound  to  abandon 
that  necessity  when  it  comes  to  studies 
of  the  situation  ;  for  after  we  have  had  a 
view  of  Lexington  and  Bunker  Hill,  he 
inserts  three  chapters  on  "  Overthrow  of 
Royal  Authority,"  "  The  Movement  for 
Independence,"  and  "  Independence  and 
Confederation."  We  are,  of  course,  all 
interested  in  battles  ;  but  possibly  they 
have  had  sufficient  attention,  and  we  are 
not  apt  to  overlook  them  at  any  rate. 
But  we  can  hardly  ever  get  enough  of  a 
thorough  study  of  the  political  philoso- 
phy of  the  revolutionary  period.  The 
battles  have  been  fought  and  are  over  ; 
the  lessons  in  politics  and  patriotism  have 
a  bearing  and  an  application  for  the 
present  and  for  the  future.  We  are  glad 
to  notice  that  Professor  Sloane  has  no 
golden  opinions  of  the  alliance  with 
France,  which  indeed  stood  us  in  good 
stead  in  a  supreme  moment  of  the  war, 
but  which  was  made  serviceable  even 
then  only  by  the  masterful  genius  of 
Washington.  Yet  the  adverse  opinion 
seems  to  have  crystallized  only  in  the 
title  of  a  chapter,  "  Evil  Effects  of  the 
Foreign  Alliance,"  for  in  the  chapter 
itself  those  evil  effects  are  to  be  faintly 
inferred  rather  than  directly  indicated. 


PRIZE    COMPETITION    DEPARTMENT 


BALLAD    AND    SONNET 


The  wide-spread  interest  aroused  by 
the  historical  prize  competition  has  been 
very  gratifying.  That  part  of  the  com- 
petition which  seems  to  indicate  a  new 
departure  in  the  shape  of  lighter  veins 
of  historical  writing  has  been  especially 
commended.  The  first  contest  of  this 
character,  that  of  the  ballad  and  sonnet, 
closes  within  a  month,  on  May  i,  and 
contestants  who  have  been  preparing 
contributions  in  this  class,  and  have  not 
yet  sent  them  in,  have  still  a  few  weeks 
in  which  to  give  their  efforts  a  little 
more  polish. 

A  consideration  of  the  work  of  our 
best  known  poets,  as  indeed  of  the  en- 
tire range  of  American  literature,  dis- 
closes the  fact  that  historical  studies 
have  seemed  to  inspire  less  in  the  shape 
of  the  ballad,  and  what  may  be  designated 
as  the  historical  sonnet,  than  they  have 
in  any  other  form  of  literature.  Our 
most  famous  poet,  Longfellow,  is  the 
one  who  is  probably  most  indebted  to 
American  history  for  the  themes  of 
his  poetry.  And,  indeed,  the  works 
which  have  established  his  reputation; 
Hiawatha,  Evangeline,  and  Miles  Stand- 
ish,  are  in  a  remarkable  degree  merely 
what  might  be  called  poetical  historical 
studies.  This  fact,  from  the  standpoint 
of  the  historical  student,  might  fairly 
seem  to  entitle  Longfellow  to  the  claim 
often  made  for  him,  that  he  is  the  most 
"  American  "  of  our  poets. 

And  yet  even  Longfellow  has  done 
very  little  in  the  way  of  the  ballad — 
founded  on  American  history,  at  least — 


notwithstanding  our  national  story  is 
rich  in  episodes  and  events  inviting 
this  sort  of  treatment,  and  that  this 
seems  one  of  the  forms  of  the  muse 
easiest  attainable.  It  is  true  that  per- 
haps the  best  known  American  ballad  is 
Longfellow's  The  Ride  of  Paul  Revere; 
yet  the  poet  never  did  anything  else  in 
the  same  line  that  was  very  remarkable. 

The  truth  is,  that  almost  the  entire 
range  of  American  history  is  a  virgin 
field  for  the  balladist,  and  if  he  cannot 
create  something  worthy,  at  least  he 
cannot  plead  that  every  theme  is  hack- 
neyed, and  that  there  is  no  space  left  for 
the  treatment  of  a  fresh  and  original 
story.  The  ballad  of  Paul  Revere  seems 
rather  too  familiar  for  interesting  dis- 
cussion, yet  it  may  be  said  that  in  form 
and  method  of  treatment  it  conforms 
well  to  the  traditional  ballad  style,  of 
which  Scott's  Young  Lochinvar  is  a  fine 
example.  None  of  Longfellow's  poems 
are  of  so  high  and  soul-stirring  a  spirit 
as  the  creations  of  many  other  poets, 
and  in  this  respect  perhaps,  The  Ride  of 
Paul  Revere  is  equally  lacking. 

Whittier  furnishes  us  with  another 
famous  poem,  which  while  not  conform- 
ing to  the  traditional  type  so  closely  as 
Paul  Revere,  must  yet  be  classed  as  a 
ballad.  We  refer  to  the  story  of  Bar- 
bara Fritchie.  This  poem  embalms  an 
extremely  interesting  episode  (winch 
does  not  lose  its  interest,  even  though 
the  story  be  apocryphal  as  regards  its 
main  facts),  and  is  told  with  much  spirit. 
And  the  modification  of  the  ballad  form 


4i6 


PRIZE   COMPETITION   DEPARTMENT 


is  perhaps  a  gain  in  this  case,  if  it  can 
be  shown  that  this  has  helped  the  inter- 
est and  spirit  of  the  narrative.  Another 
familiar  and  spirited  American  ballad, 
and  one  which  also  breaks  away  from  the 
traditional  form  of  the  ancient  examples, 
is  Sheridan's  Ride  at  Winchester.  The 
martial  spirit  which  pervades  this  crea- 
tion is  finely  appropriate  to  the  theme 
treated. 

The  historical  sonnet  requires  but 
little  specification.  It  is  not  uncommon 
in  literature.  There  is  many  a  figure  in 
history,  and  many  an  event  or  principle 
personified,  which  the  poet  can  only 
treat  adequately  in  sonnet  form. 

No  competitor  should  forget  that  the 
number  of  his  contests  in  the  different 
classes  open  to  him  will  in  no  wise  influ- 
ence against  him  in  the  decision  in  any 
given  case.  All  are  cordially  welcome 
to  compete  in  every  class  in  which  they 
are  interested.  This,  indeed,  has  been 
one  of  the  main  motives  for  fixing  inter- 
vals as  long  as  practicable  between  the 
times  of  closing  the  various  classes  of 
the  contest. 


As  was  said  last  month  in  this  depart- 
ment, every  manuscript  must  be  received 
on  or  before  the  date,  in  the  respective 
class  in  which  it  is  entered.  This  rule 
is  imperative,  and  authors  should  see 
that  all  manuscripts  are  forwarded  in 
time  to  avoid  the  possibility  of  exclu- 
sion on  these  grounds. 

It  is  also  very  desirable  to  accompany 
each  article  with  a  brief  summary  or 
catalogue  of  the  various  books,  periodi- 
cals, or  manuscripts  that  have  been  ex- 
amined in  the  preparation  of  the  article 
submitted  in  competition.  It  will  be 
found  that  nothing  is  so  potent  an  edu- 
cative factor  in  making  one  skilled  in 
historical  work  as  this  carefulness  con- 
cerning authenticity. 

In  answer  to  various  inquiries  on  the 
subject,  the  rule  will  be,  that  no  arti- 
cle is  eligible  which  has  ever  been  in 
print  or  presented  before  any  organiza- 
tion. It  is  imperative  that  any  manu- 
script submitted  must  be  prepared  origin- 
ally for  this  competition.  We  reserve 
remarks  on  the  historical  novel  in  this 
department  until  a  later  number. 


ESCAPE    OF 


he  constitution.— {See  page  438.) 


MAGAZINE   OF   AMERICAN   HISTORY 


Vol.  XXIX 


MAY— JUNE,  1893 


No.  5 


THE    SECOND   WAR    WITH    GREAT    BRITAIN 

By  John  Austin  Stevens 


G 


REAT  BRITAIN,  driven  to  acknowledge  the  political 
independence  of  the  United  States,  even  in  the  hour  of 
defeat  cherished  hopes  of  a  reconciliation,  if  not  a  reunion, 
with  a  part  of  her  old  colonies.  In  the  negotiations  for 
peace  her  statesmen  had  naturally  seen  the  sectional  jeal- 
ousies of  the  American  commissioners,  and  discerned  in 
them  the  germs  of  discord  which  might  mature  to  a  dis- 
ruption of  the  new  western  empire — a  disruption  from 
which  she  hoped  to  profit.  The  British  ministry  observed 
the  antagonism  of  the  different  sections  of  the  new  nation 
to  each  other — an  antagonism  which  had  no  place  or 
reason  under  the  colonial  system,  but  was  a  consequence 
of  their  new  condition.  If  all  that  was  desired  could  not  be  wrested  from 
Great  Britain,  each  section  was  naturally  tenacious  of  what  it  held  to  be 
vital  to  itself. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  in  this  the  dawn  of  the  republic  the  slight 
dark  spot  on  the  horizon  which  developed  into  the  dark  cloud  of  civil  war 
— the  political  struggle  between  the  northeast  and  the  southwest  ;  the  one 
for  a  conservative  limitation,  the  other  for  an  unrestricted  territorial  expan- 
sion. In  the  negotiations  themselves  Adams  alone  represented  an  imme- 
diate vital  sectional  interest — that  of  New  England  in  the  fisheries.  The 
communities  from  which  Franklin  and  Jay  came  were  not  directly  con- 
cerned except  in  the  matter  of  the  boundary  and  frontiers.  Neither  of 
these  wise,  patriotic  men  was  governed  by  any  narrow  or  selfish  considera- 
tion. Henry  Laurens,  at  the  close,  gave  a  discordant  note  in  a  demand 
for  a  clause  prohibiting  the  carrying  away  of  negroes  by  the  British  troops 
on  their  evacuation.     The  British   commissioners  were  ready  to  grant  the 

Note. — The  original  figurehead  of  the  Constitution  was  a  bust  of  Hercules.  This  was  shot 
away  during  the  war  with  Tripoli,  and  replaced  by  the  billet-head  shown  in  the  engraving  above. 
The  latter  was  the  one  borne  by  the  Constitution  during  the  war  of  1812,  and  is  now  supported  on 
a  post  at  the  head  of  the  dry-dock  in  the  navy-yard  at  Charlestovvn,  Massachusetts. 


420  THE   SECOND    WAR   WITH    GREAT   BRITAIN 

"  liberty  "  of  the  fisheries,  but  hesitated  long  before  they  would  concede 
the  "  right  "  on  which  Adams  insisted.  The  third  article  of  the  "  provis- 
ional treaty  "  secured  to  the  United  States  this  "right"  of  fishery,  as  also 
the  liberty  of  the  coasts  of  the  English  banks  ;  the  eighth  established  the 
Mississippi  River  to  be  forever  open  to  the  citizens  of  both  countries. 

In  the  course  of  the  negotiations  England  had  resisted  any  intermed- 
dling of  France.  Lord  Shelburne  held  it  to  be  the  true  policy  of  Great 
Britain  to  settle  her  differences  with  her  kinsmen  without  outside  inter- 
ference. Pride  dictated  that  such  concessions  as  must  be  made  should 
seem  voluntary  and  not  forced.  The  wisdom  of  this  policy  in  the  removal 
of  any  probable  cause  of  friction  in  her  relations  with  New  England  was 
later  seen.  But  while  Great  Britain  tardily  and  grudgingly  acknowledged 
the  political  independence  of  her  former  colonies,  her  policy  was  set  on 
maintaining  her  own  commercial  supremacy.  The  old  restrictions  on  the 
trade  of  the  American  continental  seaports  with  the  British  West  India 
islands  were  maintained.  Her  statesmen  little  dreamed  that  there  were 
no  bounds  to  the  horizon  of  American  commerce,  and  that  within  a  little 
more  than  a  year  from  the  day  when  the  treaty  was  signed  an  American 
ship  was  to  carry  the  flag  of  the  Union  to  the  China  seas.  The  right  of 
search  for  British  seamen  on  board  of  American  vessels  is  not  mentioned 
in  the  articles  of  peace. 

The  instant  need  of  Great  Britain  was  tranquillity  at  home  and  abroad, 
by  which  her  finances  might  be  reorganized  and  the  future  expansion  of 
her  trade  determined.  This  great  undertaking  had  fallen  to  Pitt.  A 
commercial  treaty  with  France  and  a  convention  with  Spain  settled  all 
standing  disputes  concerning  settlements  on  the  coasts  of  America  with 
that  power;  this,  followed  by  treaties  of  alliance  with  the  United  Provinces 
and  with  Prussia,  secured  the  peace  of  Europe,  and  left  the  western  powers 
free  to  oppose  the  ambitious  schemes  of  Russia  with  the  aid  or  connivance 
of  Austria,  and  establish  firmly  a  balance  of  power  for  the  mutual  security 
of  European  states.  There  were  elements  in  motion,  however,  the  forces  of 
which  were  but  ill-gauged  by  the  most  far-seeing  statesmen  and  philoso- 
phers— an  internal  convulsion  which,  in  its  upheaval,  was  to  destroy  the 
strata  and  change  the  face  of  modern  society.  The  torch  of  liberty  may 
be  said  to  have  been  lighted  in  America.  It  was  rekindled  in  France  in 
1789.  It  became  a  burning  brand  when  the  dissolution  of  the  monarchy 
was  decreed  by  the  national  convention  after  a  scene  of  carnage  in  1792. 
In  the  struggle  of  principles  which  followed,  it  was  not  possible  for  any  of 
the  great  powers  of  the  Old  World  either  to  maintain  neutrality  or  to  hold 
itself  aloof.     One  after  the  other  they  were  actively  involved.     The  break- 


THE   SECOND    WAR    WITH    GREAT    BRITAIN 


42I 


ing  out  of  the  French  revolution  instantly  divided  England.  Fox  warmly 
espoused  the  cause  of  liberty;  Burke  denounced  the  summary  reversal  of 
the  established  orders  of  government  and  society.  With  these  great  lead- 
ers at  variance,  there  was  an  irreconcilable  schism  in  the  Whig  ranks. 
Pitt  profited  by  their  dissensions,  but  kept  a  discreet  silence  on  the  merits 
of  the  revolution — a  cautious  reserve  in  which  he  was  imitated  by  his 
ministers.  But  when  a  powerful  society 
sprang  up,  under  the  name  of  the  "  Friends 
of  the  People  "  (a  significant  adaptation  of 
the  name  of  the  famous  French  organ 
L Ami  dtt  Pctiple),  which  included  men 
high  in  political  and  literary  ranks  as  well 
as  members  of  parliament,  and  which 
organized  a  movement  for  reform  in  repre- 
sentation ;  and  when  still  another,  the  Lon- 
don Corresponding  Society,  composed 
chiefly  of  tradesmen,  demanded  universal 
suffrage  and  annual  parliaments,  Pitt 
showed  his  hand  by  a  royal  proclamation 
against  the  distribution  of  seditious  writ- 
ings and  illegal  correspondence.  In  his 
defense  of  the  proclamation  he  took  occa- 
sion to  denounce  the  "  daring  and  sedi- 
tious principles  which  had  been  so  insidi- 
ously propagated  amongst  the  people 
under  the  plausible  and  delusive  appella- 
tion of  the  rights  of  man." 

The  decree  of  the  French  government  opening  the  navigation  of  the 
Scheldt,  in  contravention  of  former  agreement,  touched  England  at  her 
most  sensitive  point ;  and  although  the  French  ambassadors  sought  to 
convince  Pitt  that,  while  the  decree  was  irrevocable,  it  was  not  intended  to 
apply  to  England,  the  act  itself  was  sufficient.  Warlike  measures  were 
adopted.  The  execution  of  Louis  XVI.  ended  all  hesitation,  and  the 
French  ambassador  was  at  once  ordered  to  leave  the  British  dominions. 
The  French  replied  with  a  formal  declaration  of  war.  In  the  long  con- 
tests of  the  eighteenth  century,  France  had  always  the  aid  of  Spain  under 
the  family  compact  of  the  house  of  Bourbon — an  aid  of  incalculable  value 
on  the  sea.     Now  she  was  to  encounter  single-handed  the  vastly  superior 

1  Colonel  William  Stephens  Smith,  a  native  of  New  York  city,  married  the  only  daughter  o-f 
John  Adams.     He  was  aid-de-camp  to  Washington,  and  in  1813-15  was  a  member  of  Congress. 


UK 


422  THE    SECOND    WAR   WITH    GREAT   BRITAIN 

naval  force  of  Great  Britain.  Yet  the  great  discrepancy  of  force  by  no 
means  secured  England  and  her  possessions  from  the  depredations  of  an 
innumerable  fleet  of  French  privateers. 

In  this  condition  of  affairs  the  United  States  saw  her  opportunity.  The 
adoption  of  the  Constitution  had  consolidated  the  States  into  a  nation,  and 
there  was  a  universal  desire  to  profit  by  the  advantages  which  the  change 
promised.  The  chain  of  causes  which  was  to  divert  the  carrying  trade 
into  the  hands  of  her  young  marine  was  complete.  The  vast  naval  supe- 
riority of  Great  Britain  compelled  France  to  resort  to  privateers.  The 
success  of  the  privateers  determined  the  change  of  traffic  to  a  neutral  flag. 
The  United  States  was  the  only  maritime  nation  to  which  neutrality  was 
possible.  The  change  was  immediate.  From  a  total  of  twenty  million 
dollars  value  in  1789,  the  exports  from  the  United  States  to  England  and 
France  had  reached  in  1800  the  amount  of  seventy  millions,  of  which 
nearly  forty-seven  millions  were  of  articles  of  foreign  product.  American 
tonnage  was  already  over  nine  hundred  thousand  tons,  and  second  only  to 
that  of  Great  Britain  ;  and  of  this  nearly  seven  hundred  thousand  tons 
were  engaged  in  the  foreign  or  oceanic  trade.  In  this  department  New 
York  had  already  far  outstripped  all  her  American  rivals,  having  one-sixth 
of  the  whole,  and  much  more  than  Pennsylvania,  which  was  second  on  the 
roll. 

Neither  of  the  belligerent  powers  looked  with  complacency  on  this  rapid 
development  of  the  maritime  resources  of  the  United  States.  France 
chafed  because  of  what  she  held  to  be  American  ingratitude  in  standing 
aloof  from  her  in  her  struggle  for  freedom  from  monarchical  rule  ;  Great 
Britain,  alarmed  at  the  growth  of  a  new  naval  power  which  threatened  her 
supremacy,  had  the  additional  chagrin  of  seeing  her  late  rebellious  colo- 
nies taking  profit  from  her  own  distresses,  and  assuming  the  carrying-trade 
of  the  world.  Lord  Nelson,  the  sailor  hero  of  Great  Britain,  foresaw  the 
maritime  struggle.  It  is  related  of  him  that,  after  seeing  the  evolutions  of 
an  American  squadron  in  the  bay  of  Gibraltar  during  the  Tripoli  war,  he 
said  :  "There  was  in  those  transatlantic  ships  a  nucleus  of  trouble  for  the 
maritime  power  of  Great  Britain.  We  have  nothing  to  fear  from  anything 
on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic;  but  the  manner  in  which  those  ships  are 
handled  makes  me  think  that  there  may  be  a  time  when  we  shall  have 
trouble  from  the  other." 

While  the  United  States  was  profiting  by  her  mercantile  advantages 
as  a  neutral  in  a  material  sense,  she  was  forced  to  submit  to  many  morti. 
fications  to  her  national  pride.  Chief  among  these  was  that  caused  by 
the  constant   impressment  of   sailors  from  on   board   her  ships  by  British 


THE   SECOND   WAR    WITH    GREAT    BRITAIN 


423 


commanders.  When  Great  Britain  entered  upon  the  struggle  with 
France  in  1793,  she  had  one  hundred  and  twenty  ships  of  the  line  and 
more  than  one  hundred  frigates.  When  Napoleon  controlled  the  powers 
of  the  continent,  the  war  assumed  colossal  dimensions,  and  the  naval 
armaments  of  Great  Britain  increased  until  it  is  estimated  that  her  navy 
reached  one  thousand  vessels.  To  maintain  the  crews  of  her  squadrons 
she  had  never  hesi- 
tated to  resort  to 
the  press-gang;  and 
desertions  were,  of 
course,  constant  and 
inevitable.  During 
the  American  war 
British  admirals  on 
the  Atlantic  stations 
found  it  difficult  to 
maintain  force  suf- 
ficient to  handle 
their  ships,  and  were 
compelled  to  per- 
sonal sacrifice  to 
obtain   men.       Then 

their  only  competition  was  from  the  American  privateersmen  with  their 
hazardous  and  perilous  service  ;  but  now  the  prosperous  American  mer- 
chantmen outbid  them  with  higher  pay  and  a  more  generous  treatment. 
The  British  admiral  has  never  owned  to  a  higher  law  than  that  "  might 
makes  right/'  Necessity  no  less  than  convenience  led  him  to  execute 
the  law  as  he  chose  to  understand  it,  and  the  "right  of  search"  was 
sedulously  practiced.  This  was,  of  course,  in  gross  violation  of  Ameri- 
can sovereignty.  The  offense  was  aggravated  when,  as  often  happened, 
an  American-born  seaman  was  taken  from  under  his  own  flag  on  the 
assertion  of  a  British  lieutenant  that  he  had  served  under  the  king. 
Further,  Great  Britain  claimed  that  no  subject  of  hers  could  shift  his 
allegiance,  or  take  military  or  naval  service  with  any  other  power.  The 
British  government,  moreover,  asserted  as  the  rule  of  search,  that  the 
burden  of  proof  that  he  was  not  a  British  subject  or  a  British  deserter  lay 
upon  the  sailor  claimed  by  the  boarding  officer.  Yet  the  government  of 
the  United  States  submitted  to  the  practice,  and  confined  its  complaints 
to  cases  of  gross  injustice. 

The  United  States  asked  only  to  be  let  alone.     Jefferson,  who  had  no 


THE    CONSTITUTION. 


4^4  THE    SECOND   WAR   WITH    GREAT   BRITAIN 

desire  for  war,  formulated  this  request,  but  neither  of  the  belligerents  was 
inclined  to  this  rose-colored  view.  France  wanted  our  assistance,  and, 
failing  to  coax,  Napoleon  sought  to  drive  us  to  granting  it.  England 
cared  nothing  for  our  alliance,  but  was  jealous  of  our  prosperity,  and 
wanted  our  able  seamen.  France  began  her  depredations  on  our  com- 
merce in  1799  and  1 800.  England  continued  her  aggressions  with  occa- 
sional intermissions.  Jefferson,  in  his  message  of  1804,  had  hopes  of  more 
amicable  relations;  but  his  message  of  December,  1805,  made  sad  mention 
of  his  disappointments:  "  Our  coasts  have  been  infested  and  our  harbors 
watched  by  private  armed  vessels,  some  of  them  without  commissions, 
others  with  those  of  legal  form  but  committing  piratical  acts  far  beyond 
the  authority  of  their  commissions.  They  have  captured  in  the  very 
entrance  of  our  harbors,  as  well  as  on  the  high  seas,  not  only  the  vessels 
of  our  friends  coming  to  trade  with  us,  but  our  own  also.  They  have 
carried  others  off  under  pretense  of  legal  adjudication  ;  but  not  daring  to 
approach  a  court  of  justice  they  have  plundered  and  sunk  theirs  by  the 
way,  or  in  obscure  places  where  no  evidence  could  arise  against  them  ; 
maltreated  the  crews,  and  abandoned  them  in  boats  in  the  open  sea,  or  on 
desert  shores,  without  food  or  covering."  In  January,  1806,  he  sent  in  a 
further  message,  accompanied  by  "  the  memorials  of  several  bodies  of 
merchants  in  the  United  States."  In  accordance  with  his  desire,  congress 
passed  a  non-importation  act,  to  apply  to  certain  articles  of  British  manu- 
facture, whether  imported  directly  from  Great  Britain  or  from  other  places. 
On  April  25,  1806,  less  than  a  month  from  the  passage  of  the  act,  a 
bolder  and  more  direct  outrage  was  committed  in  New  York  waters.  The 
British  frigate  Leander,  commanded  by  Captain  Whitby,  cruising  off  the 
mouth  of  the  harbor  near  Sandy  Hook,  fired  into  the  American  sloop 
Richard,  a  coasting  vessel,  and  killed  one  of  her  crew.  The  body  was 
brought  up  to  the  city  of  New  York  and  buried  at  public  expense.  The 
citizens,  excited  by  this  uncalled-for  insult,  demanded  reparation.  The 
Leander  was  ordered  from  our  waters,  and  her  captain  threatened  with 
arrest  should  he  presume  to  land  on  our  shores.  So  also  was  the  British 
sloop-of-war  Driver.  But  so  little  was  Jefferson's  proclamation  regarded, 
that  the  latter  vessel,  which  carried  but  eighteen  guns,  returned  the  next 
year  to  Charleston   harbor,1  defied   the  civil  authorities,  and    denounced 

1  Charleston  harbor  seems  to  have  been  denominated  "Rebellion  Roads''  by  the  English. 
In  answer  to  the  proclamation,  when  it  was  served  upon  him,  the  captain  wrote  a  letter,  which  he 
dated  at  "  Rebellion  Roads,  Charleston."  Among  other  things  he  said  that  "  the  proclamation  of 
the  President  would  have  disgraced  even  the  sanguinary  Robespierre,  or  the  most  miserable  petty 
state  in  liarbary." 


THE   SECOND    WAR   WITH    GREAT    BRITAIN 


the  President  in  an  insolent  letter,  in  which  her  captain  demanded  water, 
which  was  ignominiously  supplied.  Captain  Whitby  was  called  home  to 
England,  tried  by  court  martial,  and  acquitted  without  even  a  reprimand. 
The  hollow  peace  of  Amiens  of  1802  was  of  short  duration.  Within  a 
few  months  of  its  signature  the  British  ambassador  left  Paris,  and  orders 
were  at  once  issued  by  the  English  cabinet  for  the  seizure  of  the  ships 
of  France  and  of  her  allies  in  British  ports.  The  continental  struggle 
assumed  vast  proportions,  and  in  the  duel  between  France  and  England 
the  rights  of  neutrals  were 
wholly  disregarded.  Great 
Britain  again  asserted  the  rule 
which  she  had  attempted  to 
establish  in  1756,  which  for- 
bade neutral  nations  to  trade 
with  the  colonies  of  a  belliger- 
ent power  from  which  they 
were  excluded  in  time  of  peace. 
In  this  Great  Britain  asserted 
herself  to  be  the  arbiter  of 
international  maritime  law. 
On  May  17,  1806,  the  ministry 
issued  the  first  of  the  famous 
orders  in  council.  This  de- 
clared the  French  coast  to  be 
in  a  state  of  blockade.  Ameri- 
can vessels  were  admitted  to 
carry  cargoes  to  certain  ports 
only,  these  cargoes  to  be  only 
of  the  growth  of  the  United 
States  or  of  British  manufac- 
ture. Napoleon,  whose  career  of  conquest  was  at  its  height  after  the  bat- 
tle of  Jena,  on  November  28,  1806,  issued  from  Berlin,  the  conquered  capital 
of  Prussia,  the  no  less  famous  "  Berlin  decree,"  which  declared  the  British 
isles  in  a  state  of  blockade,  and  forbade  all  trade  with  the  continental 
ports.  Both  of  these  documents  were  to  all  intents  "  paper  blockades," 
and  by  all  just  conception  of  international  law  inoperative  as  far  as 
neutrals  were  concerned.  They  interfered  with,  but  did  not  wholly  check, 
American  vessels  from  sailing  with  cargoes  both  from  French  and  English 
ports,  though  the  ocean  voyage  through  the  British  squadrons  was 
hazardous.     Gradually  American  trade  was  being  narrowed  to  their  own 


c^-^^1^ 


426  THE    SECOND    WAR   WITH    GREAT   BRITAIN 

coasting  business.  Nor  was  this,  as  has  been  stated,  unrestrained.  British 
ships  prowled  on  our  coasts  and  overhauled  the  peaceful  merchantmen  of 
the  United  States  in  quest  of  seamen.  The  United  States  bill  for 
damages  increased  rapidly,  but  the  day  of  demand  was  as  yet  postponed 
to  a  more  convenient  season.  The  United  States  hesitating  or  failing  to 
resist  Napoleon's  Berlin  decree,  a  further  and  more  restrictive  order  in 
council  was  issued  by  Great  Britain,  January  7,  1807,  forbidding  trade 
between  any  two  French  ports,  or  ports  of  allies  to  France,  which  struck 
directly  at  the  American  carrying-trade.  On  November  10,  1807,  a  further 
order  in  council  was  issued,  the  avowed  purpose  of  which  was  to  compel 
all  nations  to  give  up  their  maritime  trade,  or  accept  it  through  British 
or  through   vessels  under  British  license. 

In  the  interval  between  these  orders  British  insolence  went  a  step 
further.  On  June  22,  1807,  the  English  man-of-war  Leopard  overhauled 
the  American  frigate  Chesapeake,  Captain  James  Barron  commanding, 
while  cruising  off  Hampton  Roads.  An  officer  of  the  Leopard  was 
received  on  board  the  Chesapeake,  who  delivered  an  order  from  Vice- 
Admiral  Berkeley,  on  the  Halifax  station,  to  "  search  for  deserters." 
Captain  Barron  declining  to  allow  such  a  procedure,  the  Leopard  opened 
upon  the  Chesapeake  an  entire  broadside,  killing  three  and  wounding 
eighteen  men.  Captain  Barron,  totally  unprepared,  was  only  able  to  fire 
a  single  gun  in  reply.  The  captain  of  the  Leopard  refused  to  accept  a 
surrender  of  the  Chesapeake,  but  sent  on  board  an  officer,  who  had  the 
crew  mustered  and  took  away  four  men  whom  he  claimed  as  deserters. 
Three  of  these  men  were  native-born  American  citizens.  The  fourth 
had  run  away  from  a  sloop-of-war,  and  was  forthwith  hanged  at  Halifax. 
The  people  throughout  the  United  States  were  greatly  enraged  by 
this  high-handed  act.  Jefferson  said  he  had  not  "  seen  the  country  in 
such  a  state  of  exasperation  since  the  battle  of  Lexington."  Captain 
Barron  was  tried  by  court  martial,  convicted  of  neglect  of  duty  in  not 
having  his  ship  prepared  for  action,  and  deprived  of  rank  and  pay  for 
five  years. 

The  British  followed  up  the  January  order  in  council  by  the  bombard- 
ment and  destruction  of  Copenhagen  and  the  seizure  of  the  Danish  fleet 
on  July  26,  without  even  the  formality  of  a  declaration  of  war.  This  lawless 
act  aroused  the  indignation  of  Russia,  and  perhaps  more  than  any  other 
event  engaged  the  sympathy  of  the  lesser  powers  for  the  United  States  as 
the  only  nation  which  promised  relief  in  the  future  from  the  maritime 
despotism  of  the  mistress  of  the  seas. 

Reparation   for  the  Chesapeake  outrage   was  at  once  demanded,  and 


THE   SECOND   WAR  WITH    GREAT   BRITAIN  427 

became  the  subject  of  dilatory  negotiation.  This  question,  and  infor- 
mation from  Mr.  John  Armstrong,  the  American  minister  at  Paris,  of  the 
strict  interpretation  of  the  French  and  British  decrees,  caused  President 
Jefferson  to  call  congress  together  on  October  26.  Although  the  order  in 
council  of  January  had  proclaimed  a  general  British  blockade  of  conti- 
nental ports,- and  forbade  trade  in  neutral  vessels  unless  they  first  went  into 
British  ports  and  paid  duty  on  their  cargoes,  Jefferson  awaited  their  answer 
to  the  demand  in  the  matter  of  the  Chesapeake  outrage  before  asking  any 
special  legislation.  In  the  second  week  of  December,  the  answer  of  the 
British  government  arriving,  with  information  that  a  special  envoy  would 
be  sent  over,  Jefferson  sent  in  a  message  with  documents,  showing,  as 
he  stated,  "  the  great  and  increasing  dangers  with  which  our  vessels,  our 
seamen,  and  merchandise  are  threatened  on  the  high  seas  and  elsewhere 
from  the  belligerent  powers  of  Europe  ;  and  it  being  of  great  importance 
to  keep  in  safety  these  essential  resources,  I  deem  it  my  duty  to  recommend 
the  subject  to  the  consideration  of  congress,  who  will  doubtless  perceive 
all  the  advantages  which  may  be  expected  from  an  inhibition  of  the 
departure  of  our  vessels  from  the  ports  of  the   United  States." 

In  response  to  this  direct  advice  an  embargo  act  was  immediately 
passed  by  the  senate  and,  with  but  little  delay,  by  the  house  (December 
22,  1807) — in  both  by  large  majorities.  This  measure  is  now  confessed  by 
men  of  all  parties  to  have  been  inoperative  where  it  was  intended  to  act 
upon  foreign  nations,  and  suicidal  to  American  commerce.  Mr.  Armstrong 
wrote  from  Paris  that  it  was  *■  not  felt,"  and  "  in  England  it  is  forgotten." 
In  the  United  States  its  ruinous  effect  was  instant.  Forbidding  the  export 
of  American  products,  not  only  in  our  own  but  also  in  foreign  bottoms,  it 
annihilated  American  commerce  and  set  adrift  the  large  number  of  able 
seamen  who  were  needed  for  our  own  protection.  Beyond  this,  it  enhanced 
the  cost  of  living  by  cutting  off  the  supply  of  fish,  which  entered  largely 
into  the  food  consumption  of  our  seaboard  population.  It  interfered 
directly  with  the  business  of  five  millions  of  people.  American  ships 
abroad  remained  there  to  escape  the  embargo.  Some  entered  into  a  con- 
traband trade  with  France,  carrying  over  British  goods  under  false  papers; 
but  such  subterfuge  did  not  long  escape  the  vigilance  of  Napoleon,  who  in 
the  spring  of  1808  issued  the  Bayonne  decree  authorizing  the  seizure  and 
confiscation  of  all  American  vessels.  It  mattered  not,  he  said,  whether  the 
ships  were  English  or  American  :  if  English,  they  were  those  of  an  enemy; 
if  American,  they  had  no  business,  under  the  embargo  act,  out  of  Ameri- 
can waters.  This  was  a  step  in  advance  of  the  decree  he  issued  from 
Milan    on  December  17,   1807,   which  had  forbidden  trading  with  Great 


428 


THE    SECOND    WAR   WITH    GREAT   BRITAIN 


Britain  by  any  nation,  and   declared   all  vessels  thus  engaged  and  all  sub- 
mitting- to  search  by  a  British  man-of-war  to  be  lawful  prizes. 

The  effect  of  the  legislative  blunder  of  the  embargo  act  was  soon 
apparent.  It  divided  the  United  States  into  two  hostile  camps,  and  com- 
merce came  to  a  standstill.  From  one  hundred  and  eight  million  dollars 
value  in  1807,  the  exports  of  the  United  States  fell  to  twenty-two  millions 
in  1 80S — a  single  year.     Those  of  New  York  fell  to  less  than  six  millions. 

The  suffering  caused  by  such  a 
shrinkage  could  not  be  other  than 
intense.  In  the  commercial  cities  the 
strain  was  terrible.  Three  months 
of  the  embargo  had  brought  num- 
bers of  the  merchants  and  domes- 
tic traders  to  bankruptcy,  and  more 
than  five  hundred  vessels  lay  idle  at 
the  docks  of  New  York  alone.  Of 
the  triumvirate  who  ruled  the  Re- 
publican party  and  controlled  the 
legislation  of  the  United  States  at 
that  period,  President  Jefferson, 
James  Madison,  and  Albert  Galla- 
tin, the  latter  (then  secretary  of  the 
treasury)  alone  from  the  beginning 
opposed  a  permanent  embargo. 
Jefferson,  inclined  to  peaceful 
measures,  justified  the  act  as  tend- 
ing to  save  our  ships  and  seamen 
from  capture  by  keeping  them  at 
home.  Madison,  holding  colonial  traditions,  had  faith  in  the  force  of  a  non- 
importation act,  prohibiting  the  introduction  of  the  produce  of  any  nation 
whose  acts  were  unfriendly  while  yet  at  peace  with  ourselves.  Gallatin 
held  a  permanent  embargo  to  be  a  useless  interference  with  the  rights  of 
individuals,  and  at  best  a  poor  response  to  that  "  war  in  disguise,"  as  he 
termed  it,  which  Great  Britain  was  unremittingly  waging.  Gallatin  was 
the  first  to  decide  for  war  as  the  only  remedy  for  American  grievances,  the 
only  restorative  for  American  honor. 

Madison's  policy,  to  exclude  all  British  and  French  ships  from  Ameri- 
can ports  and  to  prohibit  all  importation  except  in  American  bottoms,  was 
not  acceptable  to  congress,  and  in  the  spring  of  18 10  an  act  was  passed 
excluding   only  the   men-of-war  of   both   nations,  but   suspending  the   non- 


&*tT~ £as^a£rCs 


THE   SECOND    WAR   WITH    GREAT   BRITAIN  429 

importation  act  temporarily,  or  for  three  months.  Power  was  given  to  the 
President  to  reestablish  it  against  either  nation  which  maintained  while 
the  other  withdrew  its  obnoxious  decrees.  The  same  month  Napoleon 
ordered  the  confiscation  of  all  American  ships  either  detained  in  France 
or  in  the  southern  ports  of  the  Atlantic  and  Mediterranean  under  his  con- 
trol, which  entailed  a  loss  to  American  merchants  in  ships  and  cargoes 
estimated  at  forty  millions  of  dollars.  In  December,  1810,  the  American 
ship  General  Eaton,  of  Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire,  from  London  and  the 
Downs  for  South  Carolina,  was  taken  by  two  French  privateers  and  carried 
into  Calais.  Diplomacy  grew  much  confused  in  the  passage  and  repeal  of 
the  decrees  and  counter-decrees  abroad,  non-importation  and  non-inter- 
course acts  at  home,  until  war  alone  sufficed  to  cut  the  Gordian  knot.  The 
non-intercourse  act  with  England,  passed  by  congress  in  the  spring  of  181 1, 
was  the  last  act  of  the  diplomatic  skirmish,  and  pointed  directly  to  war. 

Immediately  after  congress  rose  in  May,  another  unpremeditated  col- 
lision between  an  American  and  an  English  man-of-war  raised  the  public 
temper  to  "  fighting  pitch."  Since  the  affair  of  the  Chesapeake  the  offi- 
cers of  the  young  navy  of  the  United  States  had  kept  ceaseless  watch  for 
an  opportunity  to  wipe  out  the  disgrace  to  the  service  and  the  flag.  All 
of  our  vessels  were  held  at  home,  even  those  in  the  Mediterranean  being 
recalled.  The  country  had  now  in  active  service  twelve  vessels :  viz., 
three  forty-fours,  the  Constitution,  the  President,  and  the  United  States; 
the  Essex  of  thirty-two,  and  the  John  Adams  of  twenty-eight  guns  ;  the 
Wasp  and  the  Hornet,  of  eighteen  ;  the  Argus  and  the  Siren,  of  sixteen  ; 
the  Nautilus,  the  Enterprise,  and  the  Vixen,  of  twelve  guns.  Since  the 
reduction  of  the  naval  force  in  1801,  not  a  single  frigate  had  been  added 
to  the  navy  ;  the  ships  of  the  line  authorized  in  1799  having  been  entirely 
abandoned.  Jefferson's  flotilla  of  gunboats,  never  of  any  use,  were  not 
called  into  service  and  may  be  disregarded.  Their  only  possible  use 
might  have  been  to  prevent  blockades,  but  even  this  was  not  resorted  to. 
The  English  increased  their  force  of  cruisers  on  the  American  coast,  but 
kept  at  a  respectful  distance  from  the  land,  no  longer  impressing  men  or 
detaining  ships.  The  British  government  did  not  desire  open  war,  and 
collisions  were  avoided  ;  their  purpose  of  intercepting  American  commerce 
being  served  by  a  constant  patrol  of  the  seas  from  Halifax  to  the  Ber- 
mudas, the  line  of  travel  of  every  trader  which  crossed  the  Atlantic. 

In  the  spring  of  181 1,  Commodore  John  Rodgers,  the  senior  officer  of 
the  navy  afloat,  whose  pennant  was  then  flying  from  the  President,  Cap- 
tain Charles  Ludlow,  which  lay  at  anchor  in  Annapolis  bay,  was  informed 
that  a   man   had  been   impressed   from  an  American  brig  close  to  Sandy 


430 


THE    SECOND    WAR   WITH    GREAT   BRITAIN 


Hook,  by  an  English  frigate  supposed  to  be  the  Guerriere,  of  thirty-eight 
guns,  Captain  James  R.  Dacres.  The  commodore  at  once  went  on  board 
his  own  vessel,  and  passed  the  capes  soon  after  May  I,  to  inquire  into  this 
now  unusual  procedure.  On  the  loth  a  man-of-war  was  sighted  about  six 
leagues  from  land,  to  the  southward  of  New  York.  On  nearing  each 
other,  shots  were  exchanged  ;  a  broadside  followed  from  the  stranger, 
which  did  little  damage,  and  was  answered  by  a  broadside  from  the  Presi- 
dent with  fatal  results.  Satisfied  with  disabling  his  enemy,  Commodore 
Rodgers  did  not  push  his  conquest.  The  next  morning  the  vessel  was 
found  to  be   his    Britannic   majesty's   ship   Little  Belt,  of  eighteen  guns. 

There  was,  as  usual  when  the  British  were 
the  sufferers,  a  dispute  as  to  the  aggressor 
in  firing  the  first  shot.  A  formal  court  of 
inquiry  justified  Commodore  Rodgers  in 
his  course. 

Before  the  close  of  the  year  1811  the 
demand  for  vigorous  measures  grew  into 
a  clamor  for  war  with  England.  The 
young  spirits  in  congress,  Henry  Clay 
and  John  C.  Calhoun,  were  eager  and  im- 
patient. Clay  represented  the  assertive, 
independent,  aggressive  element.  The 
control  of  the  Mississippi  from  its  source 
to  its  mouth  did  not  satisfy  their  am- 
bitious ideas;  nothing  less  than  the  inva- 
sion and  conquest  of  Canada  was  in  their 
minds,  and  this  they  supposed  they 
0^<^      c^Ce^^t^fc^^    could    achieve    by   their    own    militia. 

The  delay  of  Great  Britain  in  the  sur- 
render of  the  western  ports,  and  her  constant  intrigues  with  the  Indian 
tribes  on  the  frontier,  and  covert  support  of  their  schemes,  were  a  natural 
and  constant  source  of  irritation.  Their  military  ardor  and  confidence  had 
been  heightened  by  the  signal  defeat  of  the  Wabash  tribe  at  Tippecanoe  on 
November  7,  181 1,  by  General  William  Henry  Harrison,  with  a  party  of 
regulars  and  Kentucky  militia.  Thus,  while  the  seaboard  communities 
dreaded  an  open  war  with  England,  the  whole  interior  population  were 
eager,  even  anxious,  for  a  struggle  which  they  believed  would  end  in  the 
final  establishment  of  the  rule  of  the  United  States  over  the  entire  terri^ 
tory  of  North  America.  The  germ  of  the  conflict  of  opinion  between  the 
New  England  states,  nearly  all  maritime,  and  the  west,  whose  only  mari- 


THE    SECOND   WAR   WITH    GREAT   BRITAIN 


431 


time  interest  was  for  the  freedom  of  the  lakes,  which  came  to  the  surface 
in  this  session  of  congress,  grew  with  formidable  rapidity,  and  later  nearly 
rent  the   Union  in  twain. 

President  Madison,  in  his  message  of  November  5,  181 1,  announced 
his  reasons  for  calling  congress  together  (by  proclamation  of  July  24,  181 1) 
before  the  usual  date  of  assemblage  to  be  "the  posture  of  foreign  affairs," 
and  "  the  probability  of  further  developments  of  the  policy  of  the  belliger- 
ent powers  towards  this  country  which  might  the  more  unite  the  national 
councils  in  the  measures  to  be  pursued."  The  hope  entertained  at  the 
close  of  the  last  session,  that  the  extinc- 
tion of  the  French  decrees  as  far  as  they 
violated  our  neutral  commerce  would 
have  induced  the  government  of  Great 
Britain  to  repeal  its  orders  in  council — a 
step  which  would  have  freed  our  com- 
merce from  destruction — was  not  only 
disappointed,  but  at  a  moment  when 
least  expected  "  the  orders  were  put 
into  more  rigorous  execution."  Great 
Britain  insisted  on  the  admission  of  the 
products  and  manufactures  of  Great 
Britain,  when  owned  by  neutrals,  into 
markets  shut  against  them  by  her  ene- 
my; and  the  United  States  was  given  to 
understand  that  in  the  meantime  "  a  con- 
tinuance   of   their    non-importation     act 

would  lead  to  measures  of  retaliation."  The  President  called  attention 
to  recent  wrongs,  and  to  the  "  scenes  derogatory  to  the  dearest  of  our 
national  rights,  and  vexatious  to  the  regular  course  of  our  trade,"  which 
had  been  again  witnessed  on  our  coasts  and  at  the  mouth  of  our  harbors, 
and  particularly  to  the  encounter  of  Commodore  Rodgers. 

The  President  also  complained  of  the  "  rigorous  and  unexpected  re- 
strictions of  France  upon  the  trade  of  the  United  States."  He  announced 
that  the  works  of  defense  on  the  more  important  parts  of  our  maritime 
frontier  had  been  prosecuted  nearly  to  completion  ;  that  a  portion  cf  the 
gunboats  had  been  ordered  into  use  ;  that  the  ships  of  war  before  in  com- 
mission, with  the  addition  of  a  frigate,  had  been  employed  as  a  cruising 
guard  on  the  coast ;  and  that  a  force  consisting  of  regulars  and  militia  em- 
bodied in  the  Indiana  territory  had  marched  to  our  northwestern  frontier. 
He   called  for  adequate  provision   to  fill  up   the  ranks,  extend  the  term 


P.    MADISON. 


432 


THE    SECOND    WAR   WITH    GREAT   BRITAIN 


ot  enlistment  of  the  regular  troops,  for  an  auxiliary  force  for  a  more  lim- 
ited term,  for  the  acceptance  of  a  volunteer  corps,  and  for  the  prosecution 
of  the  manufacture  of  cannon  and  small-arms.  The  receipts  into  the 
treasury  to  September  3  exceeded  thirteen  and  one-half  million  dollars — 
enough  to  defray  expenses,  pay  interest  on  the  debt,  and  reimburse  five 
millions  of  the  principal.  On  November  4  Madison  communicated  copies 
of  the  correspondence  in  reference  to  the  attack  on  the  Chesapeake,  which 
had  dragged  since  1S07.      Lord  Erskine's   agreement  to  settle  the  affair  in 

1 8 10  had  been  repudiated  by  his 
chief,  Mr.  George  Canning,  the 
English  secretary  for  foreign  af- 
fairs;  and  Francis  James  Jack- 
son, who  had  been  sent  out  to 
take  his  place,  had  been  rejected 
as  a  persona  non  grata  by  Madi- 
son. The  act  of  the  Leopard 
was  now  disavowed  by  the  Brit- 
ish government.1 

On  December  3,  the  commit- 
tee on  foreign  relations  reporting 
to  the  house  of  representatives 
that  there  were  but  three  alter- 
natives left  to  the  United  States 
by  the  belligerents — viz.,  "  em- 
bargo, submission,  or  war" — it 
was  resolved,  by  a  vote  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty-eight  to  six- 
ty-two, "  that  the  United  States 
cannot,  without  a  sacrifice  of 
their  rights,  honor,  and  independence,  submit  to  the  late  edicts  of  Great 
Britain  and  France."  On  the  2d,  the  senate  resolved  "  to  interdict  com- 
mercial intercourse  between  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain  and 
France  and  their  dependencies,"  which  carried  letters  of  marque  and 
reprisal.  The  affirmative  vote,  in  which  the  senators  from  New  York 
joined,  was  twenty-one  to  twelve.  The  same  bill  was  passed  in  the  house 
by  a  vote  of  seventy-four  to    thirty-three,    Nicholas,  Calhoun,   and    Clay 


1  The  President  also  communicated  a  memorial  of  Gouverneur  Morris  and  other  commis- 
sioners on  the  opening  of  canal  navigation  between  the  great  lakes  and  the  Hudson  river,  a 
project  of  which  he  expressed  approval  because  "  some  of  the  advantages  have  an  intimate 
connection  with  arrangements  and  exertions  for  the  general  security." 


THE   SECOND    WAR   WITH    GREAT   BRITAIN  433 

voting  against  the  letters  of  marque.  In  the  course  of  the  debate  Giles 
charged  that  Jefferson  had  intended  and  Madison  did  intend  to  allow  the 
English  to  take  New  Orleans,  and  trusted  to  the  west  to  defend  it. 

The  country  now  began  to  pronounce  itself.  North  Carolina  was  the 
first  to  speak.  On  December  31,  181 1,  the  general  assembly  passed  reso- 
lutions approving  the  sentiment  contained  in  the  message  of  the  Presi- 
dent, and  unanimously  pledging  cooperation  in  the  effectual  enforcement 
of  such  "  measures  as  may  be  devised  and  calculated  to  protect  the 
interests  and  secure  the  union,  liberty,  and  independence  of  the  United 
States."  The  general  assembly  of  Virginia  adopted  resolutions  on  Jan- 
uary 25,  which  referred  only  to  the  wrongs  committed  by  Great  Britain 
under  the  orders  in  council.  They  declared  "  that  however  we  value  the 
blessings  of  peace,  and  however  we  deprecate  the  evils  of  war,  the  period 
has  now  arrived  when  peace  as  we  now  have  it  is  disgraceful,  and  war  is 
honorable." 

The  months  of  January  and  February,  1812,  passed  by,  and  Madison 
was  still  in  doubt,  hesitating  as  to  the  course  to  pursue.  He  gradually 
yielded  to  the  pressure  of  the  war  party,  and,  fortified  by  the  declaration 
of  his  own  state,  on  April  1  he  sent  to  congress  a  brief  message  recom- 
mending the  immediate  passage  of  an  act  to  impose  "  a  general  embargo 
on  all  vessels  now  in  port  or  hereafter  for  the  period  of  sixty  days."  The 
measure,  passed  in  secret  session,  was  soon  known,  and  many  vessels  got 
to  sea  before  it  was  officially  promulgated.  It  was  intended  as  a  note  of 
preparation  for  war,  was  so  acknowledged  to  be,  and  was  so  understood. 
The  period  was  extended  to  ninety  days.  The  first  congressional  district 
of  Pennsylvania  adopted  resolutions  in  May,  "  approbating  the  measures 
of  the  government  in  the  preparation  for  war."  The  citizens  of  Arundel 
county,  Maryland,  on  June  9,  1812,  adopted  resolutions  recommending 
"  the  adoption  of  such  measures  as  may  place  our  country  in  a  state  of 
maritime  defense  and  procure  a  redress  of  wrongs  from  the  belligerent 
nations." 

There  was  a  different  feeling  in  New  York  and  the  New  England  states. 
On  June  9  Mr.  Abraham  Smith  of  New  York  presented  a  petition  of  the 
most  important  merchants  of  the  city,  praying  for  a  "  continuation  of  the 
embargo  and  non-importation  acts  as  a  substitute  for  war  with  Great 
Britain."  On  June  12  a  memorial  was  presented,  together  with  a  resolu- 
tion of  the  commonwealth  of  Massachusetts,  which  also  deprecated  war, 
reading  as  follows  :  "  Resolved,  As  the  opinion  of  this  house,  that  an 
offensive  war  against  Great  Britain  under  the  present  circumstances  of  this 
country  would  be  in  the  highest  degree  impolitic,  unnecessary  and  ruin- 

Vol.  XXIX.-No.  5.-28 


434  THE    SECOND   WAR   WITH    GREAT   BRITAIN 

ous  ;  that  the  great  body  of  the  people  of  this  commonwealth  are  decidedly 
opposed  to  this  measure,  which  they  do  not  believe  to  be  demanded  by  the 
honor  or  interests  of  our  nation." 

The  feeling  in  the  New  England  states  generally  was  opposed  to  a 
declaration  of  open  war,  and  certainly  the  administration  of  Mr.  Madison 
took  no  pains  to  change  its  current.  A  memorial  of  five  hundred  and 
thirty-five  merchants  of  Boston,  praying  for  the  repeal  or  such  modifica- 
tion of  the  non-importation  act  as  would  enable  "  them  to  receive  their 
property  now  in  Great  Britain  or  her  dependencies,"  was  rejected  by  the 
senate  by  a  vote  of  thirteen  to  six,  the  legislation  asked  being  judged 
inexpedient.  Rhode  Island  was  more  plain-spoken,  and  on  June  9  in- 
structed her  senators  "  to  oppose  all  measures  which  may  be  brought 
forward  to  involve  the  country  in  war." 

It  would  be  difficult  at  this  distance  of  time  to  understand  this  indif- 
ference of  the  maritime  section  of  the  country  to  measures  in  defense 
of  their  own  dearest  rights,  did  we  not  take  into  account  the  violence  of 
political  feeling  at  this  period.  The  overthrow  of  the  great  federalist 
party — the  party  of  Washington,  and  Adams,  and  Hamilton — still  rankled 
in  the  minds  of  their  followers.  This  resentment  was  aggravated  by 
the  radical  political  opinions  held  by  the  converts  to  the  new  doctrines 
of  equality  formulated  in  France  in  the  declarations  of  the  rights  of  man 
in  1789.  These  were  heartily  espoused  by  Jefferson,  and  detested  by  the 
conservative  admirers  of  the  British  constitution,  the  main  features  of 
which  Hamilton  had  grafted  on  our  own.  These  interesting  and  immortal 
instruments,  though  they  were  consistent,  were  not  by  any  means  similar 
either  in  purpose  or  structure. 

While  the  two  extremities  of  the  Union  were  thus  ranging  themselves 
under  the  banners  of  peace  and  of  war,  the  great  controlling  middle  state 
communities  of  New  York  and  Pennsylvania  were  as  yet  hesitating,  watch- 
ful, and  expectant.  New  York  was  divided  in  sentiment.  Nowhere  were 
the  political  lines  as  strictly  drawn  as  in  New  York  city.  The  divisions 
were  not  recent.  The  adoption  of  the  Constitution  had  only  been 
carried  by  the  persistence  of  Jay,  the  magnetism  of  Hamilton,  and  the 
personal  appeals  of  Washington  himself.  The  ranks  of  the  Federalists 
had  been  since  recruited  from  those  who  opposed  the  Constitution,  and 
for  the  logical  reason  that  they  represented  the  established  order.  The 
landed  proprietors  were  almost  to  a  man  Federalists  until  the  house  'of 
Livingston,  for  some  personal  affront,  went  over  with  its  host  of  followers 
to  the  Republicans.  Able  as  Hamilton  was  as  a  leader,  he  found  in 
Governor  George  Clinton,  Washington's  mainstay  in  council  as  in  war,  an 


THE    SECOND   WAR    WITH    GREAT   BRITAIN  435 

opponent  of  towering  strength,  tenacious  and  independent,  as  was  natural 
to  the  Scotch-Irish  stock  from  which  he  sprung.  The  autonomy  of  the 
State  he  had  failed  to  secure  in  the  popular  yearning  for  a  nation  ;  its 
independence  he  held  fast  to.  The  marriage  of  his  daughter  with  Genet, 
the  French  minister,  had  brought  to  his  banner  the  entire  French  party. 
He  had  no  love  for  New  England,  because  of  her  encroachments  on  what 
was  claimed  New  York  territory  in  the  Hampshire  grants — a  bone  of 
contention  which  was  a  legacy  of  the  colonial  period.  To  him  must  be 
ascribed  the  defeat  of  the  British  plan  to  separate  New  England  from  the 
rest  of  the  Union  by  the  establishment  of  a  line  of  military  posts  along 
the  Hudson  and  the  waters  of  Lakes  George  and  Champlain.  While  the 
first  notes  of  preparation  for  impending  war  were  sounding,  George 
Clinton,  who  had  been  Vice-President  of  the  United  States  in  Jefferson's 
last  term  and  the  first  of  Madison,  died,  while  yet  in  office,  at  his  house 
in  Washington,  on  April  20,  1812.  His  death  was  reported  to  the  senate 
by  its  president,  Mr.  William  Harris  Crawford,  and  to  the  house  by  his 
old  companion  in  arms,  Colonel  Benjamin  Tallmadge,  the  famous  com- 
mander of  the  Continental  Light  Dragoons,  and  now  a  representative 
from  Connecticut.  His  remains  were  honored  in  New  York  by  what  is 
described  as  a  "  splendid  solemnity:"  a  funeral  procession,  military  and 
civil,  was  formed  at  the  City  Hall  and  in  the  park,  and  marched  to  the 
new  Presbyterian  church  in  Wall  street,  where  an  oration  was  delivered 
by  Gouverneur  Morris.  Salutes  were  fired  from  Fort  Columbus  and  the 
Battery. 

Madison's  war  message  of  June  1  was  at  the  same  time  an  insult  and  a 
defiance  to  the  New  England  Federalists.  Among  the  causes  for  an  appeal 
to  arms  he  included  the  charge  of  "  a  cooperation  between  the  Eastern 
Tenth  and  the  British  cabinet."  He  intimated  that  an  agent  had  been 
sent  by  the  British  government  to  Massachusetts  to  intrigue  "  with  the 
disaffected  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  about  resistance  to  the  laws,  and 
eventually,  in  concert  with  a  British  force,  of  destroying  the  Union  and 
adding  the  Eastern  states  to  her  Canada  provinces."  The  Federal  party 
had  complete  control  in  the  five  states  of  New  England.  New  York  and 
New  Jersey  were  rapidly  drifting  in  the  same  direction.  Under  the  sharp 
stimulus  of  Clay's  oratory,  the  war  measures  were  hurried  through  congress, 
and  on  June  19  Madison  issued  his  formal  proclamation  of  war  against 
Great  Britain. 

It  has  been  stated  already  that  the  young  leaders  of  the  war  party  in 
congress  looked  to  successes  on  land  and  territorial  conquest,  and  had  an 
indifference  to  the  field  which  the  ocean  afforded.     And  yet  the  triumphs 


436  THE    SECOND    WAR   WITH    GREAT   BRITAIN 

of  our  young  fleet  in  the  Revolution,  the  alarm  which  John  Paul  Jones 
excited  in  English  homes,  and,  later,  the  brilliant  achievements  in  the 
Mediterranean,  the  heroes  of  which  were  still  in  the  prime  of  their  service, 
might  have  inspired  better  counsel.  Madison's  cabinet  were  said  to  have 
without  exception  opposed  the  increase  and  use  of  our  navy;  indeed, 
somewhat  after  Jefferson's  idea  in  imposing  the  embargo — to  save  our 
vessels  by  laying  them  up.  The  advice  of  Captains  Charles  Stewart  and 
William  Bainbridge,  who  happened  to  be  in  Washington  at  the  time  of  the 
declaration  of  war,  determined  Madison  to  bring  the  navy  into  active  ser- 
vice. One  of  the  chief  causes  of  the  war  being  the  impressment  of  our  sea- 
men, it  seems  to-day  surprising  that  their  ardor  in  defense  of  "  Free  Trade 
and  Sailors'  Rights" — the  cry  under  which  our  greatest  triumphs  were  won 
— should  have  been  either  passed  by  or  deprecated.1 

The  President's  proclamation  reached  Commodore  Rodgers  at  New 
York  on  the  20th.  With  it  came  orders  to  sail  on  a  cruise  against  the 
enemy.  His  squadron  consisted  of  his  own  ship,  the  President,  forty-four; 
the  United  States,  forty-four,  Captain  Stephen  Decatur ;  the  Congress, 
thirty-eight,  Captain  Joseph  Smith;  the  Hornet,  eighteen,  Captain  James 
Lawrence  ;  and  the  Argus,  sixteen,  Captain  Arthur  Sinclair — in  all  five 
ships,  carrying  one  hundred  and  sixty  guns.  The  British  force  cruising  off 
the  coast  consisted  of  eight  men-of-war,  carrying  three  hundred  and  twelve 
guns,  with  a  number  of  corvettes  and  sloops — quite  enough  to  watch  Amer- 
ican movements  and  make  any  concert  action  or  descent  either  on  the 
Canadian  coast  or  the  West  India  islands  hazardous  if  not  impracticable. 
The  United  States  could  ill  afford  to  try  the  issue  of  a  single  naval  action 
with  a  superior  force.  Rodgers  was  aware  that  the  homeward-bound  plate 
fleet  had  sailed  from  Jamaica  on  May  20,  under  convoy  of  two  small  ves- 
sels carrying  together  forty-four  guns,  which  he  might  strike  in  the  Gulf 
Stream. 

Within  an  hour  from  the  time  that  he  received  his  instructions,  Com- 
modore Rodgers,  who  was  in  entire  readiness,  put  to  sea.  He  passed 
Sandy  Hook  with  his  squadron  on   the    afternoon   of  June   21,   and   ran 

1  The  beautiful  American  ship  of  war  Alliance,  which  had  been  pronounced  a  perfect  frigate  by 
the  high  authority  of  the  French  construction  and  naval  men,  was  the  last  of  the  Revolutionary 
navy,  and  was  sold  in  1785.  In  1794,  in  consequence  of  the  Algerine  spoliations,  congress  ordered 
four  frigates  of  forty-four  and  two  of  thirty-six  guns.  Two  of  the  first  and  one  of  the  second  class 
were  built.  In  1798,  the  United  States  had  but  three  frigates,  the  Constitution,  the  United  States, 
and  the  Constellation.  After  the  affair  of  the  Chesapeake  in  1807,  President  Jefferson,  with  an 
apparent  distrust  of  our  ships,  asked  congress  for  no  more,  but  recommended  the  building  of  addi- 
tional gunboats,  which  carried  the  number  up  to  two  hundred  and  fifty-seven.  It  was  not  till 
1808  and  1809  that  a  number  of  new  frigates  v/ere  ordered  and  soon  after  completed. 


THE   SECOND    WAR   WITH    GREAT   BRITAIN  437 

southeast.  An  American  sail,  spoken  that  night,  reported  having  seen  the 
Jamaica  ships.  The  squadron  crowded  sail.  Early  in  the  morning  of  the 
23d  an  enemy's  frigate  was  descried,  and  a  general  chase  was  made.  The 
President,  a  fast  ship,  soon  distanced  the  rest  of  the  squadron.  The  wind 
failing,  Rodgers,  despairing  of  overhauling  the  frigate,  opened  with  his 
chase  guns.  'He  discharged  the  forecastle  gun  himself.  This  was  the  first 
shot  fired  in  the  war.  The  fourth  fire  exploded  one  of  the  battery  guns, 
killing  and  wounding  sixteen  men,  and  throwing  into  the  air  the  forecastle 
deck,  on  which  Rodgers  was  standing.  One  of  the  commodore's  legs  was 
broken  in  his  fall.  The  British  commander  lightened  his  ship  by  throwing 
overboard  his  boats  and  his  water-tanks,  and  got  away.  It  proved  later  to 
have  been  the  frigate  Belvidera,  thirty-six,  Captain  Byron.  On  July  1  the 
squadron  struck  the  wake  of  the  Jamaica  vessels,  which  they  recognized 
by  the  tropical  debris  (fruit,  etc.)  which  floated  on  the  sea,  to  the  eastward 
of  the  Banks  of  Newfoundland.  On  July  9  an  English  letter  of  marque 
was  taken  by  the  Hornet,  Captain  Lawrence,  and  it  was  learned  that  the 
Jamaica  fleet,  eighty-five  sail,  was  seen  the  night  before,  under  convoy  of 
a  frigate,  a  sloop  of  war,  and  a  brig.  The  chase  was  abandoned  on  the 
13th,  within  a  day's  sail  of  the  chops  of  the  Channel,  and  Rodgers 
returned  to  Boston  by  way  of  the  Western  Islands  and  the  Grand  Banks. 
The  result  was  meagre — seven  merchantmen  taken  and  one  American 
recaptured.     The  cruise  lasted  seventy  days. 

The  report  of  the  Belvidera  caused  Captain  Sir  Philip  Bowes  Vere 
Broke,  of  the  Shannon,  senior  officer  of  the  British  squadron,  to  concen- 
trate it  at  once,  in  the  hope  of  intercepting  Rodgers's  return.  It  hovered 
off  New  York  early  in  July,  and  made  several  captures — among  others  of 
the  Nautilus,  fourteen,  which  left  the  harbor  soon  after  Rodgers,  in  the 
hope  of  taking  some  English  Indiaman,  fell  in  with  the  British  squadron 
the  next  day,  and,  unable  to  get  away,  struck  to  the  Shannon.  This  was 
the  first  war  vessel  taken  on  either  side  in  this  contest.  The  Nautilus  had 
made  a  proud  record  in  the  Tripoli  war. 

When  the  war  opened,  the  Essex,  thirty-eight,  was  in  New  York  har- 
bor undergoing  repair.  She  was  ordered  to  sea  with  an  armament  of 
carronades  only,  in  spite  of  the  protests  of  Captain  David  Porter,  her 
commander,  and  put  out  of  harbor  on  July  3.  On  her  foretopgallantmast 
she  carried  a  white  flag  lettered  in  blue,  "  Free  Trade  and  Sailors'  Rights." 
On  the  nth  she  fell  in  with  the  Minerva,  thirty-two,  convoying  seven 
troop-transports,  each  with  about  two  hundred  men  on  board.  On  the  way 
from  Barbadoes  to  Quebec,  Porter  cut  out  one  of  the  transports,  took  out 
her  men,  and  stood  back  for  a  fight.     The   Minerva   declined  an   action. 


43 S  THE    SECOND   WAR   WITH    GREAT   BRITAIN 

Porter's  men  were  thoroughly  trained  as  boarders,  but  the  short  range  of 
his  guns  did  not  permit  of  his  cutting  out  the  Minerva.  One  of  the  young- 
est oi  the  midshipmen  on  the  Essex  on  this  cruise  was  David  Glasgow 
Farragut,  whose  fame  to-day  almost  rivals  that  of  England's  great  admiral. 
On  August  13  the  Essex  overtook  and  captured  the  British  sloop  of  war 
Alert,  which  she  disarmed  and  sent  in  as  a  cartel  to  St.  John's.  The  Essex 
returned  to  New  York  on  September  7,  having  made  ten  prizes  containing 
four  hundred  and  twenty-three  men. 

In  this  month  of  July,  also,  the  Constitution,  forty-four,  Captain  Isaac 
Hull,  returned  from  a  run  to  Europe,  and  sailed  into  the  Chesapeake, 
where  a  new  crew  was  shipped,  many  of  whom  had  never  been  on  board  a 
vessel  of  war  before.  On  the  nth  she  left  Annapolis  and  stood  to  the 
northward.  On  the  17th  she  fell  in  with  the  Guerriere,  Captain  Dacres, 
which  had  joined  Broke's  squadron.  The  Nautilus  had  been  taken  by 
them  the  day  before,  and  was  now  manned  by  a  British  crew  and  flying 
British  colors.  Only  by  the  exercise  of  the  greatest  ingenuity,  by  coolness 
and  precision,  and  the  steadiness  which  Hull  had  already  obtained  from 
his  fresh  men,  was  the  noble  frigate  enabled  to  extricate  herself  from  the 
formidable  net  into  which  she  had  fallen.  The  three  days'  chase  and  the 
escape  are  historic  in  the  American  navy.  Hull  had  fairly  outmanoeuvred 
Broke  and  Byron.  Soon  after  the  chase  the  British  squadron  separated, 
and  Hull  went  into  Boston  on  July  26.  On  August  2  the  Constitution 
sailed  in  an  easterly  course,  but  met  no  enemy.  Cruising  along  the  coast 
of  Nova  Scotia  from  the  Bay  of  Fundy  to  Newfoundland,  she  took  her 
station  off  Cape  Race.  Here  she  captured  two  British  brigs  and  recap- 
tured an  American  one,  but  a  British  sloop  of  war  escaped. 

On  the  19th,  cruising  south,  Captain  Hull  heard  from  a  Salem  priva- 
teer of  a  British  frigate  still  further  to  the  southward.  Standing  in  that 
direction,  he  found  the  stranger  to  be  the  frigate  Guerriere,  Captain  Dacres, 
this  time  alone.  The  Englishman  hauled  up  his  courses  and  took  in  part 
of  his  sail,  and  made  ready  to  engage.  Hull  made  his  own  preparations 
with  the  greatest  deliberation,  cleared  for  action,  and  beat  to  quarters.  At 
five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  Guerriere  hoisted  three  English  ensigns 
and  opened  fire.  The  Constitution  set  her  colors  one  at  each  masthead 
and  one  at  the  mizzen-peak.  Hull  answered  the  English  fire  with  a  few 
guns  as  they  bore.  The  Englishman  showing  a  disposition  for  a  hand-to- 
hand  fight,  yard-arm  and  yard-arm,  the  Constitution  drew  closer,  and  in  a 
few  minutes,  as  the  ships  were  side  to  side,  the  Guerriere's  mizzen-mast 
came  down,  shot  away.  As  the  vessels  touched,  both  crews  prepared  to 
board  ;   but  the  fire  was  so  hot,  and  the  sea  so  heavy,  that  neither  party 


THE   SECOND    WAR   WITH    GREAT   BRITAIN  439 

succeeded.  As  the  Constitution  shot  ahead  the  Gucrriere's  foremast  fell, 
and,  carrying  with  it  her  mainmast,  the  proud  ship  lay  a  helpless  wreck. 
As  the  Constitution  returned  to  deliver  a  raking  firc,  the  enemy's  colors 
were  lowered.  The  next  morning,  the  Guerriere  having  four  feet  of  water 
in  her  hold,  Hull  sent  on  board  and  took  off  the  prisoners.  The  wreck 
was  set  on  fire  and  soon  blew  up.  Hull,  encumbered  with  his  prisoners, 
returned  to  Boston,  where  he  arrived  on  the  30th.  He  brought  in  two 
hundred  and  sixty-seven  prisoners,  among  whom  were  ten  Americans  who 
had  refused  to  fight  their  countrymen.  Hull  himself  brought  the  intelli- 
gence of  his  victory.  He  announced  it  to  the  secretary  of  war  by  dispatch 
from  "  United  States  frigate  Constitution,  off  Boston  Light."  When  the 
frigate  arrived  in  the  harbor  she  was  met  by  a  flotilla  of  gayly  decorated 
boats,  and  Hull  was  greeted  on  his  landing  by  an  immense  assemblage  and 
welcomed  to  a  splendid  entertainment  by  the  principal  citizens  of  both 
parties. 

From  Boston  Hull  made  a  progress  almost  triumphal.  He  reached 
New  York  city  early  in  September,  where  he  was  received  with  equal 
enthusiasm.  Dacres's  desire  to  meet  an  American  frigate  was  already 
known  in  New  York.  A  subscription  was  raised  and  swords  purchased  by 
the  citizens  of  New  York  and  presented  to  Hull  and  his  officers.  Hull 
was  voted  the  freedom  of  the  city  by  the  common  council  on  the  7th,  and 
on  the  14th  he  was  requested  to  sit  for  his  portrait  to  be  placed  in  the 
picture-gallery  of  the  City  Hall  known  as  the  governors'  room,  where  the 
portraits  of  the  several  governors  of  the  state  are  preserved,  as  also  those 
of  Washington  and  other  distinguished  persons.  From  New  York  Cap- 
tain Hull  proceeded  to  Philadelphia,  where  the  citizens  in  general  meeting 
voted  to  him  "  a  piece  of  plate  of  the  most  elegant  workmanship,  with 
appropriate  emblems,  devices,  and  inscriptions,"  and  a  like  piece  of  plate 
to  Lieutenant  Charles  Morris,  in  the  name  of  the  citizens  of  Philadelphia. 


AN    UNKNOWN    EXILE:    WAS    HE    CHARLES   X? 
By  Henry  C.  Maine 

In  the  year  1808,  a  French  gentleman  came  into  the  wilds  of  the  south- 
ern part  of  Madison  county,  New  York,  and  erected  a  chateau  upon  the 
wooded  summit  of  the  highest  hill  in  Georgetown.  In  lowering  weather 
this  hill  is  among  the  clouds.  He  had  purchased  of  Daniel  Ludlow,  in 
the  city  of  New  York,  two  thousand  seven  hundred  acres  of  land,  paying 
for  it  the  handsome  sum  of  nine  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty-two 
dollars  and  twenty-five  cents.  The  deeds  conveying  the  property  to  Louis 
Anathe  Muller,  for  that  was  the  name  he  gave,  were  recorded  in  the 
county  clerk's  office  of  Madison  county,  May  4,  1808,  and  bear  date  of 
February  20,  1808. 

The  stranger  brought  great  wealth  in  gold  and  silver  coin  into  the 
wilderness,  and  spent  it  lavishly  in  clearing  land,  erecting  a  chateau,  and 
establishing  a  great  park  for  game.  Upon  a  stream  near  the  chateau  a 
fish-pond  was  excavated.  The  grounds  were  carefully  laid  out,  and  pop- 
lars were  planted  in  a  semicircle  bordering  a  driveway  to  the  chateau. 
Muller  had  a  good  knowledge  of  military  tactics  and  the  arts  of  defensive 
fortification,  for  he  immediately  cleared  a  great  space  about  his  residence, 
so  there  were  no  woods  within  rifle  shot.  The  trees  were  dug  out  by  the 
roots  at  great  expense,  and  the  laborers  who  accomplished  this  task  were 
paid  in  gold.  The  chateau  was  a  fortress.  It  was  seventy  feet  long  and 
thirty  wide,  and  the  walls  were  constructed  of  solid  hewn  timbers  set  on 
end  in  heavy  sills  and  keyed  together.  These  upright  timbers  were  eleven 
feet  high  and  seven  or  eight  inches  thick.  Upon  the  tops  of  the  upright 
timbers  plates  of  heavy  hewn  sticks  were  placed,  and  from  them  rose  the 
hewn  rafters.  The  building  was  bullet-proof.  A  grand  hallway  passed 
through  it  from  front  to  rear.  The  inside  was  lathed  and  plastered  in  the 
most  substantial  manner,  as  is  shown  by  the  excellent  condition  of  the 
walls  to  this  day.  The  great  building  was  warmed  by  seven  fireplaces, 
the  brick  for  which  was  transported  on  pack  mules  over  a  bridle-path  from 
the  village  of  Hamilton,  where  Muller  lived  until  his  house  was  completed. 
All  of  the  furniture,  some  of  which  was  costly,  was  brought  into  the  wil- 
derness in  the  same  way.  The  region  round  about  was  but  sparsely  set- 
tled, the  first  settlement  in  the  adjoining  town  of  De  Ruyter  having  been 
made  in  1793.     The  master  of  the  house  wore   the  costume  of  a  French 


AN   UNKNOWN   EXILE:    WAS   HE   CHARLES    X?  44 1 

gentleman,  a  grand  seigneur,  and  introduced,  as  far  as  possible  in  the 
wilderness,  the  manners  of  feudal  France.  He  was  attended  by  a  retinue 
of  Frenchmen,  among  them  a  physician  who  bore  the  name  of  Pietrow. 
Under  Muller's  direction,  a  hamlet  was  built  on  his  estate,  and  a  saw-mill 
and  grist-mill  were  erected.  Stores  were  established,  and  every  prepara- 
tion made  for  reproducing  in  the  new  world  all  of  the  conditions  of  the 
great  landed  estates  of  the  French  nobles.  The  sites  of  the  saw-mill  and 
grist-mill  can  still  be  identified,  and  one  of  the  storehouses  is  now  stand- 
ing. The  settlement  was  called  Bronder  Hollow  from  Passon  Bronder, 
who  came  with  Muller  from  Europe. 

Muller  rode  about  his  estates  on  horseback,  attended  by  servants  who 
were  armed.  He  was  an  enthusiastic  sportsman  and  spent  much  of  his 
time  in  the  forests  and  the  park  he  had  established.  This  enclosure  was 
surrounded  by  a  high  fence,  and  included  about  half  his  estate.  He  never 
shot  at  any  bird  or  animal  while  it  was  at  rest,  but  his  sight  was  unerring. 
The  remains  of  his  fish-pond  are  still  visible  at  a  short  distance  east  of  the 
house.  It  was  said  by  the  early  settlers  that  Muller  often  waded  into  this 
pond  with  his  silk  stockings  to  cast  the  line  for  trout.  All  of  the  local 
traditions  represent  Muller  as  of  distinguished  appearance,  erect,  agile,  and 
possessing  the  air  of  command.  As  his  age  and  personal  appearance  are 
important  in  determining  his  identity,  further  reference  to  them  will  be 
made.  The  character  of  Louis  Anathe  Muller  was  well  studied  by  all  of 
the  settlers  in  his  vicinity  who  had  dealings  with  him,  and  many  anecdotes 
are  related  illustrating  his  peculiarities.  He  was  honorable  in  all  his  deal- 
ings and  of  benevolent  disposition;  but  was  easily  imposed  on,  especially 
in  matters  connected  with  agriculture,  of  which  he  was  quite  ignorant. 
This  ignorance  indicates  that  he  had  never  been  a  practical  man  of  affairs 
upon  a  landed  estate,  and  leads  to  the  conclusion  that  he  was  a  courtier. 
Muller  tried  costly  experiments  to  the  enrichment  of  his  shrewd  neighbors, 
and  succeeded  in  nothing  but  killing  wild  animals,  and  expending  large 
sums  of  money  to  little  purpose. 

Muller  watched  with  the  deepest  interest  the  progress  of  the  war  of 
1812  ;  but  when  a  sergeant  was  sent  by  Captain  Hurd  of  the  local  militia 
to  warn  him  to  appear  at  general  training,  armed  and  equipped  as  the 
law  directs,  there  was  angry  expostulation.  Muller  declared  to  one  of 
his  trusted  superintendents,  Chancellor  Bierce,  that  he  had  been  gravely 
insulted.  He  said  it  was  an  outrage  for  one  who  had  been  a  general  of 
division  and  a  participant  in  the  making  of  three  treaties  to  be  asked  to  do 
military  service  in  Captain  Hurd's  company.  He  did  not  appear  at  the 
muster.     This  was  one  of  the  few  occasions  upon  which  he  allowed   him- 


44-  AN    UNKNOWN   EXILE:    WAS    HE   CHARLES   X? 

self  to  speak  of  his  past  history.  In  his  angry  remarks,  however,  there 
were  no  admissions  that  could  lead  directly  to  the  revelation  of  his  iden- 
tity. A  man  accustomed  to  secret  methods  alone  could  have  successfully 
concealed  his  name  and  the  purpose  of  his  strange  action  in  hiding  him- 
self in  a  wilderness.  During  his  stay  in  Georgetown,  Muller  was  generally 
liked  because  of  his  polite  manners  and  generous  disposition.  During  all 
of  the  time  of  his  sojourn  in  the  wilderness  he  received  American  and 
European  journals.  He  was  accustomed  to  take  his  papers  into  the  field 
and  read  to  his  workmen  the  stirring  news  of  the  day,  and  watch  the 
effect.  He  also  commented  upon  the  progress  of  Bonaparte.  From  these 
comments  it  was  gathered  that  he  was  mortally  afraid  of  Bonaparte,  and 
believed  he  would  conquer  all  Europe,  and  possibly  the  United  States. 
When  news  came  of  Napoleon's  disaster  in  Russia,  joy  took  the  place  of 
fear,  and  Muller  began  to  make  preparations  to  leave  his  Georgetown 
home ;  and  when  the  overthrow  of  Bonaparte  seemed  assured,  he  rode 
away  on  horseback  to  take  passage  for  France.  The  time  of  Muller's 
coming  and  going  are  of  interest  as  bearing  on  his  identity,  and  will  be 
further  discussed. 

Many  have  been  the  conjectures  as  to  the  identity  of  this  man.  He 
preserved  his  incognito  completely,  and  if  any  of  his  retinue  offered  sug- 
gestions, they  were  always  misleading.  It  is  believed  in  Georgetown  that 
no  one  but  his  physician  was  aware  of  his  true  name.  Those  who  had 
carefully  studied  the  events  of  the  time,  and  knew  the  history  of  the  royal 
family  of  France,  believed  that  Muller  was  a  Bourbon  prince  hiding  from 
Bonaparte.  Among  these  was  my  father,  David  Maine,  a  resident  of  the 
adjoining  town  of  De  Ruyter.  He  was  born  in  1798,  and  as  a  boy  saw 
Muller  and  knew  the  details  of  his  romantic  sojourn  in  the  wilds  of 
Georgetown.  Of  all  the  details  related  to  me  in  my  boyhood,  I  was  most 
impressed  by  Muller's  great  fear  of  Bonaparte.  This  fear  convinced  all 
of  the  early  settlers  who  knew  the  man,  that  he  had  some  powerful  motive 
for  getting  as  far  as  possible  from  the  reach  of  the  Corsican,  and  making 
himself  secure  in  his  retreat.  The  bullet-proof  house  in  a  great  clearing 
hastily  made,  showed  that  all  contingencies  had  been  taken  into  account. 
Muller's  conduct  was  evidence  that  he  feared  the  secret  assassin  as  well  as 
the  open  foe.     Mrs.  L.  M.  Hammond,  in  her  history  of  Madison  County,  says: 

A  strange  yet  powerful  apprehension  weighed  upon  his  mind  and  tinctured  his 
prominent  movements.  In  common  with  the  views  of  the  French  nation  he  believed  the 
powers  of  Europe  would  fall  before  the  eagles  of  Bonaparte  ;  that  the  haughty  lion  of 
Britain  would  crouch  and  yield,  and  even  the  American  eagle  would  fly  before  the  gigan- 
tic power  of  the  Corsican.     These  apprehensions  pressing  upon  him,  seemed  to  find  some 


AN   UNKNOWN   EXILE:    WAS    HE    CHARLES    X?  443 

relief  in  the  hope  that  the  secluded  hills  of  Georgetown  would  afford  him  a  residence, 
unknown  and  unobserved,  and  a  safe  retreat  from  present  danger.  He  avoided  mingling 
in  public  assemblies,  and  when  visiting  a  more  conspicuous  town  he  was  attended  by  his 
most  trusty  servants.  Indeed  this  peculiar  watchfulness  confirms  the  opinion  that  he 
feared  molestation  from  his  native  country.  Two  servants,  in  livery  and  armed,  usually 
rode  on  either  side  of  him  as  a  body  guard.  At  each  saddle  front,  his  own  and  his 
guards,'  was  a'case  of  pistols  and  ammunition. 

But  when  Bonaparte  made  his  line  of  march  for  Russia,  Mullerone  day 
reading  the  news  was  jubilant.  "  He  shall  be  whipped  !  "  he  exclaimed. 
"  Bonaparte  shall  be  driven  back  !  "  and  so.  it  proved.  The  testimony  as 
to  Muller's  great  fear  of  Bonaparte,  and  that  he  would  conquer  England, 
is  abundant.  Who  among  the  prominent  men  of  the  time  could  have  such 
fear?     Who  could  dread  assassination  even  in  the  wilds  of  America? 

The  starting  point  of  my  inquiry  was  found  in  a  way  that  is  somewhat 
interesting.  My  father  thought  that  Muller  might  be  the  Duke  of  Angou- 
leme,  who  was  regarded  in  America  as  a  gallant  soldier.  About  six  years 
ago  my  attention  was  turned  anew  to  the  subject  of  Muller's  identity.  It 
was  an  attractive  theme  because  of  the  deep  mystery,  and  I  have  been 
groping  for  some  light  ever  since.  From  the  beginning  of  my  quest,  which 
was  at  first  entirely  without  any  new  study  of  French  history,  and  merely 
a  mental  question,  I  had  an  impression  that  Muller  was  not  the  Duke  of 
Angouleme.  Who  was  Muller?  Finally  a  name  came  to  me,  and  I  wrote 
it  down  on  a  bit  of  paper.  It  was  at  evening,  and  next  day  the  search 
began  upon  the  name.  From  that  time  the  quest  became  earnest  and 
interesting.  That  name  I  shall  give  as  that  of  the  only  man  who  had  a 
sufficient  motive  for  acting  as  Louis  Anathe  Muller  acted  ;  the  only  man 
who  had  a  mortal  fear  of  Bonaparte. 

In  March,  1891,  a  letter  was  addressed  to  the  county  clerk  of  Madison 
county,  C.  W.  Stapleton,  inquiring  if  the  Muller  purchase  in  Georgetown 
was  from  the  Holland  Land  Company,  and  the  date  of  the  deeds  ?  From 
his  reply  it  was  learned  that  he  purchased  the  land  from  Daniel  Ludlow, 
and  for  the  price  stated  at  the  beginning  of  this  article. 

Not  then  knowing  of  Mrs.  Hammond's  chapter  on  Muller  in  the  history 
of  Madison  county,  another  letter  was  addressed  to  the  county  clerk,  in- 
quiring about  the  record  of  the  sale  of  the  Muller  property,  if  it  had  been 
sold.     He  replied  as  follows  : 

Morrisville,  Aprils,  1891. 
H.  C.  Maine,  Esq., 

My  Dear  Sir,— Replying  to  your  letter  of  inquiry  ofthe  24th  ult.,  there  are  many  deeds 
both  to  and  from  Muller  prior  to  1816,  in  which  year  he  seems  to  have  closed  out  his  George- 
town property.     A  deed   dated   April   9th,  1816,  conveys  the    "Muller   Hill"  premises, 


.444  AN    UNKNOWN   EXILE:    WAS   HE   CHARLES   X? 

L02S  acres,  to  Abijah  Weston,  of  New  York  City,  for  $10,000.  This  is  signed  by 
"Adiline  Muller,  his  wife."  "  Adiline  "  also  appears  in  the  other  deeds  as  the  wife  of 
Louis.  A  history  of  Madison  County  published  in  1872,  by  Mrs.  L.  M.  Hammond,  con- 
tains the  most  complete  statement  regarding  Muller  to  be  had. 

[Signed]    C.  W.  Stapleton. 

This  letter  conveyed  the  first  knowledge  of  Mrs.  Hammond's  history, 
which  was  afterwards  found  to  contain  nearly  all  of  the  matter  concerning 
which  I  had  made  inquiry.  Here  it  is  well  to  note  that  the  sale  of  the  Muller 
estate  took  place  less  than  a  year  after  the  battle  of  Waterloo.  That  bat- 
tle decided  the  fate  of  Bonaparte,  and  favorably  affected  the  fortunes  of  the 
man  who  had  lived  on  "  Muller  Hill."  His  exile  was  ended.  The  next  step 
was  to  seek  information  from  some  heirs  of  Ludlow  or  Weston.  Did  they 
know  the  real  name  of  the  exile  ?  A  letter  was  addressed  to  Hon.  Hamil- 
ton Fish  as  one  most  likely  to  have  knowledge  of  the  Ludlows.  A  full 
statement  of  the  Muller  mystery  was  given.  The  ex-secretary  of  state 
replied,  however,  that  he  was  not  able  to  give  any  information  in  the 
direction  of  the  inquiry. 

The  history  by  Mrs.  Hammond  gives  in  detail  the  story  of  Muller's 
sojourn  in  Georgetown.  Much  of  her  narrative  was  familiar  to  me  through 
my  father's  conversation  upon  the  subject.  But  Mrs.  Hammond  did  not 
attempt  to  solve  the  mystery.  Names  were  mentioned  by  her,  but  not  the 
name  that  had  occurred  to  me.  Mrs.  Hammond  says  of  Muller  :  "  His 
family  physician,  a  man  named  Pietrow,  once  said  that  Mullerwas  '  cousin 
the  second  to  the  Duke  of  Angouleme,'  but  no  credence  was  given  this  by 
those  who  heard  the  assertion.  Generally  the  belief  prevails  in  this  coun- 
try that  he  was  a  member  of  the  Bourbon  family,  who,  on  the  abdication  of 
Bonaparte,  was  restored  to  his  royal  privileges."  "  Dates,"  says  Mrs.  Ham- 
mond, "demolish  the  idea  that  Muller  was  Louis  Philippe." 

With  the  name  which  had  occurred  to  me  as  a  central  point,  the  inquiry 
was  pursued.  When  research  in  the  lines  just  indicated  was  closed,  nothing 
had  been  found  to  throw  doubt  upon  the  accuracy  of  my  impression, 
except  the  presence  of  a  wife,  "Adiline,"  with  the  exile  in  Georgetown. 
Mrs.  Hammond  shows  pretty  conclusively  that  this  wife  was  taken  in  New 
York,  and  left  there  when  Muller  returned  to  France.  The  historian  of 
Madison  county  also  names  her  as  a  Stuyvesant,  and  shows  by  the  record 
of  subsequent  conveyances  of  the  Muller  estate  that  it  was  finally  placed 
in  the  possession  of  her  children,  who  were  adopted  by  a  Stuyvesant  in  the 
city  of  New  York.  This  part  of  the  subject  may  well  rest  here.  If  Mrs. 
Hammond's  surmises  are  true,  there  may  still  be  Bourbons  in  this  country. 

My  inquiry  as  to  Muller's  identity  was  devoted  to  the  habits,  character, 


AN    UNKNOWN   EXILE:    WAS    HE    CHARLES    X?  445 

and  activities  of  a  public  man.  The  following  questions,  which  accurately 
describe  Muller,  also  suggest  clearly  the  answer:  Who  was  possessed  of  a 
great  fear  of  Bonaparte?  Who  had  a  sufficient  motive  for  hiding  himself 
under  an  assumed  name  in  a  wilderness  of  the  new  world?  Who  was  a 
shallow  devotee  of  old  ceremonial,  a  bad  financier,  a  gentleman  of  polish 
and  of  generosity,  a  devotee  of  the  chase,  a  spendthrift,  a  general,  and  a 
coward?  What  man  of  the  French  princes  was  of  Muller's  age?  and  why 
should  Muller  quit  Georgetown,  leaving  a  great  estate,  to  be  present  in 
France  in  expectation  of  Bonaparte's  downfall  ?  Who  actually  appeared 
truculent  and  vainglorious  when  the  allies  marched  into  Paris  in  April, 
1814?  Who  had  a  penchant  for  assumed  names  in  exile?  Who  had 
motive  and  opportunity  to  return  to  the  United  States  in  18 16  and  sell 
his  Georgetown  estate?  These  questions  might  be  extended,  but  I  now 
purpose  to  convict  this  man  by  good  evidence,  although  most  of  it  is  cir- 
cumstantial. He  was  afterward  a  king  of  France,  who  left  France  by  an 
American  ship,  in  1830,  under  the  assumed  name  of  Count  of  Ponthieu. 
He  had  no  further  use  for  the  name  of  Louis  Anathe  Muller.  When 
Charles  X.  ran  away  from  Paris  in  1830,  to  embark  for  England  on  an 
American  ship,  under  an  assumed  name,  he  executed  a  manoeuver  that  was 
quite  as  discreet  as  the  escape  from  Paris  in  1789,  and  the  quitting  of  Eng- 
land for  America  early  in  the  next  century.  This  running  away  was 
characteristic  of  the  man.  His  flight  from  Paris  was  precipitated  by  Jules 
Polignac,  his  prime  minister;  and,  strangely  enough,  Polignac  was  in- 
volved in  the  events  which  caused  the  flight  to  America. 

Before  Charles  X.  ascended  the  throne  he  bore  the  title,  Count  of 
Artois,  and  with  him  I  shall  deal  in  the  further  discussion  of  the  mystery 
about  the  deserted  chateau  in  Georgetown.  The  count  was  the  youngest 
brother  of  Louis  XVI.;  the  Count  of  Provence,  afterward  Louis  XVIII., 
being  next  in  succession  to  the  king  after  the  death  of  the  dauphin  in  the 
Temple.  The  Count  of  Artois  was  an  active,  energetic,  badly  educated, 
shallow  man,  wholly  devoted  to  the  old  regime,  and  incapable  of  enter- 
taining a  liberal  idea.  He  really  belonged  to  a  past  age,  the  age  of  Louis 
XIV.  By  dint  of  perpetual  intrigue,  sacrificing  friends  and  running  away 
from  enemies,  the  count  made  quite  a  stir  in  the  world,  and  left  a  name 
that  is  respected  nowhere  in  Christendom.  The  best  that  can  be  said  of 
him  is  that  he  was  a  good  hunter,  and  his  passion  for  hunting  is  one  of 
the  clues  to  his  identity  as  the  prince  who  turned  the  wilds  of  the  George- 
town hills  into  a  deer  park  while  he  v/as  hiding  from  Bonaparte  and  the 
scorn  of  his  brother  royalists. 

The  Count  of  Artois  was  a  gallant  at  the  court  of  Louis  XVI.,  a  friend 


446  AN    UNKNOWN   EXILE:    WAS    HE   CHARLES   X? 

and  counsellor  of  Queen  Marie  Antoinette,  a  spendthrift  and  marplot. 
He  gathered  about  him  congenial  spirits,  chief  of  whom  were  the  Duke 
and  Duchess  of  Polignac  and  their  sons,  the  Duke  of  Bourbon  and  his 
son,  the  Duke  of  Enghien,  De  Broglie,  and  some  others.  Artois  and  the 
Polignacs,  aided  by  the  queen,  steadily  resisted  all  of  the  king's  efforts 
to  live  with  his  people  and  relieve  their  burdens.  The  king  was  sacri- 
ficed in  the  contest  between  the  party  of  Artois  and  the  people  clamoring 
for  constitutional  government.  The  count's  character  and  influence  over 
the  queen  is  thus  described  by  Lamartine  : 

"  The  Comte  d'Artois,  the  king's  youngest  brother,  chivalrous  in  eti- 
quette, had  much  influence  with  her.  He  relied  greatly  on  the  noblesse  / 
made  frequent  references  to  his  sword.  He  laughed  at  the  crisis  ;  he  dis- 
dained this  war  of  words,  caballed  against  ministers,  and  treated  passing 
events  with  levity."  Although  the  count  talked  much  of  his  sword,  he 
was  always  prudent  in  allowing  his  friends  to  make  sacrifices.  He  believed 
in  his  destiny,  and  desired  to  be  King  of  France.  Both  of  his  brothers 
were  despised  by  him  because  they  showed  signs  of  liberalism.  In  con- 
trast to  Artois,  the  Count  of  Provence  behaved  with  dignity,  and  remained 
in  Paris  supporting  the  king  until  1791. 

The  Count  of  Artois  fled  early  from  the  scene  of  his  mischief-making 
and  shallow  resistance  to  a  great  popular  uprising.  On  June  20th,  1789, 
the  national  assembly,  barred  out  of  the  hall  of  the  states  general,  took 
the  oath  at  the  tennis  court  never  to  separate  until  France  had  a  constitu- 
tion. On  the  22d  of  June,  when  the  assembly  was  to  gather  again  in  the 
tennis  court,  it  was  found  that  the  Count  of  Artois  had  hired  it.  With 
such  small  weapons  this  weak,  vain  man  fought  for  the  old  regime.  He  was 
also  instrumental  in  the  dismissal  of  Necker  and  bringing  the  old  marshal 
De  Broglie  to  Paris  with  an  army  of  foreign  troops  to  overawe  the  assembly. 
The  utter  failure  of  this  plot  put  the  royal  family  in  jeopardy.  Popular 
indignation  rose  against  the  count,  and  on  the  eve  of  the  destruction 
of  the  Bastile,  his  name  was  put  on  the  list  of  the  proscribed  with  the 
queen,  Madame  Polignac,  and  many  others.  The  Bastile  fell  on  July 
14,  1789;  on  the  16th  Artois  and  the  Polignacs  and  Condes  fled  to  Turin. 
All  carried  with  them  much  of  the  wealth  filched  from  an  overburdened 
people.  They  went  under  the  leadership  of  Artois,  to  rouse  the  nations  of 
Europe  to  war  on  the  revolutionists,  and  raised  a  tumult  that  brought  the 
king's  head  to  the  block.  Wrong-headed  and  impetuous,  Artois  was  a 
leader  in  the  plans  to  invade  France.  The  king  was  a  victim  of  his  shal- 
low brother.  When  the  king  was  dead,  Artois  hastened  to  call  himself 
Monsieur,  the  title   of  the  successor  to  the  throne,  although  there  was  a 


AN   UNKNOWN    EXILE:     WAS   HE   CHARLES    X? 


447 


young  prince  still  living,  a  prisoner  in  the  Temple.  The  count  strutted 
about  Europe,  proud  that  he  had  stirred  things.  The  emigrants  made  dis- 
astrous war  and  then  scattered.  Their  court  at  Coblentz  was  dissolved  by 
the  impetuous  army  of  the  convention. 

The  Count  of  Artois  and  the  Duke  of  Polignac  went  to  Russia.  The 
count  had  then  assumed  the  title  "Monsieur,"  and  the  throne  seemed  near. 
He  was  received  and  feted  by  Catherine  II.,  who  played  the  part  of  the 
witches  in  Macbeth,  by  presenting  a  costly  sword  inscribed,  "  From  God  to 
the  King  "  !  Catherine  was  pleased  with  the  courtly  grace  of  the  count,  and 
was  so  well  disposed  toward  Polignac,  that  she  provided  him  with  a  dwelling 
in  the  Ukraine,  far  from  the  red  republicans  who  wanted  his  head.  This 
visit  of  Artois  had  much  influence  upon  future  events.  The  sons  of  Poli- 
gnac, Armand  and  Jules,  followed  the  fortunes  of  Artois,  who  was  not  yet 
ready  to  hide  himself.  The  last  public  adventure  of  Artois  to  restore 
royalty  in  France  was  made  from  England  in  August,  1795,  with  an  army 
of  emigrants,  and  a  British  fleet  under  Admiral  Warren.  The  plan  was  to 
land  a  strong  force,  under  command  of  Artois,  upon  the  coast  of  Brittany, 
to  aid  the  Chouans  and  Vendeans,  who  were  still  loyal  to  the  Bourbons. 
Under  native  leaders  of  great  bravery,  the  people  of  Western  France  were 
fighting  in  a  desultory  way  against  the  new  government  in  Paris.  There 
was  expectation  that  the  count,  who  was  then  the  active  leader  of  the 
emigrants,  would  force  his  way  to  Paris  and  end  the  disorder.  The  expe- 
dition sailed  away,  but  when  off  the  coast  of  France,  the  count's  courage 
failed,  and  he  refused  to  land.  This  exhibition  of  characteristic  cowardice 
made  the  name  of  Artois  a  by-word,  and  he  was  heartily  detested  by  Eng- 
lishmen, emigrants,  and  the  French  republicans. 

The  gloomy  palace  of  Holyrood,  where  Rizzio  had  been  murdered,  was 
assigned  to  the  count  as  his  official  residence,  by  the  prince  regent. 
There  the  count  gathered  his  devoted  followers,  the  Polignac  brothers, 
M.  Riviere,  Madame  Gontaut,  and  others.  This  lady  left  some  memoirs, 
and  the  fragments  which  have  been  published  throw  some  light  upon  the 
residence  of  the  Count  at  Holyrood.  He  was  so  despised,  frightened,  and 
harassed,  that  up  to  1797  he  did  not  dare  to  leave  the  palace  grounds. 
But  in  his  hiding  he  never  ceased  to  plot.  His  immediate  friends  and 
supporters  were  employed  to  further  his  plans,  until  they  were  so  far 
involved  that  Bonaparte  executed  three  of  them,  and  held  three  others  as 
hostages.     Soon  after  this  failure  Artois  must  have  fled  to  America. 

In  1797,  Madame  Gontaut,  as  probably  the  agent  of  Artois,  went  to 
Paris  in  disguise,  says  Imbert  de  St.  Amand,  and  returned  in  safety.  It 
was  in  this  year  that  General  Hoche,  one  of  the  ablest  commanders  of  the 


44$  AN    UNKNOWN    ENILE  :    WAS    HE   CHARLES   X? 

republican  forces,  was  mysteriously  poisoned.  We  shall  refer  to  the  cir- 
cumstances hereafter.  The  chief  purpose  of  the  journey  of  Madame 
Gontaut  was  undoubtedly  connected  with  an  effort  to  persuade  Bonaparte, 
through  Josephine,  to  end  the  revolution,  and  throw  his  influence  in  favor 
of  a  Bourbon  restoration.  The  effort  failed.  Bonaparte  saw  a  better 
career  for  himself.  At  the  time  he  may  have  got  an  inkling  of  the  secret 
work  of  Artois.  After  the  return  of  Madame,  she  resided  at  Holyrood 
for  some  years.  But  it  appears  from  St.  Amand,  that  she  afterward  went 
to  the  court  of  Louis  XVIII.,  at  Hartwell  house,  Buckinghamshire, 
England.  Louis  did  not  take  up  his  abode  in  England  until  1807,  having 
previously  resided  in  Warsaw  up  to  the  treaty  of  Tilsit,  1807.  The 
Count  of  Artois  must  have  left  England  before  his  brother's  arrival.  After 
the  breaking  up  of  the  court  of  Coblentz,  the  two  brothers  kept  apart ; 
and  even  the  sons  of  Artois,  the  Duke  of  Angouleme  and  Duke  of  Berry, 
avoided  their  father.  The  Duke  of  Angouleme,  who  had  married  the 
orphan  of  the  Temple,  kept  near  his  uncle. 

At  Hartwell  house,  Madame  Gontaut  became  quite  popular  among  the 
English,  as  she  had  been  a  protegee  of  Marie  Antoinette  before  the  revolu- 
tion. Her  removal  to  Hartwell  house  would  indicate  that  Artois  had  left 
Holyrood.  There  is,  so  far  as  we  have  been  able  to  ascertain,  no  record 
of  his  activity  or  presence  at  Holyrood  after  the  tragic  failure  of  his  plot 
against  the  life  of  Bonaparte  in  1804.  The  American  Cyclopcedia  says 
that  after  the  disgrace  of  1795,  Artois  lived  in  obscurity,  residing  mainly 
in  England,  till  the  fall  of  Napoleon,  when  he  returned  to  Paris,  April  12, 
1 8 14.  Chambers  says  of  Artois,  after  the  failure  to  land  on  the  west  coast 
of  France:  "  Detested  now  by  the  royalists  of  France,  and  despised  by 
the  British,  he  lived  in  obscurity,  until  the  allies  entered  Paris  in  18 14, 
when  he  appeared  in  France  as  Lieutenant-General  of  the  Kingdom." 
Obscurity  was  favorable  to  his  escape  from  disgrace  and  the  vengeance  of 
Bonaparte.  The  use  of  the  word  "  obscurity  "  shows  that  his  doings  and 
whereabouts  were  not  known.  The  few  relatives  in  England,  if  they  knew 
of  his  departure  to  America,  must  have  rejoiced,  for  he  threatened  to 
cause  the  extinction  of  the  French  Bourbons  by  his  foolish  and  restless 
plotting.  It  is  no  wonder  that  his  cowardly  flight  was  kept  a  profound 
secret,  for  he  was  heir  to  a  throne.     The  secret  was  well  kept. 

The  final  tragedy  that  came  from  Artois'  plotting  at  Holyrood,  and 
which  in  all  reason  furnished  a  sufficient  motive  for  his  flight,  is  yet  to  be 
described.  The  plot  was  aimed  at  the  life  of  the  first  consul,  and  its 
execution  was  entrusted  to  the  count's  immediate  followers.  Five  of  his 
agents  received  instructions  at  Holyrood,  and  another  was  incidentally  but 


AN    UNKNOWN    EXILE:    WAS    HE   CHARLES    X?  449 

fatally  involved.  The  culmination  of  the  plot  in  [804  resulted  in  the  death 
of  General  Georges  Cadoudal,  General  Pichegru  and  the  Duke  d'Enghien 
by  orders  of  Bonaparte,  and  the  imprisonment  in  France  of  Armand  and 
Jules  Polignac  and  Charles  Riviere.  The  Polignacs  and  Riviere  were  the 
nearest  friends  of  Artois,  and  it  would  appear  that  they  were  shrewdly 
held  prisoners  by  Bonaparte  to  compel  the  subsidence  of  their  vainglori- 
ous and  treacherous  master  at  Holyrood.  This  supposition  is  supported 
by  an  incident  in  the  trial  of  Riviere,  which  especially  recommended  him 
to  the  consideration  of  Artois  when  he  became  king.  The  story  of  the 
plot  to  assassinate  Bonaparte  involves  a  brief  history  of  each  agent  and  his 
connection  with  the  Count  of  Artois. 

St.  Armand,  in  giving  reasons  for  the  appointment  of  Jules  dc  Polignac 
minister  of  state  by  Charles  X.  in  1829,  says  of  the  brothers:  "  After 
having  been  one  of  the  courtiers  of  the  little  court  at  Coblentz,  Jules  de 
Polignac  had  taken  service  for  some  time  in  Russia,  and  then  passed  into 
England,  where  he  had  been  one  of  the  most  intimate  confidants  and  one 
of  the  most  active  agents  of  the  Count  of  Artois.  Sent  secretly  into 
France  with  his  elder  brother,  Duke  Armand  de  Polignac,  he  was,  like  the 
latter,  compromised  in  the  Cadoudal  conspiracy.  Their  trial  is  remark- 
able for  the  noble  strife  of  devotion  in  which  each  of  the  brothers  pleaded 
the  cause  of  the  other  at  the  expense  of  his  own.  Armand  was  con- 
demned to  death.  His  wife  then  threw  herself  at  the  feet  of  the  first 
consul,  who,  thanks  to  the  intercession  of  Josephine,  commuted  the  pen- 
alty of  death  to  perpetual  confinement.  Jules  was  condemned  to  prison, 
and  shared  the  captivity  of  his  brother."  This  account  is  very  meager, 
omitting  the  interesting  facts  which  were  brought  out.  The  Polignacs 
undoubtedly  made  a  clean  breast  of  it,  showing  that  they  were  merely  the 
innocent  agents  of  the  Count  of  Artois.  It  is  certain  that  M.  Riviere  was 
closely  questioned  about  Artois.  St.  Amand  says,  in  describing  Riviere 
after  he  had  been  appointed  by  Charles  X.  governor  of  the  "  child  of  mira- 
cle," the  Duke  of  Bordeaux,  afterward  known  as  the  Count  of  Cham- 
bord  :  "  The  choice  of  Charles  X.  fell  on  one  of  his  oldest  and  most  faithful 
friends,  the  Lieutenant-General  Duke  Charles  de  Riviere.  He  was  a  soldier 
of  great  valor,  of  gentle  disposition,  full  of  modesty  and  kindness.  Born 
December  17,  1763,  M.  de  Riviere  had  been  the  companion  and  servitor  of 
the  princes  in  exile  and  misfortune,  and  they  had  confided  to  him  the  most 
difficult  and  dangerous  missions.  He  was  secretly  in  France  in  1794,  and 
was  arrested  and  condemned  to  death  as  implicated  in  the  Cadoudal  case. 
At  his  trial  he  was  shown  at  a  distance  the  portrait  of  the  Count  of  Artois, 
and  asked  if  he  recognized  it.      He  asked  to  see  it  nearer,  and  then  having 

Vol.  XXIX.— No.  5.-29 


450  AN    UNKNOWN    EXILE  :    WAS    HE    CHARLES   X  ? 

it  in  his  hands,  he  said,  looking  at  the  president :  '  Do  you  suppose  that 
even  from  afar  I  did  not  recognize  it?  But  I  wished  to  see  it  nearer  once 
more  before  I  die.'  And  the  martyr  of  royalty  religiously  kissed  the 
image  of  his  dear  prince.  Josephine  intervened  and  secured  the  commu- 
tation of  the  sentence,  as  well  as  that  of  the  Duke  Armand  de  Polignac." 
11  Josephine  intervened."  This  is  the  Bourbon  way  of  stating  it.  But  this 
dramatic  display  of  the  picture  of  Artois  was  to  affect  Artois  himself,  and 
make  him  believe  that  he  was  wanted,  and  that  his  tools  were  of  no 
consequence  except  as  hostages.  The  shrewd  calculation  of  Bonaparte 
undoubtedly  frightened  the  man  at  Holyrood,  who  had  so  often  shown 
cowardice,  half  out  of  his  wits.  In  Georgetown  he  was  in  abject  fear,  and 
read  the  European  papers  with  feverish  anxiety  to  see  whether  his  dear 
friends  still  kept  their  heads  upon  their  shoulders.  Their  safety  depended 
upon  Artois  keeping  as  still  as  a  mouse,  and  he  kept  still,  and  hunted  with 
an  energy  that  characterized  him  during  his  life.  He  also  feared  assassi- 
nation, as  is  clearly  shown  by  the  precautions  he  took  while  on  journeys, 
and  in  avoiding  public  assemblies,  as  indicated  by  Mrs.  Hammond.  The 
Count  of  Artois  dreaded  assassination  because  he  was  himself  an  assassin 
of  the  meanest  sort. 

When  General  Hoche  died  of  poison,  Bonaparte  learned  something  to 
his  advantage,  and  we  presume  that  his  detectives  never  ceased  to  watch 
the  chief  and  most  active  royalists  from  that  time.  When  the  Polignacs 
and  Riviere  and  Pichegru  and  Cadoudal  left  Holyrood  on  their  errand  of 
assassination,  their  departure  must  have  been  soon  after  known  to  Bona- 
parte in  Paris.  The  swiftness  with  which  all  of  the  agents  of  Artois  were 
seized  must  have  surprised  the  shallow  plotter  in  the  suburbs  of  Edinburgh. 
He  knew  then  that  he  was  watched,  and  doubtless  expected  that  a  man 
who  could  strike  with  such  certainty  and  swiftness  would  end  him  as  he 
had  the  Duke  of  Enghien,1  Cadoudal,  and  Pichegru. 

The  Count  of  Artois  had  a  sufficient  motive  for  leaving  England  and 
hiding  himself  in  America.  The  Count  of  Provence,  we  believe,  had 
nothing  to  do  with  the  plots;  he  was  in  Warsaw  at  the  time.  In  the 
Count  of  Artois  we  find  the  only  man  who  had  reason  to  fear  Bonaparte 
as  Louis  Anathe  Muller  feared  him.  Artois  was  the  only  man  who  was 
cowardly  enough  to  send  his  friends  to  assassinate  Bonaparte  and  then 
run  away  himself  to  a  secure  hiding-place. 

1  Napoleon's  will  contains  the  following  reference  to  the  arrest  of  the  Due  d'Enghien  :  "  I 
caused  the  Due  d'Enghien  to  be  arrested  and  tried  because  that  step  was  essential  to  the  safety, 
interest  and  honor  of  the  French  people,  when  the  Comte  d'Artois  was  maintaining,  by  his  own 
confession,  sixty  assassins  at  Paris.     Under  similar  circumstances  I  should  act  in  the  same  way.' 


AN    UNKNOWN    EXILE:     WAS    HE    CHARLES    X?  451 

General  Moreau  was  banished  to  Amerioa  by  Bonaparte  because  of 
connection  with  the  Cadoudal  conspiracy.  The  disgraced  general  found 
refuge  at  Morrisville,  Pennsylvania,  opposite  Trenton,  New  Jersey,  and 
conducted  a  farm  there  from  1804  to  1813.  He  was  not  the  man  who 
built  the  chateau  on  the  heights  of  Georgetown.  Moreau  left  Morrisville 
in  1813,  about  the  time  that  Muller  left  Georgetown,  but  Muller  came 
back  in  18 16,  while  Moreau  was  mortally  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Dres- 
den, while  serving  on  the  staff  of  the  Czar  Alexander,  and  died  September 
2,  18 1 3.  This  gallant  but  ill-fated  general  is  eliminated  from  the  list  of  pos- 
sible occupants  of  the  Georgetown  estates.  It  is  possible  that  Moreau  knew 
the  man  at  Georgetown,  and  corresponded  with  him  before  taking  service 
under  the  czar  to  overthrow  Bonaparte. 

The  Count  of  Artois  was  familiar  with  many  officers  who  served  in 
America  toward  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  and  was  instrumental  in  "rant- 
ing  favors  to  one  of  them,  Louis  Philippe  de  Rigaud,  the  Marquis  de 
Vaudreuil.  The  marquis  was  a  nephew  of  Pierre  de  Rigaud,  governor  of 
Louisiana  in  1742,  governor-general  of  Canada  in  1755,  and  the  builder  of 
Fort  Carillon,  or  Ticonderoga.  Louis  Philippe  de  Rigaud  served  in  the 
fleet  of  the  Count  de  Grasse  in  American  waters  during  the  Revolution, 
and  was  in  the  action  with  the  British  fleet  off  the  capes  of  the  Chesa- 
peake. The  marquis  was  also  in  the  action  with  Rodney,  April  12,  1782. 
The  marquis  acquired  large  estates  in  America.  When  the  French  finance 
minister  Calonne  was  pouring  out  money  like  water  at  the  opening  of  the 
French  revolution,  the  marquis  of  Vaudreuil  sold  his  American  estates  to 
the  king  for  a  million  francs,  through  the  friendly  influence  of  the  Count 
of  Artois.  The  count  performed  his  part  in  the  jobbery,  but  the  money 
was  not  paid,  and  the  estates  were  returned.  The  king  had  no  use  for 
them.  Artois  must  have  gained  a  very  favorable  impression  of  America 
from  his  friend  the  marquis,  even  if  the  latter  did  not  recommend  America 
as  a  place  of  refuge.  The  marquis  did  not  leave  Paris  with  Artois,  but  re- 
mained for  a  time  to  assist  the  king.  The  marquis  finally  fled  to  England, 
where  he  lived  during  the  reign  of  terror.  He  died  in  Paris,  December 
14,  1802.  His  relationship  with  the  Count  of  Artois  cannot  be  clearly 
traced,  but  he  appears  to  have  abandoned  the  idea  of  supporting  the  Bour- 
bons in  the  capacity  of  an  exile.  He  is  eliminated  from  the  list  of  possible 
occupants  of  the  Georgetown  estates.  His  death  occurred  in  the  same 
year  as  that  of  Calonne,  who  had  been  utterly  ruined  by  his  devotion  to 
the  Count  of  Artois.  Calonne  was  made  controller-general  of  finance 
through  the  influence  of  Artois  in  1783.  Calonne  paid  Artois'  debts  and 
enriched  nearly  all  of  the  count's  friends  before  they  fled  from  impending 


45-  AN    UNKNOWN    EXILE:     WAS    HE   CHARLES   X? 

danger.  After  bringing  ruin  upon  the  national  finances,  Calonne  followed 
Artois,  serving  him  at  Coblentz,  and  afterward  in  England.  Calonne  finally 
broke  away  from  the  servitude  to  the  plotter,  and  went  to  Paris  in  1 802, 
where  he  died  a  few  weeks  after  his  arrival.  His  name  is  not  to  be  con- 
sidered in  connection  with  the  Georgetown  estates.  He  might  have  died 
a  natural  death,  but  he  possessed  many  of  the  count's  secrets,  having  been 
a  confidential  adviser  for  many  years.  Through  Calonne,  Artois  had 
filched  from  the  French  treasury  the  funds  which  he  had  used  in  various 
adventures  and  escapades.  Although  Calonne  was  as  unstable  and  unre- 
liable as  his  patron,  the  French  financier  must  have  come  to  fear  the  count 
and  his  methods.  It  is  possible  that  Calonne  made  revelations  in  Paris, 
that  led  to  extreme  caution  by  Bonaparte,  and  resulted  in  the  tragic  failure 
of  the  Cadoudal  conspiracy.  The  desertion  of  Calonne  was  at  least  a 
warning  to  the  count,  and  must  have  tended  to  impress  him  with  the 
desirability  of  leaving  a  country  where  he  was  shunned  and  abhorred. 

It  may  be  asked  how  a  man  of  so  much  prominence  as  the  Count  of 
Artois  could  keep  secret  a  flight  to  America.  In  the  first  place,  he  was 
so  isolated  and  distrusted,  that  few  cared  about  him  or  his  place  of  resi- 
dence. Those  who  remained  faithful  to  him  were  rewarded  when  he 
became  king,  and  their  mouths  were  closed  by  favors.  Many  of  those 
who  opposed  him  and  knew  his  secrets  died  mysteriously.  Of  the  friends 
and  supporters,  Madame  Gontaut  was  made  a  duchess,  and  governess  to 
the  Duke  of  Bordeaux.  Riviere  was  made  governor  of  the  young  duke. 
Jules  Polignac  became  prime  minister.  Armand  Polignac  was  chief 
equerry.  The  Abbe  Latil,  who  performed  the  final  offices  for  the  Count- 
ess of  Polastron,  Artois'  favorite,  who  died  in  England,  1803,  became 
Archbishop  of  Rheims,  and  crowned  his  benefactor  as  Charles  X.  Gen- 
eral Bourmont,  who  had  been  in  a  plot  to  assassinate  Bonaparte  early  in 
the  great  commander's  career,  and  who  deserted  Bonaparte  just  before 
the  battle  of  Waterloo,  was  made  minister  of  war  by  Charles  X.  These 
friends,  if  they  knew  of  Artois'  escapade  to  America,  guarded  his  secret 
well.  The  life  of  Artois,  or  Charles  X.,  was  written  from  such  data  as  were 
known  and  furnished  by  him  or  his  family.  The  escapade  to  America 
was  intended  to  be  secret,  and  no  one  told  of  it.  Charles  X.  was  noted 
for  his  ability  to  keep  his  own  counsel  and  deceive  his  best  friends.  St. 
Amand  says  of  him,  just  before  the  revolution  of  1830  :  "  Like  his  grand- 
father, Louis  XV.,  and  almost  all  the  Bourbons,  he  had  the  talent  of  dis- 
simulating well."  He  dissimulated  so  well  that  he  deceived  even  himself. 
Only  a  man  of  such  cunning  could  have  concealed  his  identity  in  the  wilds 
of   Madison.     Deception   had  -become  a   fixed   habit.     It  was  hereditary. 


AN    UNKNOWN    EXILE:     WAS    HE   CHARLES    X? 


453 


The  deception  at  Georgetown  required  a  man  of  peculiar  character  to 
carry  it  out,  and  the  only  public  man  who  possessed  this  character  to  per- 
fection was  the  Count  of  Artois. 

In  the  course  of  the  investigation,  the  results  of  which  have  been  partly 
detailed,  the  Duke  of  Bourbon  at  one  time  appeared  to  be  worthy  of  con- 
sideration as  a  possible  occupant  of  the  Georgetown  chateau.  lie  was  the 
father  of  the  Duke  of  Enghien,  and  was  probably  somewhat  affected  by 
his  son's  tragic  death.  But  the  Duke  of  Bourbon  was  not  a  coward, 
although  a  man  of  no  great  power.  He  was  one  of  the  weakest  of  the 
Condes,  and,  unlike  his  son,  had  never  given  any  particular  offense  to 
Bonaparte.  The  duke  was  born  in  1756,  and  his  age  was  about  that  of 
Louis  Anathe  Muller,  as  estimated  by  those  who  knew  him.  The  duke 
was  also  a  hunter,  although  he  spent  less  time  in  hunting  than  the  Count 
of  Artois.  The  duke  was  not  associated  with  Artois  in  England,  and 
must  have  been  as  deeply  disgusted  with  his  futile  plottings  as  the  rest 
of  the  royalists.  Imbert  de  St.  Amand  says:  "  During  the  emigration, 
the  Duke  of  Bourbon  served  with  valor  in  the  army  of  his  father,  the 
Prince  of  Conde.  While  the  white  flag  floated  at  the  head  of  a  regiment, 
he  was  found  fighting  for  the  royal  cause.  When  the  struggle  ended,  he 
retired  to  England,  where  he  lived  near  Louis  XVIII.,  and  always  at  his 
disposition."  Louis  XVIII.  had  no  patience  with  his  brother,  the  Count  of 
Artois,  and  kept  away  from  him.  Louis  lived  quietly  at  Hartwell  house, 
and  many  of  the  royalists  who  had  not  been  imprisoned  or  executed 
through  the  plottings  of  Artois  gathered  there.  The  Duke  of  Bourbon 
was  among  them.  General  Dumouriez  has  also  been  considered,  but  at 
the  time  Muller  settled  in  Georgetown,  Dumouriez  was  sixty-nine  years  old, 
while  Muller  was  estimated  to  be  about  fifty.  The  general,  although  a 
royalist,  had  no  particular  reason  for  fearing  Bonaparte.  Dumouriez  died 
in  England  in  1823.  The  Count  of  Artois  was  of  the  right  age,  fifty-one, 
in  1808,  had  a  sufficient  motive,  answers  in  character  and  in  methods  of 
amusement  to  Louis  Anathe  Muller.  Artois  was  a  man  of  illusions,  say 
his  biographers,  and  Muller  was  a  man  of  illusions.  He  tried  to  create  a 
paradise  on  the  bleak  hill-top  in  Madison  county,  and  made  costly  experi- 
ments in  horticulture. 

The  exact  time  when  Artois  left  Holyrood  for  America  cannot  well 
be  ascertained,  for  it  is  not  known  how  long  he  remained  in  the  vicinity  of 
New  York  city  before  buying  the  estate  in  the  wilderness.  He  must  have 
remained  in  New  York  long  enough  to  have  made  the  acquaintance  of 
many  of  the  leading  men  of  the  city.  At  the  time  Artois  probably 
left  Holyrood,  there  was  general  expectation  that  Bonaparte  would  con- 


454  AN    UNKNOWN    EXILE  :     WAS   HE   CHARLES   X  ? 

quer  all  Europe,  and  that  England  would  be  invaded.  Muller  held  this 
view.  England  had  proposed  an  alliance  against  Bonaparte  in  1805,  and 
such  an  alliance  was  formed.  In  the  summer  of  that  year  Bonaparte 
swept  all  before  him.  He  conquered  Austria,  and  in  1806  moved  against 
Prussia,  entering  Berlin  October  26,  1806.  On  the  21st  of  November  he 
declared  the  British  islands  blockaded.  Preparation  was  also  made  to 
land  a  force  on  English  soil.  Clearly,  British  soil  was  no  place  for  a 
coward  like  the  Count  of  Artois,  who  was  saving  himself  to  be  king.  He 
must  have  gone  away  from  Holy  rood  between  1804  and  1807,  probably 
after  the  proclamation  of  a  blockade  by  Bonaparte.  Artois  was  free  to 
leave  Edinburgh  ;  he  was  even  free  to  marry  in  New  York,  as  it  is  inti- 
mated he  did  by  Mrs.  Hammond.  The  Countess  of  Artois,  from  whom 
he  had  been  separated  for  many  years,  died  in  1 805.  His  favorite,  the 
Countess  of  Polastron,  died  in  England  in  1803. 

The  count  came  to  America  not  only  to  avoid  Bonaparte,  but  to  put 
at  rest  the  tongues  that  were  busy  with  his  name.  His  real  name  was  as 
odious  in  America  as  in  Europe,  and  if  he  was  to  become  king  his  evil 
deeds  and  cowardice  must  be  forgotten.  For  this  reason  it  was  wise  to 
hide  himself  under  the  name  of  Louis  Anathe  Muller.  Throughout  his 
career  he  showed  a  disposition  to  make  people  think  well  of  him.  He 
tried  to  be  affable  and  generous.  He  was  ostentatiously  so.  He  con- 
trived a  dramatic  scene  when  the  Countess  of  Polastron  died,  and  the 
story  of  his  oath  to  renounce  the  wickedness  of  the  world  was  spread 
broadcast  by  his  faithful  followers,  the  Abbe  Latil  and  Madame  Gontaut. 
When  Artois  became  king  he  employed  every  art  to  please  and  conciliate. 
Lamartine  says  he  had  "  an  ardent  thirst  for  popularity,  great  confidence 
in  his  relations  with  others,  a  constancy  in  friendship  rare  upon  the 
throne."  His  gracious  kindliness  of  manner  was  to  a  large  degree  natu- 
ral, but  he  cultivated  it.  St.  Amand  says:  "  The  fiercest  adversaries  of 
Charles  X.  never  denied  the  attraction  emanating  from  his  whole  person- 
ality, the  chief  secret  of  which  was  kindliness."  Count  de  Haussonville 
says:  "  He  plainly  wished  to  please  those  whom  he  addressed,  and  he  had 
the  gift  of  doing  so.  His  physiognomy  as  well  as  his  manner  helped.  It 
was  open  and  benevolent,  always  animated  by  an  easy,  perhaps  a  slightly 
commonplace,  smile."  M.  de  Viel  Castel  wrote:  "In  the  lively  satisfac- 
tion he  felt  in  entering  at  last,  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven,  upon  the  enjoy- 
ment of  the  supreme  rule  by  the  perspective  of  which  his  imagination  had 
been  so  long  haunted,  he  was  disposed  to  neglect  nothing  to  capture  public 
favor,  and  thus  gain  the  chance  to  realize  the  dreams  of  his  life.  His  kindli- 
ness and  natural  courtesy  would  have  inspired  these  tactics,  even  if  policy 


AN    UNKNOWN   EXILE:    WAS    HE    CHARLES    X?  455 

had  not  suggested  them."  He  had  long  been  plotting  for  the  throne.  He 
had  also  been  schooling  himself  as  best  he  could  for  it.  De  Haussonville 
says  of  Charles  at  his  coronation  :  "  No  one  was  better  adapted  than  lie, 
in  default  of  more  solid  qualities,  to  give  a  becoming  air  to  the  outward 
manifestations  of  a  royalty  that  was  at  once  amiable  and  dignified." 

Louis  Anathe  Muller  was  a  man  of  this  character.  He  impressed  him- 
self upon  all  who  came  in  contact  with  him  as  an  amiable  and  generous  man. 
Mrs.  Hammond  has  recorded  the  general  impression  of  him  as  follows: 
"  Enlarged  benevolence  marked  his  conduct;  the  sick  and  the  needy 
found  their  fevered  pulses  soothed  by  personal  attentions  and  the  means 
for  supplying  all  reasonable  wants."  St.  Amand  says  of  Charles  X.  : 
"  He  was  a  tender  father,  a  gentle,  indulgent  master  to  his  servants." 

The  description  of  Muller's  personal  appearance  fits  accurately  the  de- 
scriptions of  the  Count  of  Artois  or  Charles  X.  Again  we  refer  to  the  work 
of  Mrs.  Hammond,  as  she  cannot  have  been  writing  to  prove  any  case:  "  In 
his  personal  appearance  L.  A.  Muller  was  a  fine-looking  man,  about  five  feet 
five  inches  high,  well  proportioned,  possessing  a  distinguished  military  bear- 
ing. His  complexion  was  of  a  swarthy  color,  eyes  black  and  penetrating, 
features  sharply  defined,  with  the  forehead  of  a  keen,  practical  intellect, 
perfectly  in  keeping  with  the  fine  face.  He  was  apparently  about  fifty 
years  of  age."  I  cannot  vouch  for  all  of  this  description,  but  Muller  was 
certainly  a  man  of  fine  presence,  In  1808  the  Count  of  Artois  was  fifty- 
one.  The  Drapeau  Blanc,  a  Paris  journal,  says  of  Charles  X's  strongly 
marked  features  and  handsome  face  :  "  This  glance,  expressing  only  good- 
ness, this  smile,  so  full  of  grace,  they  long  for  everywhere  and  always  before 
their  eyes.  His  classic  and  cherished  features  are  reproduced  in  every 
form  ;  every  public  place  has  its  bust,  every  hut  its  image." 

Here  is  another  description,  from  St.  Amand,  of  the  graceful  man, 
the  bold  rider  and  skilled  hunter,  which  can  be  well  applied  to  Muller,  who 
was  always  on  horseback  upon  the  great  estates  in  Georgetown  :  "  Born  at 
Versailles,  October  9,  1757,  Charles  X.,  King  of  France  and  Navarre,  was 
entering  his  sixty-eighth  year  at  the  time  of  his  accession  to  the  throne. 
According  to  the  portrait  traced  by  Lamartine,  he  had  kept  beneath  the 
first  frosts  of  age  the  freshness,  the  stature,  the  suppleness  of  youth.  His 
health  was  excellent,  and  but  for  the  color  of  his  hair — almost  white — he 
would  hardly  have  been  given  more  than  fifty  years.  As  alert  as  his  pre- 
decessor was  immobile,  an  untiring  hunter,  a  bold  rider,  sitting  his  horse 
with  the  grace  of  a  young  man,  a  kindly  talker,  an  affable  sovereign,  this 
survivor  of  the  court  of  Versailles,  this  familiar  of  the  Petit  Trianon,  this 
friend  of  Marie  Antoinette,  of  the  Princess  of   Lamballe,  of  the    Duke  of 


456  AN    UNKNOWN    EXILE  :    WAS   HE    CHARLES   X  ? 

Lauzun,  of  the  Prince  de  Ligne,  preserved,  despite  his  devotedness,  a  great 
social  prestige.  He  perpetuated  the  traditions  of  the  elegance  of  the  old 
regime." 

When  Louis  Anathe  Muller  purchased  the  forested  heights  in  George- 
town, two  powerful  motives  actuated  him — fear  of  Bonaparte  and  an  over- 
mastering desire  for  a  place  to  hunt  in  security.  The  Count  of  Artois*  love 
of  hunting  was  also  as  strong  as  his  fear  of  Bonaparte.  The  passion  for 
hunting,  and  dread  of  Bonaparte,  evinced  by  Muller  point  unerringly  to 
Artois  as  the  man,  and  the  only  man,  who  could  have  occupied  the  chateau 
on  "Muller  Hill."1  We  have  already  seen  how  Muller  devoted  a  large 
sum  and  a  vast  tract  of  land  to  a  hunting  preserve.  His  love  for  the  woods 
and  the  chase  was  so  strong  that  it  was  a  matter  of  comment  everywhere 
in  the  southern  part  of  Madison  county.  Let  us  turn  now  to  Artois' 
passion  for  hunting  after  he  became  Charles  X.  He  endangered  his  throne 
by  devotion  to  the  chase.  His  hunting  became  a  matter  for  heated  discus- 
sion, and  the  opposition  journals  lampooned  him  unmercifully.  M.  de  la 
Rochefoucauld  wrote,  in  January,  1825,  in  his  notes  of  public  expressions 

about  the  king  :  "  The  good  Madame  de  M ,  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  was 

saying  the  other  day  :  We  had  a  king  with  no  limbs,  and  with  a  head  ; 
now  we  have  limbs  and  no  head."  Imbert  de  St.  Amand  wrote  :  "  From 
1825  criticism  of  the  king  began.  He  was  accused  of  giving  himself  up 
too  much  to  the  pleasures  of  the  chase.  The  time  was  approaching  when 
his  enemies  would  say  of  him — a  cruel  play  of  words  :  *  He's  good  for 
nothing  but  to  hunt.' '  On  June  17,  1825,  M.  de  la  Rochefoucauld  wrote  : 
"  I  must  tell  all  to  the  king.  I  have  prevented  the  giving  of  a  play  at  the 
Odeon  called  Robin  des  Bois  (Robin  Hood),  because  it  is  a  nickname  crim- 
inally given  by  the  people  to  him  whom  they  accuse  of  hunting  too  often." 
On  October  8  he  wrote  :  "  I  am  in  despair  at  seeing  the  journals  recounting 
hunt  after  hunt."  The  Duke  of  Doudeauville  wrote  in  his  memoirs  :  "  Twice 
a  week,  and  often  only  once,  when  the  weather  permitted,  he  went  hunt- 
ing, perhaps  gunning,  perhaps  coursing.  I  certify  that  this  was  the  extent 
of  the  hunting  of  which  calumny,  to  ruin  him,  made  a  crime. "  The  French 
people  did  not  have  a  high  regard  for  the  hunters  of  the  old  regime.  It  was 
not  many  years  before,  that  these  grand  hunters  shot  plumbers  and  roofers 
to  see  them  roll  off  the  roofs.  The  first  thing  Charles  X.  did  after  reach- 
ing Holyrood,  which  he  occupied  again  after  his  final  exile  in  1830,  was  to 
go  hunting.  And  this  was  the  man  who  bought  a  good  part  of  a  township 
in  America  for  the  purpose  of  hunting  and  personal  safety. 

1  The   "Muller"  chateau   can   be  reached  by   way   of    Canastota   and   the   railway  thence  to 
De  Ruyter.     The  chateau  is  six  miles  east  of  De  Ruyter  village. 


AN    UNKNOWN   EXILE:    WAS    HE   CHARLES   X?  457 

I  have  referred  to  the  fact  that  Artois  was  isolated   in   England,  and 

despised  and  distrusted  by  his  own  family.  He  was  isolated  and  in  per- 
petual feud  with  his  brother  after  the  restoration  in  18 14.  He  kept  up  a 
kind  of  court  in  Paris,  which  was  the  centre  for  reactionists  and  critics 
of  Louis  XVIII's  policy.  The  Count  of  Artois  plotted  against  ministers, 
instituted  police  espionage,  and  was  a  constant  menace  to  his  brother. 
Although  Louis  could  not  use  his  legs,  he  had  a  head,  and  was  so  far 
devoted  to  liberal  ideas  that  he  succeeded  well,  until  Bonaparte  escaped 
from  Elba.  Then,  with  a  kind  of  grim  humor,  Louis  sent  his  vainglorious 
brother  as  commander  of  the  French  armies  to  Lyons,  on  March  7,  18 15, 
to  oppose  Bonaparte's  progress.  The  count  behaved  as  usual,  and  dis- 
played his  sickening  fear  of  the  Corsican.  He  did  not  get  near  Bonaparte, 
but  hastened  back  to  Paris  and  to  safety.  He  reached  Lyons  on  the  8th 
and  left  it  on  the  10th.  Unlike  him,  the  Duchess  of  Angouleme  offered 
real  opposition  at  Bordeaux,  and  won  from  Bonaparte  the  complimentary 
remark  that  she  was  the  only  man  in  the  family. 

The  time  of  Muller's,  or  Artois,'  departure  for  Europe,  to  be  present 
when  Bonaparte  was  subdued,  cannot  be  accurately  given.  He  was  in 
Georgetown  after  the  opening  of  the  war  of  18 12,  as  we  have  already  seen. 
He  must  have  left  New  York  late  in  1813,  for  he  was  in  Switzerland  in 
1 814,  before  the  Allies  descended  on  Paris.  The  count  was  at  Nancy, 
March  23,  1814.  He  sought  Talleyrand  and  undoubtedly  hoped  to  be  king, 
but  Talleyrand  and  the  emperors  knew  the  shallow  man  too  well,  and  invited 
the  man  with  a  head,  the  Count  of  Provence,  to  take  the  throne.  The 
time  of  the  return  of  Artois  to  America  to  settle  his  affairs  and  sell  his 
estates  in  Georgetown  is  known.  It  was  when  all  danger  from  Bonaparte 
was  past,  after  the  battle  of  Waterloo.  After  the  hundred  days  of 
Napoleon's  rule,  and  the  return  of  Louis  XVIII.  to  Paris,  it  is  said  by  his 
biographers  that  the  Count  of  Artois  held  aloof  from  public  affairs.  He 
was  absent  in  America.  The  battle  of  Waterloo  was  fought  June  18,  181 5, 
and  Muller,  or  Artois,  was  in  New  York  selling  his  estates  in  April,  1816. 
On  the  9th  of  April  he  deeded  the  Georgetown  property  to  Abijah  Weston 
of  New  York  city.  The  instrument  was  attested  by  two  of  the  principal 
citizens,  showing  that  there  was  considerable  ceremony.  The  witnesses 
were  Cornelius  Bogart  and  Jacob  Radcliffe,  mayor  of  the  city.  The  mayor 
also  signed  the  deed,  probably  because  Muller  was  an  alien. 

While  in  New  York,  Muller  went  to  his  former  home  in  Georgetown, 
and  found  it  desolate.  The  furniture  was  gone,  the  garden  neglected,  and 
he  hurried  away  to  France  to  wait  for  the  man  with  a  head  to  die.  Not 
until  the  philosopher  of  the  Bourbon  family  was  on  his  death-bed  did  the 


45S  AN    UNKNOWN   EXILE  :    WAS   HE   CHARLES   X  ? 

secret  plotting  of  Artois  cease.  St.  Amand  says :  "  The  antagonism 
between  the  two  brothers  had  almost  entirely  disappeared.  The  Count  of 
Artois,  thinking  that  Louis  XVIII.  had  reached  the  term  of  his  life,  had 
the  good  taste  not  to  show  any  impatience  to  reign.  Moreover,  he  had 
already  obtained  some  great  satisfactions." 

The  stormy  life  of  Charles  X.  ended  at  Goritz,  Austria,  in  1836.  His 
bones  lie  there  in  the  chapel  of  the  Franciscans.  His  life  has  not  yet  been 
fully  Avritten. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  anticipate  criticism.  Vast  interests  depended  on 
secrecy,  and  it  is  known  that  the  Count  of  Artois  bent  every  energy  to 
accomplish  one  purpose — to  become  king  of  France.  His  romantic  life  in 
America  fits  in  with  all  the  knowledge  we  have  of  his  character  and  sur- 
prising enterprises.  Should  the  adventure  upon  the  hills  of  Georgetown 
be  attributed  to  any  other  man,  it  would  first  be  necessary  to  show  that  he 
was  capable  of  such  an  escapade.  In  attributing  it  to  Artois,  I  have  added 
one  more  episode  to  the  life  of  a  man  who  was  famed  for  adventure  and 
daring  eccentricity. 


RALEIGH'S  "NEW  FORT  IN  VIRGINIA  "  '— 1585 

By  Edward  Graham  Daves 

"God  hath  reserved  the  countreys  lying  North  of  Florida,  to  be  reduced  unto 
Christian  civility  by  the  English  nation." 

The  coast  of  North  Carolina  is  a  long,  narrow  chain  of  low  sand-hills, 
locally  called  the  Banks,  separating  the  ocean  from  the  broad,  shallow 
bodies  of  water,  Pamlico  and  Albemarle  sounds,  which  are  the  estuaries 
of  the  Neuse  and  Roanoke  and  other  great  rivers  of  the  state.  At  irreg- 
ular intervals  the  line  of  the  Banks  is  broken  by  narrow  and  ever-shifting 
inlets,  through  which  flow  the  ocean  tides,  turning  the  inner  waters  into 
vast  salt  lakes,  very  rich  in  all  varieties  of  sea  products. 

Within  this  breastwork  of  barren  downs  are  few  islands  ;  but  there  is 
one  of  supreme  importance  in  the  history  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race  in 
America.  Roanoke  island,  about  twelve  miles  long  by  three  in  width,  lies 
between  Roanoke  and  Croatan  sounds,  the  shallow  waters  which  connect 
Pamlico  and  Albemarle,  and  is  two  miles  from  the  Banks,  and  thrice  that 
distance  from  the  mainland.  Here  was  established  the  first  English 
colony  ;  here  was  born  the  first  white  American  ;  here  was  celebrated  the 
first  Protestant  rite  within  the  present  limits  of  the  United  States.  It  is 
the  starting  point  of  events  as  pregnant  with  great  results  in  the  wonderful 
history  of  our  race,  as  was  the  landing  of  our  forefathers  on  the  shores 
of  Kent,  when  they  migrated  from  their  Holstein  homes  more  than  a 
thousand  years  before. 

Yet,  interesting  and  important  as  is  the  spot,  how  little  is  known  of  it 
by  the  great  majority  of  Americans,  or  of  this  first  endeavor  to  plant  the 
sturdy  English  stock  in  the  soil  of  the  new  world  !  We  are  familiar  with 
the  bloody  atrocities  amid  which  St.  Augustine  was  founded  ;  we  are  versed 
in  the  story  of  John  Smith's  adventures  at  Jamestown,  and  of  the  arrival 
of  the  Mayflower  at  Plymouth  ;  but  this  early  attempt  at  English  coloni- 
zation, with  all  its  romantic  incidents,  has  been  allowed  to  sink  almost  into 
oblivion.  It  is  not  from  lack  of  historical  materials,  for  they  are  very 
abundant.  While  of  the  explorations  of  the  Cabots  we  have  no  account 
from  anyone  who  took  part  in  their  voyages,  the  story  of  Roanoke  has  been 

1  The  quotations  in  the  text,  unless  otherwise  stated,  are  from  Hakluyf  s  Voyages,  Vol.  III. 
For  a  discussion  of  the  fate  of  the  lost  colony,  see  an  article  by  Prof.  S.  B.  Weeks  of  Trinity 
College,  North  Carolina,  in  the  papers  of  the  American  Historical  Association,  Vol.  V. 


460  RALEIGH  S   "  NEW   FORT   IN   VIRGINIA 

fully  told  by  Barlowe,  Lane,  Hariot,  and  White,  leaders  in  the  several 
expeditions.  These  precious  documents,  together  with  water-color  illus- 
trations of  the  new  country,  have  all  been  preserved,  and  no  tale  of  adven- 
ture is  fuller  of  picturesque  incident  and  romantic  interest. 

The  colony  bears  the  name  of  one  of  the  most  remarkable  men  in  a 
very  remarkable  age — Raleigh,  the  cavalier,  statesman,  philosopher,  his- 
torian, poet,  manner,  explorer,  hero,  martyr — 

"  The  courtier's,  scholar's,  soldier's  eye,  tongue,  sword." 

No  character  in  legend  or  history  is  more  brilliant  or  versatile.  The  period, 
too,  is  the  most  interesting  epoch  in  the  life  of  the  English  people.  Bacon 
and  Shakespeare  were  budding  into  manhood  ;  Sidney  had  written  the 
Arcadia  and  Defense  of  Poesie,  and  was  about  to  find  his  apotheosis  on  the 
field  of  Zutphen  ;  while  Spenser  was  dreaming  of  the  land  of  Faery,  among 
"  the  green  alders  by  the  Mulla's  shore."  Frobisher  had  made  his  Arctic 
explorations,  and  Drake  had  returned  to  amaze  all  England  with  his  story 
of  the  circumnavigation  of  the  globe. 

The  savage  cruelties  of  Alva,  and  the  massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew,  had 
kindled  religious  animosity  into  a  fierce  flame.  The  Prince  of  Orange  was 
about  to  fall  under  the  assassin's  knife,  and  plots  were  thickening  about  the 
fair  head  of  Mary  Stuart,  which  were  to  bring  her  to  the  scaffold.  The  Re- 
naissance and  the  Reformation  had  broken  the  shackles  of  the  intellect,  and 
widened  the  horizon  of  thought;  while  the  great  discoveries  had  opened 
new  fields  for  the  display  of  human  energy.  Men  were  giving  up  the  spec- 
ulations about  the  heavenly  world,  which  had  absorbed  the  intellectual 
activities  of  the  middle  ages,  and  were  turning  to  the  practical  conquest 
of  a  world  beyond  the  seas.  England  and  Protestantism  were  gathering 
their  forces  for  the  last  great  struggle  with  Spain  and  the  Latin  church,  for 
supremacy  in  the  old  world,  and  for  mastery  in  the  new. 

The  English  claim  to  North  America,  from  Newfoundland  to  Florida, 
was  based  upon  the  patent  granted  to  John  and  Sebastian  Cabot,  by 
Henry  VII.,  in  1496,  the  oldest  American  state  paper  of  England.1  They 
reached  our  shores  in  1497,  before  either  Columbus  or  Amerigo  Vespucci 
had  discovered  the  mainland,  and  the  meteor  flag  of  England  wTas  the  first 
that  was  unfurled  on  the  continent. 

The  earliest  serious  attempt  at  English  colonization  was  made  in  1578, 
by  Sir  Humphrey  Gilbert,  the  half-brother  of  Raleigh.  The  latter  was 
already  conspicuous  as  a  preux  chevalier  and  champion   of  Protestantism. 

1  "  Letters  patentes  of  King  Henry  VII.,  graunted  unto  John  Gabote  and  his  three  Sonnes,  for 
the  discovering  of  newe  and  unknowen  Landes.     Quinto  die  Martii,  anno  regni  nostri  undecimo." 


RALEIGH'S   "  NEW    FORT    IN    VIRGINIA"  46 1 

He  had  set  before  himself  as  the  one  great  aim  in  life  the  humili- 
ation of  Spain,  and  the  weakening  of  the  power  of  the  Latin  race  and 
religion.  At  the  early  age  of  seventeen  he  left  the  university  of  Oxford 
to  join  a  band  of  a  hundred  gentlemen  volunteers,  who  went  to  the  aid  of 
Coligny  and  the  Huguenots — ''a  gallant  company,  nobly  mounted  and 
accoutred,  aad  bearing  for  a  motto  on  their  standard,  '  Let  valour  decide 
the  contest'  '  France  was  then  aflame  with  the  reports  of  the  massacre 
of  the  Huguenots  in  Florida,  and  the  idea  germinated  in  Raleigh's  mind 
that  a  mortal  blow  might  be  dealt  to  the  enemy  beyond  the  seas.  From 
the  service  of  Coligny  he  passed  to  that  of  William  the  Silent,  and  all  the 
while  was  growing  in  him  the  conviction  which  he  expressed  later  in  life, 
that  the  possession  of  America  would  decide  the  question  of  the  suprem- 
acy of  Spain  or  England.  "  For  whatsoever  Prince  shall  possesse  it, 
shall  bee  greatest,  and  if  the  king  of  Spayne  enjoy  it,  he  will  become 
unresistible.  I  trust  in  God  that  he  which  is  Lorde  of  Lords,  will  put  it 
into  her  hart  which  is  Lady  of  Ladies  to  possesse  it." 

Raleigh  took  command  of  one  of  the  seven  small  vessels  of  Sir  Hum- 
phrey Gilbert's  fleet,  with  which  they  hoped  to  reach  our  shores,  and 
by  establishing  a  colony  check  the  progress  of  the  Spaniards,  and  "put  a 
byt  into  their  anchient  enemye's  mouth."  The  attempt  was  a  failure;  and 
on  the  second  expedition,  in  1583,  Raleigh,  who  had  fitted  out  one  of  the 
five  ships,  was  forbidden  by  the  queen  to  accompany  his  brother.  Gilbert 
took  formal  possession  of  Newfoundland,  but  he  lost  his  best  ship  off 
Sable  island  ;  and  on  the  return  voyage  the  gallant  old  sailor  went  down 
off  the  Azores,  with  the  Squirrel,  his  little  craft  of  ten  tons,  his  last  noble 
words  being,  "  Courage,  my  friends  !  We  are  as  neere  to  heaven  by  sea  as 
by  land." 

To  Raleigh  then  came  the  scheme  of  colonization  almost  as  an  inher- 
itance;  and  on  Lady-Day,  March  25,  1584,  Queen  Elizabeth  issued  to  him 
a  patent  of  discovery,  granting  him  "  all  prerogatives,  commodities,  juris- 
dictions, royalties,  privileges,  franchises,  and  pre-eminences,  thereto  or 
thereabouts,  both  by  sea  and  land,  whatsoever  we  by  our  letters  patents 
may  grant,  and  as  we  or  any  of  our  noble  progenitors  have  heretofore 
granted  to  any  person  or  persons,  bodies  politique  or  corporate." 

Raleigh  equipped  two  vessels  under  command  of  Amadas  and  Bar- 
lowe,  and  from  the  pen  of  the  latter  we  have  an  account  of  the  expedition  : 
"The  27  day  of  Aprill,  in  the  yere  of  our  redemption  1584,  we  departed 
the  West  of  England,  with  two  barkes  well  furnished  with  men  and  vict- 
uals. .  .  .  The  tenth  of  June  we  were  fallen  with  the  Islands  of  the 
West  Indies.     .     .     .     The  second  of  July,  we   found  shole  water,  wher 


462  RALEIGH'S    "  NEW    FORT   IN   VIRGINIA  " 

we  smelt  so  sweet  and  so  strong  a  smel,  as  if  we  had  been  in  the  midst 
of  some  delicate  garden  abounding  with  odoriferous  flowers,  by  which  we 
were  assured,  that  the  land  could  not  be  farre  distant." 

This  characteristic  of  what  Lane  afterward  called  the  "  Paradise  of  the 
world  "  may  have  been  in  Milton's  mind  when  he  described  the  approach 
of  the  Evil  Spirit  to  the  garden  of  Eden  : 

"  Now  purer  air 
Meets  his  approach  :     .     .     .     now  gentle  gales 
Fanning  their  odoriferous  wings  dispense 
Native  perfumes,  and  whisper  whence  they  stole 
Those  balmy  spoils.     As  when  to  them  who  sail 
Beyond  the  Cape  of  Hope,  north-east  winds  blow 
Sabean  odours  from  the  spicy  shore 
Of  Araby  the  blest  ;  with  such  delay 
Well  pleased  they  slack  their  course,  and  many  a  league 
Cheered  with  the  grateful  smell  old  Ocean  smiles."  » 

"  Keeping  good  watch,  and  bearing  but  slacke  saile,  the  fourth  of  the 
same  moneth  [America's  fated  day!]  we  arrived  upon  the  coast,  which 
we  supposed  to  be  a  continent,  and  we  sayled  along  the  same  120  miles 
before  we  could  find  any  entrance,  or  river  issuing  into  the  Sea.  The  first 
that  appeared  unto  us  we  entred,  and  cast  anker  about  three  harquebuz- 
shot  within  the  haven's  mouth  :  and  after  thankes  given  to  God  for  our 
safe  arrivall  thither,  we  manned  our  boats,  and  went  to  view  the  land  next 
adjoyning,  and  to  take  possession  of  the  same,  in  right  of  the  Queenes  most 
excellent  Majestic" 

The  explorers  had  coasted  northward  two  days  along  the  Banks,  and 
entering  at  New  inlet  or  Trinity  harbour,  had  anchored  not  far  from  Roa- 
noke island.  "  We  viewed  the  land  about  us,  being,  whereas  we  first 
landed,  very  sandie  and  low  towards  the  water  side,  but  so  full  of  grapes, 
as  the  very  beating  and  surge  of  the  sea  overflowed  them,  of  which  we 
found  such  plentie,  both  on  the  sand  and  on  the  greene  soile  on  the  hils, 
as  well  on  every  little  shrubbe,  as  also  climing  towardes  the  tops  of  high 
Cedars,  that  I  thinke  in  all  the  world  the  like  abundance  is  not  to  be 
found."  This  is  evidently  the  luxuriant  North  Carolina  Scuppernong 
grape,  whose  strong  aromatic  perfume  might  well  be  perceived  at  some 
distance  from  the  shore.  .  .  .  "  There  came  unto  us  divers  boates,  and 
in  one  of  them  the  king's  brother,  with  fortie  or  fiftie  men,  very  handsome 
and  goodly  people,  and  in  their  behaviour  as  mannerly  and  civill  as  any  in 
Europe.     .     .     .     The    soile    is    the  most   plentiful!,  sweete,  fruitfull  and 

1  Paradise  Lost,  IV.  153-165. 


RALEIGH'S    "  NEW    FORT    IN   VIRGINIA  "  463 

wholsome  of  all  the  worlde :  there  were  above  fourtcene  several!  sweete- 
smelling  timber  trees,  and  the  most  part  of  their  underwoods  are  Bayes 
and  such  like.  .  .  .  Wee  came  to  an  Island  which  they  call  Roanoak, 
distant  from  the  harbour  by  which  we  entered  seven  leagues:  and  at  the 
north  end  thereof  was  a  village  of  nine  houses,  built  of  Cedar,  and  fortified 
round  about  with  sharpe  trees,  to  keepe  out  their  enemies,  and  the  entrance 
into  it  made  like  a  Turne  pike  very  artificially.  .  .  .  The  wife  of  the 
king's  brother  came  running  out  to  meete  us  very  cheerefully  and  friendly. 
When  we  were  come  into  the  utter  roome,  having  five  roomes  in  her  house, 
she  caused  us  to  sit  downe  by  a  great  fire,  and  after  tooke  off  our  clothes 
and  washed  them,  and  dryed  them  againe  :  some  of  the  women  plucked  off 
our  stockings  and  washed  them,  some  washed  our  feete  in  warme  water, 
shee  herselfe  making  greate  haste  to  dress  some  meate  for  us  to  eate.  .  .  . 
We  were  entertained  with  all  love  and  kindnesse,  and  with  as  much  bountie 
as  they  could  possibly  devise.  We  found  the  people  most  gentle,  loving 
and  faithfull,  voide  of  all  guile  and  treason,  and  such  as  live  after  the 
manner  of  the  golden  age." 

These  first  explorers  remained  in  our  waters  only  two  months,  reaching 
England  again  "about  the  middest  of  September,"  bringing  with  them 
two  of  the  natives,  Wanchese  and  Manteo.  Their  arrival  excited  the 
greatest  interest.  Raleigh  named  the  new  country  Virginia  in  honor  of 
the  queen,  and  our  whole  Atlantic  coast  was  now  regarded  as  under  the 
dominion  of  France,  England,  and  Spain  ;  the  three  districts  of  indefinite 
boundaries  being  known  as  Canada,  Virginia,  and  Florida. 

This  voyage  of  Amadas  was  merely  one  of  exploration;  but  in  1585 
Raleigh  fitted  out  a  second  expedition  of  seven  sail  and  one  hundred  and 
eight  men,  under  command  of  his  cousin  Sir  Richard  Grenville,  to  plant 
a  colony  in  the  paradise  described  by  Barlowe.  Grenville  is  another  of 
the  brilliant  heroes  of  this  period,  and  it  is  interesting  to  note  the  number 
of  remarkable  men  who  were  connected  with  these  American  voyages. 
Gilbert,  Raleigh,  Grenville,  Lane,  Hariot,  White,  form  as  striking  a  group 
of  adventurous  spirits  as  can  be  gathered  together  in  history. 

Full  accounts  of  the  experiences  of  the  colonists  are  given  by  Lane. 
"The  9  day  of  April  1585  we  departed  from  Plymouth,  our  Fleete  con- 
sisting of  the  number  of  seven  sailes,  to  wit  the  Tyger,  of  the  burden 
of  seven  score  tunnes,  a  Flie-boat  called  the  Roe-bucke,  of  the  like 
burden,  the  Lyon  of  a  hundred  tunnes,  the  Elizabeth,  of  fifty  tunnes, 
and  the  Dorothie,  a  small  barke :  wherunto  were  also  adjoyned  for  speedy 
services,  two  small  pinnesses.  .  .  .  The  12.  day  of  May  wee  came  to 
an  anker  off  the  island  of  St.  John  de  Porto  Rico.     .     .     .     The  24.  day 


464  RALEIGH'S    '"  NEW    FORT   IN   VIRGINIA  " 

we  set  saile  from  St.  Johns,  being  many  of  us  stung  upon  shoare  with  the 
Muskitos.  .  .  .  The  20  of  June  we  fell  in  with  the  maine  of  Florida. 
The  25.  we  were  in  great  danger  of  wracke  on  a  beach  called  the  Cape  of 
Feare,  [the  Promontorium  tremendum  of  the  old  maps.]  The  26.  we 
came  to  anker  at  Wocokon  [Ocracoke].  July  3  we  sent  word  of  our  arriv- 
ing at  Wocokon  to  Wingina  [the  Indian  chief]  at  Roanoak.  The  16.  one 
of  the  savages  having  stollen  from  us  a  silver  cup,  we  burnt  and  spoyled 
their  corneand  towne,  all  the  people  being  fled.  .  .  .  The  27.  our 
Fleete  ankered  at  Haterask,  and  there  we  rested.  The  25.  August  our 
Generall  weyed  anker,  and  set  saile  for  England." 

Grenville  thus  remained  two  months  on  the  Carolina  coast,  and  then 
putting  the  colony  under  the  government  of  Ralph  Lane,  returned  home 
to  take  command  of  one  of  the  "  Sea-dogs  "  which  were  now  making  the 
whole  Atlantic  unsafe  for  Spain.  His  death  in  1 591  off  the  Azores,  where 
also  Gilbert  had  perished,  is  one  of  the  most  glorious  events  in  British 
naval  annals.  The  English  squadron  consisted  of  but  seven  sail ;  the 
Spanish  fleet  numbered  fifty-five.  Engaged  all  night  at  close  quarters 
with  many  of  the  largest  Spanish  galleons,  at  daylight  Grenville  found  his 
little  ship,  the  Revenge,  literally  shot  to  pieces,  and  not  a  man  on  board 
unhurt.  Desperately  wounded, he  still  refused  to  strike  his  flag;  and  when 
forced  by  his  crew  to  surrender  the  sinking  hull,  he  was  taken  on  board 
the  Spanish  Admiral  to  utter  the  memorable  last  words  :  "  Here  die  I, 
Richard  Grenville,  with  a  joyful  and  quiet  mind  ;  for  that  I  have  ended 
my  life  as  a  true  soldier  ought  to  do,  fighting  for  his  country,  queen,  reli- 
gion, and  honour." 

On  September  3,  1585,  Governor  Lane  wrote  to  Richard  Hakluyt  from 
"the  New  Fort  in  Virginia,"  which  he  had  built  at  the  northern  end  of 
Roanoke  island,  on  the  site  of  the  fortified  Indian  village  found  there  by 
Amadas :  "Since  Sir  Richard  Grenville's  departure,  we  have  discovered 
the  maine  to  be  the  goodliest  soyle  under  the  cope  of  heaven,  so  abound- 
ing with  sweete  trees,  and  grapes  of  such  greatnesse,  yet  wilde.  .  .  . 
And  we  have  found  here  Maiz  or  Guinie  wheat,  whose  eare  yeeldeth 
corne  for  bread  400  upon  one  eare.  .  .  .  It  is  the  goodliest  and  most 
pleasing  Territcrie  of  the  world  :  for  the  continent  is  of  an  huge  and  un- 
knowen  greatnesse,  and  the  climate  is  wholsome.  ...  If  Virginia  had 
but  horses  and  kine,  I  dare  assure  myselfe,  being  inhabited  with  English, 
no  realme  in  Christendome  were  comparable  to  it." 

He  describes  the  whole  neighboring  country,  and  determines  to  change 
the  site  of  the  colony  to  a  better  port,  for  "  the  harborough  of  Roanoak 
was  very  naught ;  "  but   the  hostility  of  some  of  the  Indian   tribes   ren- 


RALEIGH'S    "  NEW    FCRT   IN   VIRGINIA  "  465 

dered  all  his  efforts  futile.  Conspiracies  were  formed  against  the  English, 
and  their  situation  grew  so  precarious,  that  many  turned  a  longing 
eye  homeward.  On  June  10,  1586,  Sir  Francis  Drake  anchored  off  the 
coast  with  a  fleet  of  twenty-three  sail,  and  furnished  Lane  with  a  "  very 
proper  barke  of  seventy  tun,  and  tookc  present  order  for  bringing  of  victual 
aboord  her  for  100  men  for  four  moneths."  But  on  the  13th  there  arose  a 
great  storm  which  drove  her  to  sea,  with  many  of  the  chief  colonists  on 
board,  and  she  did  not  return.  Despairing  of  any  remedy  for  this  disaster, 
and  unable  to  pass  another  winter  without  succor  from  home,  Lane  deter- 
mined to  abandon  the  colony.  The  men  were  bestowed  among  Drake's 
fleet,  and  arrived  at  Portsmouth  on  the  27th  of  July. 

"  Immediately  after  the  departing  of  our  English  colony  out  of  this 
paradise  of  the  world,  the  ship  sent  at  the  charges  of  Sir  Walter  Raleigh, 
fraighted  with  all  maner  of  things  in  most  plentifull  maner,  arrived  at 
Hatorask ;  who  after  some  time  spent  in  seeking  our  Colony  up  in  the 
countrey,  and  not  finding  them,  returned  with  all  the  aforesayd  provision 
into  England.  About  foureteene  days  after  the  departure  of  the  afore- 
sayd shippe,  Sir  Richard  Grenville  Generall  of  Virginia  arrived  there  ;  who 
not  hearing  any  newes  of  the  Colony,  and  finding  the  places  which  they 
inhabited  desolate,  yet  unwilling  to  loose  the  possession  of  the  countrey, 
determined  to  leave  some  men  behinde  to  reteine  it :  whereupon  he  landed 
fifteene  men  in  the  Isle  of  Roanoak,  furnished  plentifully  with  all  maner 
of  provisions  for  two  yeeres." 

Besides  Lane's  narrative  of  his  explorations  in  the  waters  of  North 
Carolina,  of  his  relations  with  the  Indians,  and  of  the  various  adventures 
and  vicissitudes  of  the  first  colony,  we  have  a  "  Briefe  and  true  report  of 
the  new  found  land  of  Virginia"  by  Thomas  Hariot,  "  a  man  no  lesse  for 
his  honesty  than  learning  commendable,"  the  scholar  of  the  expedition,  and 
the  inventor  of  the  algebraic  system  of  notation,  described  in  his  epitaph  as: 

Doctissimus  ille  Harriotus, 

Qui  omnes  scientias  coluit, 

Qui  in  omnibus  excelluit. 

Mathematicis,  philosophicis,  theologicis, 

Veritatis  indagator  studiosissimus. 

His  report,  addressed  to  "the  Adventurers,  Favourers,  and  Welwillers 
of  the  enterprise  for  the  inhabiting  and  planting  in  Virginia,"  is  a  very  full 
and  interesting  account  of  the  varied  products  of  the  new  country,  and  of 
the  manners  and  customs  of  the  natives.  "  There  is  a  kind  of  grasse  in  the 
country,  upon  the  blades  whereof  there  groweth  very  good  silke.  . 
There  are  two  kindes  of  grapes  that  the  soile  doth  yeeld,  the  one  small  and 

Vol.  XXIX.— No.  5.-30 


466  RALEIGH'S   "  NEW    FORT   IN   VIRGINIA  " 

sowre,  of  the  ordinary  bignesse,  the  other  farre  greater  and  of  himselfe 
lushious  sweet  [the  Scuppernong].  ...  A  kinde  of  graine  called  by  the 
inhabitants  Pagatowr  [Indian  corn],  about  the  bignesse  of  English  peaze  ; 
but  of  divers  colours;  white,  red,  yellow  and  blew.  All  yeeld  a  very  white 
and  sweete  flowre.  .  .  .  There  is  an  herbe  called  by  the  inhabitants 
Uppowoe ;  the  Spanyards  call  it  Tabacco.  The  leaves  thereof  being 
brought  into  pouder,  they  used  to  take  the  smoake  thereof,  by  sucking  it 
thorow  pipes  made  of  clay,  into  their  stomacke  and  heade;  from  whence  it 
purgeth  superfluous  fleame  and  other  grosse  humours:  whereby  their  bodies 
are  notably  preserved  in  health,  and  know  not  many  grievous  diseases 
wherewithall  we  in  England  are  afflicted.  They  thinke  their  gods  are 
marvellously  delighted  therewith  :  whereupon  they  make  hallowed  fires, 
and  cast  some  of  the  pouder  therein  for  sacrifice :  being  in  a  storm,  to 
pacifie  their  gods,  they  cast  some  into  the  waters  r  also  after  an  escape  from 
danger,  they  cast  some  into  the  aire.  .  .  .  We  our  selves  used  to  sucke 
it  after  their  maner,  and  have  found  many  wonderfull  experiments  of  the 
vertues  thereof  :  the  use  of  it  by  so  many  of  late,  men  and  women  of  great 
calling,  is  sufficient  witnesse.  .  .  .  Openauk  are  a  kinde  of  roots  of 
round  forme  [the  potato]  found  in  moist  and  marish  grounds:  being  boiled 
or  sodden,  they  are  very  good  meat.  .  .  .  The  naturall  inhabitants  are 
a  people  clothed  with  loose  mantles  made  of  deere  skinnes,  and  aprons  of 
the  same  round  about  their  middle,  all  els  naked.  .  .  .  For  mankinde 
they  say  a  woman  was  made  first,  which  by  the  working  of  one  of  the  gods, 
conceived  and  brought  foorth  children  ;  and  in  such  sort  they  had  their 
beginning.  .  .  .  Some  of  the  people  could  not  tell  whether  to  thinke 
us  gods  or  men,  the  rather  because  there  was  no  man  of  ours  knowen  to  die, 
or  that  was  specially  sicke  :  they  noted  also  that  we  had  no  women  among 
us.  Some  therefore  were  of  opinion  that  we  were  not  borne  of  women,  and 
therefore  not  mortal,  but  that  we  were  men  of  an  old  generation  many 
yeeres  past,  then  risen  againe  to  immortalitie.  Some  would  likewise 
prophecie  that  there  were  more  of  our  generation  yet  to  come  to  kill  theirs 
and  take  their  places." 

In  no  wise  discouraged  by  the  failure  of  this  costly  experiment  at  colo- 
nization, Raleigh  fitted  out  another  expedition  of  three  vessels  in  the  fol- 
lowing year,  under  command  of  John  White,  to  whom  we  are  indebted  for 
the  story  of  this  second  colony.  For  the  first  time  the  enterprise  had  an 
element  of  permanence,  by  including  among  the  emigrants  women  and 
children.  The  intention  was  to  make  a  settlement  on  the  shores  of  the 
Chesapeake,  but  through  the  treachery  of  a  pilot  Roanoke  island  again 
became  the  home  of  the  colonists. 


RALEIGH  S   "  NEW    FORT   IN   VIRGINIA  "  467 

"  In  the  yeere  of  our  Lord  1587,  Sir  Walter  Ralegh  intending  to  per- 
severe in  the  planting  of  his  Countrey  of  Virginia,  prepared  a  newe  Colonic 
of  one  hundred  and  fifty  men  to  be  sent  thither,  under  the  charge  of  John 
White,  whom  hce  appointed  Governour,  and  also  appointed  unto  him  twelve 
Assistants,  unto  whom  he  gave  a  Charter,  and  incorporated  them  by  the 
name  of   Governour   and   Assistants   of  the  Citie  of  Ralecrh   in  Virginia. 

o  fc> 

Our  Fleete  being  in  number  three  saile,  the  Admirall  a  shippe  of  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  Tunnes,  a  Flie-boat,  and  a  Pinnosse,  departed  the  26  of 
April  from  Portsmouth.  .  .  .  About  the  16  of  July  we  fel  with  the 
maine  of  Virginia,  and  bare  along  the  coast,  where  in  the  night,  had  not 
Captaine  Stafford  bene  carefull,  we  had  bene  all  castaway  upon  the  breach, 
called  the  Cape  of  Feare.  The  22  of  July  wee  arrived  at  Hatorask  :  the  Gov- 
ernour  went  aboard  the  pinnesse,  with  fortie  of  his  best  men,  intending  to 
passe  up  to  Roanok  foorthwith,  hoping  there  to  finde  those  fifteene  men, 
which  Sir  Richard  Grenville  had  left  there  the  yeere  before.  .  .  .  The 
same  night  at  sunne-set  he  went  aland,  and  the  next  day  walked  to  the  North 
ende  of  the  Island,  where  Master  Ralfe  Lane  had  his  forte,  with  sundry 
dwellings,  made  by  his  men  about  it  the  yeere  before,  where  wee  hoped  to 
find  some  signes  of  our  fifteene  men.  We  found  the  forte  rased  downe, 
but  all  the  houses  standing  unhurt,  saving  that  the  neather  roomes  of  them, 
and  also  of  the  forte,  were  overgrowen  with  Melons,  and  Deere  within 
them  feeding  :  so  wee  returned  to  our  company,  without  hope  of  ever  see- 
ing any  of  the  fifteene  men  living.  The  same  day  order  was  given  for  the 
repayring  of  those  houses,  and  also  to  make  other  new  Cottages." 

The  settlers,  numbering  ninety-one  men,  seventeen  women,  and  nine 
children,  set  to  work  to  rebuild  the  fort,  and  to  make  for  themselves  an 
English  home.  Soon  after  their  arrival  occurred  two  incidents  of  extreme 
importance  in  the  life  of  the  colony. 

"  The  13  of  August  our  Savage  Manteo  was  christened  in  Roanoak, 
and  called  Lord  thereof  and  of  Dasamonguepeuk,  in  reward  of  his  faith- 
full  service.  The  18,  Elenor,  daughter  to  the  Governour,  and  wife  to 
Ananias  Dare,  one  of  the  Assistants,  was  delivered  of  a  daughter  in 
Roanoak,  and  the  same  was  christened  there  the  Sonday  following,  and 
because  this  child  was  the  first  Christian  borne  in  Virginia,  shee  was  named 
Virginia." 

The  baptism  of  Manteo  and  of  the  first  Anglo-American  child  are  the 
beginnings  of  the  life  of  the  English  church  in  the  new  world.  The 
name  Dare  has  been  given  to  a  county  of  North  Carolina  on  Pamlico 
sound,  and  its  county-seat  is  the  village  of  Manteo  on  Roanoke  island  ; 
a  happy  and  permanent  association  of  these  Indian  and   English  names 


468  RALEIGH'S   "  NEW   FORT   IN   VIRGINIA  " 

with  the  locality  where  they  were  first  brought  into  interesting  conjunc- 
tion. 

"  The  22  of  August  the  whole  company  came  to  the  Governour,  and 
with  one  voice  requested  him  to.  return  himselfe  into  England,  for  the 
obtaining  of  supplies  and  other  necessaries  for  them  ;  but  he  refused  it,  and 
alleaged  many  sufficient  causes  why  he  would  not.  ...  At  the  last, 
through  their  extreame  intreating  constrayned  to  return,  he  departed  from 
Roanoak  the  27  of  August."  The  next  day  he  set  sail,  destined  never  again 
to  see  his  daughter  and  grandchild,  and  after  a  terrible  voyage  reached  the 
coast  of  Ireland  on  the  16th  of  October. 

This  is  the  last  that  is  known  of  the  lost  colony,  whose  fate  has  given 
rise  to  so  much  interesting  speculation,  and  whose  blood  it  is  thought  may 
be  traced  to-day  in  the  Croatan  or  Hatteras  Indians  of  North  Carolina.  It 
was  three  years  before  succour  came  from  the  old  world,  for  England  in 
the  meantime  had  needed  every  ship  and  every  sailor  in  her  life-and-death 
struggle  with  Spain  and  the  invincible  Armada.  Efforts  were  made  to 
reach  the  colony,  but  they  were  unsuccessful,  and  not  until  the  summer  of 
1590  did  Governor  White  arrive  off  the  North  Carolina  coast. 

"  The  20  of  March  the  three  shippes,  the  Hopewell,  the  John  Evangelist, 
and  the  little  John,  put  to  sea  from  Plymmouth.  .  .  .  The  23  of  July  we 
had  sight  of  the  Cape  of  Florida,  and  the  broken  Hands  thereof.  .  .  .  The 
1 5  of  August  we  came  to  an  anker  at  Hatorask,  and  saw  a  great  smoke  rise 
in  the  He  Roanoak  neere  the  place  where  I  left  our  Colony  in  the  yeere 
1587.  .  .  .  The  next  morning  our  two  boates  went  ashore,  and  we  saw 
another  great  smoke  ;  but  when  we  came  to  it,  we  found  no  man  nor  signe 
that  any  had  bene  there  lately.  .  .  .  The  17  of  August  our  boates  were 
prepared  againe  to  goe  up  to  Roanoak.  .  .  .  Toward  the  North  ende  of 
the  Island  we  espied  the  light  of  a  great  fire  thorow  the  woods:  when  we 
came  right  over  against  it,  we  sounded  with  a  trumpet  a  Call,  and  afterwardes 
many  familiar  English  tunes  and  Songs,  and  called  to  them  friendly  ;  but  we 
had  no  answere  ;  we  therefore  landed,  and  comming  to  the  fire,  we  found  the 
grasse  and  sundry  rotten  trees  burning  about  the  place.  .  .  .  As  we 
entered  up  the  sandy  banke,  upon  a  tree,  in  the  very  browe  thereof  were 
curiously  carved  these  faire  Romane  letters,  C  R  O  :  which  letters  we  knew 
to  signifie  the  place  where  I  should  find  the  planters  seated,  according  to  a 
secret  token  agreed  upon  betweene  them  and  me,  at  my  last  departure 
from  them,  which  was  that  they  should  not  faile  to  write  or  carve  on  the 
trees  or  posts  of  the  dores  the  name  of  the  place  where  they  should  be 
seated  :  and  if  they  should  be  distressed,  that  then  they  should  carve  over 
the  letters  a  Crosse  +  in  this  forme,  but   we   found   no   such   sign   of  dis- 


RALEIGH'S    "  NEW   FORT   IN   VIRGINIA  "  469 

trcsse.  .  .  .  We  found  the  houses  taken  downc,  and  the  place  strongly 
enclosed  with  a  high  palisado  of  great  trees,  with  cortynes  and  flankers 
very  Fortlike,  and  one  of  the  chief  trees  at  the  right  side  of  the  entrance 
had  the  barke  taken  off,  and  five  foote  from  the  ground  in  fayre  Capitall 
letters  was  graven  CROATOAN,  without  any  crossc  or  signe  of  dis- 
tresse."  .  .  .  •  No  further  trace  was  found  of  the  colonists,  except  buried 
chests  which  had  been  dug  up  and  rifled  by  the  Indians,  "  bookes  torne 
from  the  covers,  the  frames  of  pictures  and  Mappes  rotten  and  spoyled 
with  rayne,  and  armour  almost  eaten  through  with  rust,  .  .  .  The  season 
was  so  unfit,  and  weather  so  foule,  that  we  were  constrayned  of  force  to 
forsake  that  coast,  having  not  seene  any  of  our  planters,  with  losse  of  one 
of  our  ship-boates,  and  seven  of  our  chiefest  men.  .  .  .  The  24  of  Octo- 
ber we  came  in  safetie,  God  be  thanked,  to  an  anker  at  Plymmouth.  .  .  . 
Thus  committing  the  reliefe  of  my  discomfortable  company,  the  planters 
in  Virginia,  to  the  merciful  help  of  the  Almighty,  whom  I  most  humbly 
beseech  to  helpe  and  comfort  them,  according  to  his  most  holy  will  and 
their  good  desire,  I  take  my  leave." 

Thus  ended  in  disaster  all  of  Raleigh's  great  schemes  for  planting  the 
English  race  on  our  shores.  They  had  cost  him  .£40,000,  and  the  result 
was  apparent  failure;  yet  his  greatest  glory  is  these  attempts  at  coloni- 
zation. The  seed  was  sown  which  was  eventually  to  yield  the  richest 
harvest :  the  direct  fruit  of  these  efforts  was  the  colony  of  Jamestown, 
and  Raleigh  is  the  real  pioneer  of  American  civilization.  It  was  he,  and 
not  King  James,  who  was  destined  to  "  make  new  nations,"  '  and  to  whom 
rightly  belongs  the  proud  title  of  imperii  Atlantici  conditor. 

For  more  than  half  a  century  the  name  of  the  first  settlement,  the 
so-called  "  City  of  Ralegh,"  disappears  from  our  annals;  until  in  1654  a 
company  of  explorers  from  Virginia  reached  Roanoke,  and  saw  what  they 
termed  the  "  ruins  of  Sir  Walter  Ralegh's  fort."  The  lapse  of  time  has 
probably  altered  its  appearance  but  little  from  what  it  then  was,  except 
for  the  changes  wrought  by  a  luxuriant  vegetation.  Its  present  condition 
is  described  in  Harper s  Magazine  for  May,  i860:  "  The  trench  is  clearly 
traceable  in  a  square  about  forty  yards  each  way.  Midway  of  one  side 
another  trench,  perhaps  flanking  the  gateway,  runs  inward  fifteen  or 
twenty  feet.  On  the  right  of  the  same  face  of  the  enclosure,  the  corner  is 
apparently  thrown  out  in  the  form  of  a  small  bastion.  The  ditch  is  gen- 
erally two  feet  deep,  though  in  many  places  scarcely  perceptible.  The 
whole  site  is  overgrown  with  pine,  live-oak,  vines,  and  a  variety  of  other 
plants.     A  flourishing  tree,  draped   with   vines,  stands   sentinel   near   the 

1  King  Henry  VIII.,  Act  V.,  Sc.  4,  53. 


470  RALEIGH  S 

centre.     A  fragment  or   two  of  stone  or   brick   may  be  discovered  in   the 
grass,  and  then  all  is  told  of  the  existing  relics  of  the  city  of  Raleigh." 

Surely,  these  interesting  historic  remains  should  be  saved  from  further 
decay,  and  kept  intact  for  all  time  to  come.1  No  spot  in  the  country 
should  be  dearer  or  more  sacred  to  us  than  that  which  was  marked  by  the 
first  footprints  of  the  English  race  in  America.  In  this  year  of  the  great 
Exhibition  at  Chicago,  and  in  these  days  of  enthusiasm  about  Columbus 
and  his  explorations,  it  is  especially  important  not  to  lose  sight  of  the  fact 
that  he  did  not  discover  the  continent  of  North  America,  and  that  the 
United  States  owe  nothing  to  Spanish  civilization.  That  influence  was 
to  mould  the  destiny  of  the  peoples  who  gathered  in  the  new  world 
south  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico;  but  Cabot  with  his  English  explorers  was 
the  first  to  set  foot  on  our  Atlantic  coast,  and  it  is  to  English  enterprise, 
English  moral  standards,  English  political  ideas,  and  English  civil  and 
religious  liberty,  that  we  owe  the  manifold  blessings  we  now  enjoy,  and  to 
which  we  must  gratefully  ascribe  the  marvelous  progress  and  prosperity 
of  our  beloved  country. 

1  A  plan  has  been  formed  to  purchase  and  preserve  the  ruins  of  this  fort,  and  all  who  may  feel 
an  interest  in  the  patriotic  enterprise  are  requested  to  communicate  with  the  writer. 


THE    GREAT    SEAL    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES 
By   E.  T.    Lander 

If  of  less  obscure  and  accidental  origin  than  the  familiar  and  honored 
flag  of  the  United  States,  the  official  seal  of  the  nation,  for  obvious  causes, 
maintains  its  indispensable  service  in  comparative  privacy.  From  the 
opportunities  provided,  the  general  knowledge  in  regard  to  these  different 
elements  of  our  national  insignia  should  cease  hereafter  to  be  thus  dispro- 
portioned.  An  appropriate  public  representation  of  the  essential  emblem 
of  national  organization  and  authority  of  the  United  States  of  America  is 
now  given.  This  view  is  presented  as  the  central  feature  of  the  govern- 
ment exhibit  in  the  Columbian  exposition,  consisting  of  a  painting  on 
canvas  reproducing  the  design  of  the  Great  Seal  surrounded  with  draperies 
of  handsome  flags.  The  idea  conceived  in  the  department  of  state  of 
introducing,  as  "  the  pivotal  feature  of  the  entire  exposition,"  a  semblance 
in  such  character  of  the  national  seal  adopted  in  1782  is  impressively  real- 
ized in  the  consummation  of  this  plan. 

In  its  present  form  this  emblem  is  referred  to  as  the  third  United 
States  seal.  The  description  necessarily  corresponds  to  that  of  the  original 
specified  design  approved  by  the  congress  of  a  past  century,  as  no  act  has 
been  passed  to  permit  any  deviation  therefrom.  The  design  has  been  twice 
redrawn — first  in  1841,  when  Daniel  Webster  was  secretary  of  state,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  die  being  worn  ;  and  again  in  1885,  chiefly  in  answer  to  a 
demand  for  greater  perfection  in  heraldic  and  artistic  character. 

Unlike  the  flag,  with  which  it  is  associated  in  the  symbolism  of  our 
nation,  the  seal,  as  already  indicated,  came  into  recognized  and  operative 
existence  only  several  years  subsequently  to  the  birth  of  the  republic.  Its 
development  was  retarded  by  several  causes.  The  early  movement,  how- 
ever, for  the  production  of  a  seal  was  duly  recorded  on  July  4,  1776,  when 
this  item  of  business,  next  to  the  last  to  be  reached  on  that  day  of  crisis, 
was  represented  in  the  Journals  of  Congress  as  follows  : 

Resolved,  that  Dr.  Franklin,  Mr.  J.  Adams  and  Mr.  Jefferson  be  a  committee  to 
prepare  a  device  for  a  seal  for  the  United  States  of  America. 

This  is  preceded  in  the  records  by  a  resolution  that  "  an  order  for  3 
dollars  and  54-CjOths  be  drawn  by  the  treasurer  in  favor  of  the  express  who 
brought  the  despatches  from  Trenton."  So  are  mingled  the  grand  and  the 
insignificant  movements  in  the  progress  of  nations.     Mr.   Parton  repeats 


47-  THE    GREAT   SEAL   OF    THE    UNITED    STATES 

the  animated  story  told  by  Jefferson,  showing  that  the  signing  of  the  great 
declaration  itself  on  that  day  was  hastened  by  an  absurdly  trivial  cause. 

Near  the  hall  in  which  the  debates  were  then  held  was  a  livery  stable  from  which 
swarms  oi  flies  came  into  the  open  windows  and  assailed  the  silk-stockinged  legs  of 
honorable  members.  Handkerchiefs  in  hand  they  lashed  the  flies  with  such  vigor  as 
they  could  command  on  a  July  afternoon,  but  the  annoyance  became  at  length  so  ex- 
treme as  to  render  them  impatient  of  delay,  and  they  made  haste  to  bring  the  momentous 
business  to  a  conclusion. 

In  spite  of  their  enemies,  the  flies,  the  members  reassembled  after  din- 
ner, as  shown  by  the  concurrent  records,  and  remained  until  almost  sunset. 
The  debate  on  the  document  in  which  the  colonies  were  first  designated 
the  "United  States  of  America"  had  been  taken  up  on  July  2,  when 
the  "  certain  resolutions  respecting  independency,"  originally  offered  by 
Richard  Henry  Lee,  were  adopted  "  without  a  dissenting  voice  "  ;  and  as 
Adams  confided  to  his  wife  under  date  of  July  3,  he  regarded  that  as  the 
decisive  and  supreme  day. 

Yesterday  the  greatest  question  was  decided  which  ever  was  debated  in  America, 
and  a  greater,  perhaps,  never  was,  nor  will  be,  decided  among  men.  .  .  The  2d  day 
of  July  1776  will  be  the  most  memorable  epoch  in  the  history  of  America. 

The  original  sources  of  information  chiefly  of  value  on  the  subject 
of  the  seal  are  the  state  department  MSS.,  the  Journals  of  Congress,  and 
the  Adams  correspondence.  In  1830  Lossing  obtained  certain  additional 
details  from  two  octogenarian  acquaintances  in  Philadelphia,  one  of  whom 
had  been  a  clerk  for  Robert  Morris,  and  the  other  an  editor  on  Bradford's 
Magazine,  who  prided  himself  in  old  age  on  having  engraved  with  his  pen- 
knife the  figure  of  the  disjointed  snake,  which  appeared  for  some  months 
at  the  head  of  that  journal.  According  to  the  recollection  of  these  vener- 
able witnesses,  the  final  vote  on  the  debate,  which  had  been  continued  from 
the  2d  to  the  4th  of  July,  was  reached  at  about  2  P.M.  of  the  latter  day. 
It  is  not  certain  whether,  as  some  of  the  historians  assert,  the  declaration 
was  signed  only  by  the  president  and  secretary  on  that  day  ;  or,  as  others 
have  endeavored  to  show,  by  all  the  members  present,  who  signed  it  then 
on  paper,  and  again  when  it  was  finally  engrossed  on  parchment.  The 
conclusion  is  undoubted,  that,  after  Franklin  had  uttered  the  memorable 
saying,  "  Well,  gentlemen,  we  must  now  all  hang  together,  or  assuredly  we 
shall  all  hang  separately,"  they  withdrew  and  fortified  themselves  with 
dinner. 

The  chairman  of  the  committee  to  consider  the  subject  of  the  seal  was 
Dr.  Franklin,  the  oldest  of  the  signers  of  the  declaration,  and  then  more 
than  seventy  years  of  age.    John  Adams,  the  next  named  (on  a  list  of  men 


THE   GREAT   SEAL   OF   THE    UNITED    STATES  473 

to  be  hung  by  the  British  he  would  have  been  given  just  then  the  first 
place),  was  somewhat  over  forty,  "  looking  like  a  short,  thick  Archbishop 
of  Canterbury,"  as  he  once  described  himself ;  and  as  represented  by 
another,  "in  claret-colored  coat,  with  a  bald  head,"  bearing  the  burden  of 
the  chief  advocacy  of  the  declaration  in  the  prolonged  debate.  To  the 
third  in  orderr  "  the  tall  young  Jefferson  " — whose  drafting  of  the  docu- 
ment scheduled  a  few  hours  before  for  its  unique  place  in  history  gave  him 
a  novel  distinction — was  now  assigned  the  corresponding  task  of  combin- 
ing his  own  ideas  with  those  of  other  members  of  the  committee  in  a  report 
for  a  device  for  a  seal. 

On  the  Monday  following  (July  8),  at  noon,  the  declaration  was  publicly 
read  in  Philadelphia  for  the  first  time,  followed  by  a  demonstration  in 
the  evening,  when  the  king's  arms  over  the  seat  of  justice  in  the  court-room 
which  occupied  the  second  story  of  the  state  house  were  torn  down  and 
burned  in  the  street.  The  reading  of  the  document  was  listened  to  on  the 
ninth  by  the  newly  elected  New  York  convention  assembled  at  White 
Plains,  and  it  was  read  at  a  later  hour  of  that  day  in  New  York,  at  the  head 
of  each  brigade,  the  statue  of  the  "  late  king"  George  III.,  at  Bowling 
Green,  being  then  destroyed  by  the  mob.  On  July  5,  before  receiving  the 
news  of  the  declaration,  Virginia  had  stricken  the  king's  name  out  of  the 
prayer  book.  On  the  30th  of  that  month  Rhode  Island  made  it  a  mis- 
demeanor to  pray  for  the  king,  as  such,  under  penalty  of  one  hundred 
thousand  pounds.  Such  were  the  manifestations  of  feeling  in  the  various 
centres  of  population  and  at  every  camp  and  post. 

In  preparing  their  device  for  a  seal  the  committee  received  the  aid  of 
Eugene  Pierre  du  Simetiere,  the  West  India  Frenchman  (or,  as  Mr.  Winsor 
says,  Swiss),  who  had  executed  the  early  profile  of  Washington  which  was 
the  first  head  used  on  American  coins  ( 1 79 1 )  and  several  times  subse- 
quently copied  on  medals.  In  1783  he  published  in  London  a  quarto  vol- 
ume of  Thirteen  Portraits  of  American  Legislators,  Patriots,  and  Soldiers. 
He  was  esteemed  as  a  painter  whose  designs  were  ingenious,  and  whose 
drawings  were  well  executed.  He  cut  profiles  in  black  paper,  and  painted 
miniatures  and  other  pictures  in  water  colors.  Adams  wrote  to  his  wife 
that  this  curious  man,  Du  Simetiere,  had  begun  a  collection  of  materials  for 
a  history  of  the  Revolution,  going  back  to  the  first  advices  of  the  tea  ships : 

He  cuts  out  of  the  newspapers  every  scrap  of  intelligence  and  everypiece  of  specula- 
tion, and  pastes  it  upon  clean  paper,  arranging-  them  under  the  head  of  that  State  to 
which  they  belong,  and  intends  to  bind  them  up  into  volumes.  He  has  a  list  of  every 
speculation  and  pamphlet  concerning  independence,  and  another  of  those  concerning 
forms  of  government. 


474  THE   GREAT   SEAL   OF   THE   UNITED   STATES 

In  one  of  the  Frenchman's  sketches  were  shown  the  arms  of  the  several 
nations  from  whence  America  was  peopled,  as  English,  Scotch,  Dutch, 
Irish,  German,  etc.,  each  in  a  shield.  On  one  side  is  a  figure  of  Liberty 
with  her  cap,  and  the  supporter  on  the  other  side  is  a  rifleman  in  his  uni- 
form, with  his  rifle  and  tomahawk,  the  dress  and  weapons  being  peculiar  to 
America.  The  device  proposed  by  Dr.  Franklin  represented  Moses  lifting 
up  his  wand  and  dividing  the  Red  Sea,  and  Pharaoh  in  his  chariot  over- 
whelmed with  the  waters.  For  the  motto  these  words  (attributed  to 
Cromwell)  :  "  Rebellion  to  tyrants  is  obedience  to  God."  Mr.  Jefferson 
suggested,  instead,  the  children  of  Israel  in  the  wilderness,  led  by  a  cloud 
by  day  and  a  pillar  of  fire  by  night ;  for  the  reverse  he  proposed  the  figures 
of  Hengist  and  Horsa,  "  the  Saxon  chiefs  from  whom  we  claim  the  honor 
of  being  descended,  and  whose  political  principles  and  form  of  government 
we  have  assumed."  Under  date  of  August  14,  1776,  the  account  of  Adams 
to  his  wife  continues  as  follows: 

I  proposed  the  choice  of  Hercules,  as  engraved  by  Gribelin  in  some  editions  of  Lord 
Shaftesbury's  works.  The  hero  resting  on  his  club.  Virtue  pointing  to  her  rugged  moun- 
tain on  one  hand,  and  persuading  him  to  ascend.  Sloth  glancing  at  her  flowery  path  of 
pleasure,  wantonly  reclining  on  the  ground  displaying  the  charms  both  of  her  eloquence 
and  person,  to  seduce  him  into  vice.  But  this  is  too  complicated  a  group  for  a  seal  or 
medal,  and  it  is  not  original. 

An  entry  in  the  Journals  of  Congress,  August  20,  1776,  shows  the  result 
of  these  efforts: 

The  committee  appointed  to  prepare  a  device  for  the  great  seal  for  the  United  States 
brought  in  the  same  with  the  explanation  thereof. 
Ordered,  to  lie  on  the  table. 

A  document  in  Jefferson's  handwriting,  preserved  in  the  department  of 
state,  is  a  full,  technical  description  of  the  device  for  a  seal  agreed  upon  by 
this  committee  : 

"The  great  seal  should  on  one  side  have  the  arms  of  the  United  States 
of  America,  which  arms  should  be  as  follows  : 

"  The  shield  has  six  Quarters,  parts  one,  coupe  two.  The  first  Or,  a 
Rose,  enameled  gules  and  argent  for  England  ;  the  2nd  Argent,  a  Thistle 
proper  for  Scotland  ;  the  3rd  Vert,  a  harp  Or,  for  Ireland  ;  the  4th  Azure, 
a  fleur-de-lis  for  France  ;  the  5th  Or,  the  Imperial  Eagle  Sable,  for  Ger- 
many, and  the  6th  Or,  the  Belgic  Lion  Gules,  for  Holland,  pointing  out 
the  countries  from  which  the  states  have  been  peopled. 

"The  shield  within  a  border,  Gules,  entwined  of  thirteen  Escutcheons, 
Argent,  linked  together  by  a  chain   Or,  each   charged   with  initial    letters 


THE   GREAT   SEAL   OF   THE    UNITED    STATES  475 

Sable  as  follows:  I  ,  N.  H.  ;  2nd,  M.  B.  [Mass.  Bay];  3rd,  R.  I.;  4th,  C.  ; 
5th,  N.  Y.;  6th,  N.  J.  ;  7th,  P.;  8th,  D.  C.  [Del.  Colony]  ;  9th,  M. ;  10*  V.  ; 
11th,  N.C.;  12th,  S.  C.  ;  13th,  G. ;  for  each  of  the  thirteen  independent 
states  of  America. 

"  SUPPORTERS,  Dexter  the  Goddess  of  Liberty  in  a  corselet  of  Armour, 
alluding  to  .the  present  times;  holding  in  her  right  hand  the  Spear  and 
Cap,  and  with  her  left  supporting  the  shield  of  the  states  ;  Sinister  the 
Goddess  of  Justice  bearing  a  sword  in  her  right  hand  and  in  her  left  a 
balance. 

"  CREST.  The  Eye  of  Providence  in  a  radiant  Triangle  whose  Glory 
extends  over  the  shield  and  beyond  the  figures. 

"  Motto  :  E  Pluribus  Unum. 

"  Legend  round  the  whole  achievement — Seal  of  the  United  States  of 
America  MDCCLXXVI. 

"  On  the  other  side  of  the  said  seal  should  be  the  following  Device  : 

"  Pharaoh  sitting  in  an  open  Chariot,  a  Crown  on  his  head,  and  a  sword 
in  his  hand,  passing  through  the  divided  Waters  of  the  Red  Sea  in  pursuit 
of  the  Israelites  :  Rays  from  a  pillow  [pillar]  of  Fire  in  the  Cloud  expres- 
sive of  the  Divine  Presence  and  Command,  beaming  on  Moses  who  stands 
on  the  shore,  and  extending  his  hand  over  the  Sea,  causes  it  to  overthrow 
Pharaoh.     Motto  :  Rebellion  to  tyrants  is  obedience  to  God." 

This  motto  Mr.  Jefferson  had  engraved  on  his  own  private  seal,  of 
which  an  exact  impression  in  wax,  bearing  his  monogram  with  the  motto, 
was  found  among  his  effects,  and  passed  into  the  possession  of  Mr.  Ban- 
croft. Major-General  Schuyler  Hamilton  followed  Mr.  Thomas  Hollis  in 
the  statement  that  the  words,  "  Rebellion  to  tyrants,"  etc.,  were  from  the 
epitaph  (inscribed  on  a  memorial  at  Jamaica  Bay,  West  Indies)  of  John 
Bradshaw,  chief  of  the  regicides,  and  these  were  written,  he  says,  over 
what  is  called  the  Regicide's  cave,  West  Rock,  New  Haven,  Connecticut. 
The  mention  made  by  Mr.  Hollis,  in  his  memoirs,  of  his  having  found  the 
quotation  at  length  pasted  up  in  the  windows  of  inns  in  New  England  in 
the  early  days  of  the  Revolutionary  struggle,  remains  undisputed,  although 
investigators  of  the  story  of  the  Jamaica  Bay  epitaph  have  declared  it  a 
fiction. 

After  the  report  by  the  committee,  the  action  in  reference  to  a  seal  for 
the  new  government  was  for  a  long  time  suspended  ;  unjtil  March  25,  1779, 
no  further  record  on  the  subject  was  entered.  Our  first  political  agent  to 
France,  Silas  Deane,  referred  to  this  neglect  in  a  letter  to  congress,  with  the 
inquiry  if  it  is  not  always  proper  to  use  a  seal.  "  This,"  he  observes,  "  is  a 
very  ancient  custom  in  all  public  and   even  private  concerns  of  any  conse- 


4/~6  THE   GREAT   SEAL   OF   THE   UNITED   STATES 

quence."  The  omission  of  the  use  of  a  seal  when  all  the  rights,  powers, 
and  dignities  of  a  nation  had  been  assumed,  has  been  since  viewed  as 
remarkable  considering  that  our  forefathers  were  brought  up  under  the 
shadow  of  the  English  law  which  prescribed  that  no  grant  or  charter  was 
factum  until  it  was  sealed.  English  custom  had  taught,  also,  that  even  the 
sign  manual  of  the  sovereign  must  be  authenticated  by  an  impression  from 
the  privy  seal.  The  importance  of  the  seal  even  in  individual  transactions 
was  signified  by  the  prime  expositor  of  social  views  : 

"  Till  thou  canst  rail  the  seal  from  off  my  bond, 
Thou  but  offend'st  thy  lungs  to  speak  so  loud." 

The  original  word  sigillum,  now  translated  into  seal,  is  the  diminu- 
tive of  signum,  defined  as  "  a  little  image  or  figure  " — by  which  means 
records,  statutes,  etc.,  in  all  civilized  countries  are  authenticated.  In  the 
British  museum  are  twenty-five  thousand  specimens  of  seals,  including 
those  of  ancient  Egypt,  formed  in  clay.  The  seals  of  the  middle  ages 
were  in  gold,  silver,  lead,  and  other  substances.  The  bull  from  which 
the  sovereign  of  England  derives  the  title  of  "  Defender  of  the  Faith"  is 
authenticated  by  a  golden  seal.  Lead  was  more  common  for  the  papal 
bull — so-called  frcm  the  bulla  or  seal  appended.  After  the  coming  of  the 
Normans,  the  kings  and  chief  men  used  waxen  seals  with  "  a  hair  from  the 
head  or  beard  in  the  wax  as  a  token." 

Although  congress  had  early  anticipated  the  need  of  a  seal  for  our 
country,  in  accordance  with  so  ancient  and  universal  a  custom,  the  series  of 
national  reverses  swiftly  following  the  declaration  of  independence,  which 
had  been  received  in  all  parts  of  the  United  States  as  "a  song  of  triumph 
rather  than  a  call  to  battle,"  evidently  rendered  more  obvious  and  impres- 
sive the  fact  that  the  people  who  had  asserted  themselves  free  had  not 
established  a  nation.  The  congress  was  next  reassembled  in  Baltimore,  the 
British  having  taken  possession  of  Philadelphia,  where  they  made  an  osten- 
tatious display  of  extravagance  in  some  of  their  entertainments. 

The  long-neglected  report  on  the  device  for  a  great  seal  for  the  United 
States  was  referred  by  congress  in  March,  1770,  to  a  new  committee.  The 
president  was  John  Jay,  who  appointed  Mr.  James  Lovell — previously  a 
schoolmaster  in  Boston,  and  then  a  member  of  the  committee  of  foreign 
correspondence — with  Scott  of  Virginia,  and  Houston  of  Georgia,  and  on 
the  10th  of  May  they  presented  a  report  : 

"The  seal  should  be  four  inches  in  diameter,  on  one  side  the  Arms  of 
the  United  States  as  follows:  The  Shield  charged  in  the  field  with  thirteen 
diagonal  stripes,  alternately  red  and  white.     Supporters :  dexter,  a  Warrior 


THE   GREAT   SEAL   OF  THE   UNITED   STATES  477 

holding  a  sword;  Sinister,  a  figure  representing  Peace  bearing  an  Olive 
Branch.  The  Crest,  a  radiant  constellation  of  thirteen  stars.  The  motto; 
BELLE  VEL  PACE.  The  legend  round  the  achievement;  SEAL  OF  THE 
UNITED  STATES.  On  the  reverse  the  Figure  of  Liberty  seated  in  a  chair 
holding  the  staff  and  cap.  The  Motto;  SEMPER,  underneath  IIIDCCLXXVI." 

This  report  was  recommitted,  and  another  report,  not  fundamentally  dif- 
ferent, although  modified  in  reference  to  size,  was  offered  by  the  same 
committee  : 

"  The  seal  to  be  three  inches  in  diameter,  on  one  side  the  Arms  of  the 
United  States  as  follows:  The  Shield  charged  in  the  Field  azure,  with 
thirteen  diagonal  stripes,  alternate  rouge  and  argent.  Supporters :  dexter, 
a  warrior  holding  a  sword  ;  sinister,  a  figure  representing  Peace  bearing  an 
olive  branch.  The  crest,  a  radiant  constellation  of  thirteen  stars.  The 
motto  Belle  vel  pace.  The  legend  round  the  achievement ;  The  Great 
Seal  of  the  United  States.  On  the  reverse,  Virtute  Perennis,  underneath, 
MDCCLXXVI. 

"  A  miniature  of  the  face  of  the  Great  Seal  and  half  its  diameter  to  be 
affixed  as  the  less  seal  of  the  United  States." 

The  report  was  not  accepted.  The  sketches  of  these  various  devices 
were  all  apparently  from  the  hand  of  Du  Simetiere.  In  the  last  is  traced 
the  influence  of  the  design  of  the  already  adopted  national  flag,  although 
the  thirteen  stripes  are  here  diagonal  instead  of  vertical  as  in  the  final 
devices. 

Some  of  the  drawings  show  alterations  made  by  the  pen.  One  that 
has  been  torn  through  the  centre  into  two  parts  is  pasted  together  on 
another  piece  of  paper. 

The  report,  after  debate,  was  recommitted,  and  Henry  Middleton,  Elias 
Boudinot,  and  Edward  Rutledge  were  appointed  a  new  committee  to  pre- 
pare a  seal.  They  seem  to  have  made  no  definite  advance,  the  matter 
being  finally  (April,  1782)  referred  by  congress  to  its  secretary,  Charles 
Thompson.  At  this  stage  an  elaborate  device  produced  by  William 
Barton,  A.  M.,  of  Philadephia,  went  to  increase  the  unavailable  list.  An 
accompanying  sketch  for  the  reverse  of  the  seal,  however,  showing  an 
unfinished  pyramid,  with  an  eye  of  Providence  in  a  radiant  triangle  over  it, 
was  approved.  With  a  few  variations  the  device  submitted  by  Barton 
corresponds  to  his  description. 

"  Device  for  an  Armorial  Achievement  for  the  great  seal  of  the  United 
States  of  America  in  congress  assembled  ;  agreeable  to  the  rules  of  heraldry 
— proposed  by  William  Barton,  A.  M. : 


478  the  great  seal  of  the  united  states 

Arms. 

"  Barry  of  thirteen  pieces  Argent  &  Gules,  on  a  Canton  Azure,  as  many 
Stars  disposed  in  a  Circle,  of  the  first  :  a  Pale  Or,  surmounted  of  another 
of  the  third  ;  charged,  in  Chief  with  an  Eye  surrounded  with  a  Glory, 
proper ;  and  in  the  Fess-point  an  Eagle  displayed  on  the  Summit  of  a 
Doric  Column  that  rests  on  the  base  of  the  Escutcheon,  both  as  the  Stars. 
Crest.  On  a  helmet  of  Burnished  Gold,  damasked  grated  with  six  Bars 
and  surmounted  by  a  cap  of  Dignity  ;  Gules  turned  up  Ermine,  a  Cock 
armed  with  guffs,  proper.  SUPPORTERS,  on  the  dexter  side  :  a  Genius  of 
America  (represented  by  a  Maiden  with  loose,  Auburn  Tresses  having  on  her 
head  a  radiated  Crown  of  Gold,  encircled  with  a  sky-blue  fillet  spangled 
with  silver  stars  ;  and  clothed  in  a  long,  loose,  white  garment,  bordered  with 
Green  :  from  her  right  shoulder  to  her  left  side,  a  scarf  seme  of  Stars,  the 
Tinctures  thereof  the  same  as  in  the  Canton  ;  and  round  the  Waist  a  purple 
Girdle  fringed  Or  ;  embroidered  Argent,  with  the  word  '  Virtue  ')  resting 
her  interior  Hand  on  the  Escutcheon  and  holding  in  the  other  the  proper 
Standai'd  of  the  United  States,  having  a  dove  argent  perched  on  the  top  of 
it.  On  the  sinister  side  :  a  Man  in  complete  Armour  ;  his  sword-belt  fringed 
with  Gold ;  the  Helmet  inscribed  with  a  Wreath  of  Laurel  and  crested  with 
one  white  and  two  blue  Plumes  :  supporting  with  his  dexter  Hand  the 
Escutcheon,  and  holding  in  the  exterior  a  Lance  with  the  point  sanguiri- 
ated  ;  and  upon  it  a  Banner  displayed,  Vert, — in  the  Fess-point,  an  Harp, 
Or,  stringed  with  Silver  between  a  star  in  Chief,  two  Fleurs-de-lis  in  Fess, 
and  a  pair  of  Swords  in  Saltier  in  Bass  all  Argent. 

"  The  Tenants  of  the  Escutcheon  stand  on  a  Scroll  on  which  the  follow- 
ing Motto 

DEO    F/VVENTE. 
which   alludes    to    the   Eye    in  the    Arms   meant    for   the    Eye   of  Provi- 
dence. 

"  Over  the  crest  in  a  scroll  this  Motto 

VIRTUS    SOLA    INVICTA. 

Mr.  Preble  noticed  the  original  words,  "  with  thirteen  strings,"  through 
which  a  line  had  been  drawn. 

Another  equally  elaborate  device,  with  similar  reverse,  was  submitted 
by  Barton. 

"  Device  for  an  Armorial  Achievement  and  Reverse  of  a  Great  Seal  for 
the  United  States  of  North  America  :  proposed  by  William  Barton,  Esq., 
A.  M. 

"  Blazoned  according  to -the  Laws  of  Heraldry. 


THE   GREAT   SEAL   OF   THE    UNITED    STATES  479 

ARMS. 
"  Barry  of  thirteen  pieces  Argent  &  Gules  ;  on  a  pale  Or,  a  Pillar  of  the 
Doric  Order,  Vert,  reaching  from  the  Base  of  the  Escutcheon  to  the  Honor 
point ;  and  from  the  summit  thereof,  a  Phcenix  in  Flames  with  Wings 
expanded,  proper:  the  whole  within  a  Border,  Azure,  charged  with  as 
many  stars  as  pieces  barways  of  the  first. 

CREST. 
"  On  a   Helmet  of  Burnished  Gold,  damasked  grated  with  six  Bars,  a 
Cap  of  Liberty,  Vert  ;  with  an  Eagle  displayed  Argent  thereon  holding  in 
his  dexter  Talon  a  Sword,  Or,  having  a  wreath  of   Laurel  suspended  from 
the  point  ;  and  in  the  sinister,  the  Ensign  of  the  United  States,  proper. 

SUPPORTERS. 

"On  the  dexter  side,  the  Genius  of  the  American  Confederated  Re- 
public :  represented  by  a  Maiden,  with  flowing  Auburn  Tresses  ;  clad  in 
a  long,  loose,  white  Garment,  bordered  with  Green  ;  having  a  sky-blue 
scarf,  charged  with  Stars  as  in  the  Arms,  reaching  across  her  waist  from 
the  right  shoulder  to  her  left  side  ;  and  on  her  Head  a  radiated  crown  of 
Gold,  encircled  with  an  azure  Fillet  spangled  with  Silver  Stars  ;  round  her 
Waist  a  purple  Girdle,  embroidered  with  the  word  '  Virtus  '  in  silver  ;  a 
dove,  proper,  perched  on  her  dexter  Hand. 

"  On  the  Sinister  Side,  an  American  Warrior,  clad  in  a  uniform  Coat 
of  blue  faced  with  Buff,  and  in  his  Hat  a  Cockade  of  black  and  white 
Ribbons,  in  his  left  hand  a  Baton  Azure  seme  of  Stars,  Argent. 

"  Motto  over  the  Crest, 
IN   VINDICIAM    LIBERTATIS. 

"  Motto  under  the  Arms, 
VIRTUS    SOLA   INVICTA. 

"  Reverse  of  the  Seal : 

"  A  Pyramid  of  thirteen  Strata  (or  Steps),  Or. 
"  In  the  Zenith,  an  Eye  surrounded  with  a  Glory,  proper. 
"  In  the  Scroll,  above — or  in  the  Margin, 

DEO    FAVENTE. 

"  The  Exergue, 

PERENNIS." 

Remarks : 
The  Imperial  Eagle  of  Germany  (which  is  Sable,  and  with  two  Heads)  is  represented 
with  a  sword  in  one  Talon,  and  a  sceptre  in  the  other. 


4^0  THE   GREAT   SEAL   OF   THE    UNITED    STATES 

The  Phoenix  is  emblematical  of  the  expiring  Liberty  of  Britain,  revived  by  her 
Descendants  in  America. 

The  Dove  (perched  on  the  right  Hand  of  the  Genius  of  America)  is  emblematical  of 
Innocence  and  Virtue. 

The  Sword  (held  by  the  Eagle)  is  the  symbol  of  Courage,  Authority  and  Power. 
The  Flag  or  Ensign  denotes  the  United  States  of  America,  of  the  sovereignty  of  which 
the  Eagle  is  expressive. 

The  Pillar  is  the  Hieroglyphic  of  Constancy  and  Fortitude,  and  is  likewise  emblem- 
atical of  Beauty,  Strength  and  Order. 

The  Pyramid  signifies  Strength  and  Duration. 

Explanation  of  Barton  s  Device. 

"  The  thirteen  pieces,  barways,  which  fill  up  the  field  of  the  Arms,  may 
represent  the  several  States  ;  &  the  same  Number  of  Stars  upon  a  blue 
Canton,  disposed  in  a  Circle,  represent  a  new  Constellation,  which  alludes 
to  the  new  Empire,  formed  in  the  World  by  the  Confederation  of  those 
States.  Their  Disposition,  in  the  form  of  a  circle,  denotes  the  perpetuity 
of  its  continuance,  the  Ring  being  the  symbol  of  Eternity.  The  Eagle 
displayed  is  the  symbol  of  Supreme  Power  &  Authority  &  signifies  the 
Congress  ;  the  Pillar  upon  which  it  rests,  is  used  as  the  Hieroglyphic  of 
Fortitude  and  Constancy;  &  its  being  of  the  Doric  order,  (which  is  the  best 
proportioned  and  most  agreeable  to  nature)  &  composed  of  several  Members 
or  parts,  all,  taken  together,  forming  a  beautiful  composition  of  Strength, 
Congruity  &  Usefulness,  it  may  with  great  propriety  signify  a  well-planned 
Government.  The  Eagle  being  placed  on  the  summit  of  the  Column,  is 
emblematical  of  the  Sovereignty  of  the  Government  of  the  United  States  ; 
and,  as  further  expressive  of  that  Idea  those  two  charges  or  figures  are 
borne  on  a  Pale,  which  extends  across  the  thirteen  pieces,  into  which  the 
Escutcheon  is  divided.  The  signification  of  the  Eye  has  been  already 
explained.  The  Helmet  is  such  as  appertains  to  Sovereignty,  and  the  Cap 
is  used  as  the  Token  of  Freedom  &  Excellency.  It  was  formerly  worn 
by  Dukes,  '  because/  says  Guillim,  '  they  had  a  more  worthy  Government 
than  other  subjects'  The  Cock  is  distinguished  for  two  most  excellent 
Qualities,  necessary  in  a  free  country,  viz.  :    Vigilance  &  Fortitude. 

"The  genius  of  the  American  Confederated  Republic  is  denoted  by  her 
blue  Scarf  &  Fillet,  glittering  with  Stars,  and  by  the  flag  of  Congress  which 
she  displays.  Her  dress  is  white  edged  with  green  colours,  emblematical 
of  Innocence  and  Youth.  Her  purple  girdle  and  radiated  crown  indicate 
her  sovereignty  ;  the  word  '  Virtue '  on  the  former  is  to  show,  that  that 
should  be  her  principal  ornament,  and  the  radiated  Crown,  that  no  Earthly 
Crown  should  rule  her.  The  Dove  on  the  top  of  the  American  Standard 
denotes  the  mildness  and  lenity  of  her  Government. 


THE    GREAT   SEAL   OF   THE    UNITED    STATES  4«H  I 

"The  Knight  in  Armour  with  his  bloody  Lance  represents  the  military 
Genius  of  the  American  Empire,  armed  in  Defence  of  its  just  Rights. 
His  blue  Belt  and  blue  feathers  indicate  his  Country,  &  the  White  Plume  is 
in  Compliment  to  our  gallant  Ally.  The  Wreath  of  Laurel  round  his 
helmet  is  expressive  of  his  success.  The  Green  Field  of  the  Banner  denotes 
Youth  and  Vigor  ;  the  Harp  is  emblematical  of  the  several  States  acting 
in  Harmony  and  Concert  ;  the  Star  in  Chief,  has  reference  to  America,  as 
principal  in  the  contest  ;  the  two  Fleurs  de  lis  are  borne  as  a  grateful  Testi- 
monial of  the  support  given  to  her  by  France  ;  and  the  two  Swords 
crossing  each  other  signify  a  State  of  War.  This  Tenant  and  his  Flag 
relate  totally  to  America  at  the  time  of  her  Revolution. 

"  William  Barton." 

With  the  eagle  of  Barton  emerges  another  of  the  elements  of  the  final 
device  which,  as  may  be  plainly  observed,  was  a  gradual  development.  The 
direct  origin  of  the  device  adopted  is  traced  with  some  confusion  of  results 
by  the  different  investigators.  According  to  Mr.  Preble,  this  is  identical 
with  "another  device"  by  Barton  which  was  adopted  with  some  modifica- 
tions. The  theory  that  his  designs  were  used  is  manifestly  true  in  refer- 
ence to  the  reverse,  in  which  the  change  is  chiefly  in  the  introduction  of 
other  mottoes.  Lossing  conceived  that  the  device  for  the  great  seal  of  the 
United  States  was  sent  from  England  by  Mr.  Adams.  This,  he  says,  had 
been  for  some  time  in  the  hands  of  the  secretary,  Charles  Thompson,  who 
had  withheld  it  in  the  hope  of  something  as  good  coming  from  his  own 
countrymen.  In  the  autumn  of  1779,  John  Adams  was  sent  to  England 
to  negotiate  for  peace.  Among  the  eminent  people  whom  he  met  was 
Sir  John  Prestwick,  a  baronet  of  the  north  of  England,  a  friend  of  the 
Americans,  as  well  as  an  accomplished  antiquarian.  In  a  discussion  of  the 
subject  of  the  national  coat  of  arms  so  long  awaiting  decision,  Sir  John 
suggested  an  escutcheon  bearing  thirteen  perpendicular  stripes,  repeating 
the  idea  of  the  national  banner.  He  proposed,  according  to  the  narrative 
cited,  that  in  order  to  give  it  consequence  it  should  be  placed  on  the  breast 
of  the  displayed  American  eagle  without  supporters,  as  emblematic  of  self- 
reliance.  This  simple  and  significant  device,  Mr.  Lossing  says,  pleased 
Adams,  and  he  communicated  it  to  his  friends  in  congress.  His  assertion 
that  the  device  for  a  seal  was  received  from  the  country  with  which  we 
were  at  war  was  maintained  as  follows  : 

In  a  manuscript  letter  before  me,  written  in    1818  by   Thomas  Barrett  Esq.,  an  emi- 
nent  antiquary  of  Manchester,   England,  addressed  to  his  son   in  this  country,  is  the 
following-  statement :  My  friend  Sir  John   Prestwick,  Bart.,  told  me   he  was  the  person 
who  suggested  the  idea  of  a  coat  of  arms  for  the   American   States  to  an   ambassador 
Voi,  XXIX.-No.  5.-31 


4^s-  THE    GREAT   SEAL   OF   THE    UNITED    STATES 

(John  Adams)  from  thence,  which  they  have  seen  fit  to  put  upon  some  of  their  moneys. 
It  is  this,  he  told  me— party  per  pale  of  thirteen  stripes,  white  and  red  ;  the  chief  of  the 
escutcheon  blue,  signifying-  the  protection  of  Heaven  over  the  states.  He  says  it  was 
soon  afterward  adopted  as  the  arms  of  the  states,  and  to  give  it  more  consequence  it 
was  placed  upon  the  breast  of  a  displayed  eagle. 

Others  have  judged  it  to  be  far  more  probable  that  the  colors  of  the 
shield  were  suggested  by  the  stripes  and  union  of  the  flag — which  was 
adopted  nearly  a  year  before  Mr.  Adams's  first  visit  to  Europe.  At  the 
same  time  it  is  thought  worthy  of  note  that  the  stripes  in  the  flag  are 
arranged  alternately  red  and  white,  which  gives  seven  of  the  former  and 
six  of  the  latter,  while  in  the  arms  they  are  white  and  red,  thus  making 
seven  white  and  six  red  pales.  In  the  seal  of  the  board  of  admiralty  (later 
the  navy  department)  adopted  May  4,  1780,  the  stripes  are  arranged  as 
in  the  flag. 

An  ingenious  argument  was  constructed  by  Schuyler  Hamilton  to  show 
that  John  Adams  proposed  the  representation  of  the  constellation  Lyra  in 
the  thirteen  stars.  Mr.  Hunt  attributes  the  next  device  after  that  of  Bar- 
ton to  Charles  Thompson.  In  reference  to  this,  as  to  many  other  subjects 
connected  with  the  formation  of  our  government,  it  is  ever  to  be  regretted 
that  the  private  notes  made  by  Charles  Thompson  while  secretary  of  con- 
gress from  1774  to  1789,  and  as  "  the  soul  of  that  political  body,"  in  respect 
to  whom  it  was  common  to  say  that  a  statement  was  "  as  true  as  if  Charles 
Thompson's  name  was  to  it,"  should  have  been  destroyed  by  him  some 
time  previous  to  his  death,  instead  of  being  made  a  basis  of  a  history  of 
the  Revolution. 

Thompson  s  Device  : 

"  Device  for  an  Armorial  Achievement  and  Reverse  of  a  Great  Seal  for 
the  United  States  in  Congress  Assembled. 

ARMS. 

"  On  a  field  Chevrons  composed  of  seven  pieces  on  one  side  &  six  on 
the  other,  joined  together  at  the  top  in  such  wise  that  each  of  the  six 
bears  against  or  is  supported  by  &  supports  two  of  the  opposite  side, 
the  pieces  of  the  chevrons  on  each  side  alternate  red  and  white.  The 
shield  borne  on  the  breast  of  an  American  Eagle,  on  the  Wing  and  rising 
proper.  In  the  dexter  talon  of  the  eagle  an  olive  branch  &  in  the  sinister 
a  bundle  of  arrows.  Over  the  head  of  the  Eagle  a  constellation  of  stars 
surrounded  with  bright  rays  and  at  a  little  distance  clouds. 

"  In  the  bill  of  the  Eagle  a  scroll  with  the  words 


THE    GREAT    SEAL   OF   THE    UNITED    STATES  4^3 

E   PLURIBUS    UNUM. 

"  Reverse, 

"  A  Pyramid  unfinished. 

"  In  the  zenith  an  eye  in  a  triangle  surrounded  with  a  glory,  proper. 

"  Over  the  eye  these  words 

ANNUIT   CGEPTIS. 

"  On  the  base  of  the  pyramid  the  numerical  letters 

MDCCLXXVI. 
"  And  underneath  these  words 

NOVUS    ORDO    SECLORUM." 

The  original  designs  from  Barton   and  from  Secretary  Thompson  are 
preserved  in  the  department  of  state.     Next  in  order  is  a  report  indorsed 


GREAT   SEAL   OF    1784. 

as  Mr.  Barton's  improvement  on  the  secretary's  device.  In  this  the  chev- 
rons are  replaced  by  perpendicular  stripes.  The  device  is  very  nearly 
identical  with  that  finally  adopted.     It  is  designated  as  a 

"  Device  for  an  Armorial  Achievement  for  the  United  States  of  North 
America,  blazoned  agreeably  to  the  Laws  of  Heraldry — proposed  by 
William  Barton,  A.M. 

ARMS. 

"  Paleways  of  thirteen  pieces  Argent  and  Gules  ;  a  chief  Azure.  The 
Escutcheon  placed  on  the  Breast  of  an  American  (the  bald-headed)  Eagle 
displayed  proper,  holding  in  his  Beak  a  Scroll,  inscribed  with  this  motto, 
viz., 


4&4  THE    GREAT   SEAL  OF    THE    UNITED    STATES 

E   PLURIBUS    UNUM, 
And  in  his  dexter  Talon  a  Palm  or  an  Olive  Branch,  in  the  other  a  bundle 
of  thirteen  arrows,  all  proper. 

FOR   THE   CREST. 
"  Over  the  Head  of   the   Eagle,  which  appears  above  the  Escutcheon, 
a  Glory  Or ;  breaking  through  a  cloud,  proper,  and   surrounding  thirteen 
stars  forming  a  Constellation,  Argent  on  an  Azure  Field. 
"  In  the  Exergue  of  the  Great  Seal — 
JUL.  IV.  MDCCLXXVL 
"  In  the  margin  of  the  same — 
Sigil.  Mag.  Reipub. 
Confed.  Americ. 

REMARKS. 

"  Ehe  Escutcheon  is  composed  of  the  Chief  and  Pale,  the  two  most 
honorable  ordinaries  :  the  latter  represent  the  several  States  ;  all  joined 
in  one  solid  compact  Entire  supporting  a  Chief,  which  unites  the  whole 
and  represents  Congress.  The  Motto  alludes  to  this  Union.  The  colours 
or  Tinctures  of  the  Pales  are  those  used  in  the  Flag  of  the  United  States. 
White  signifies  Purity  and  Innocence  ;  Red,  Hardiness  and  Valour.  The 
Chief  denotes  Congress.  Blue  is  the  ground  of  the  American  Uniform, 
and  the  Colour  signifies  Vigilance,  Perseverance  and  Justice.  The  mean- 
ing of  the  Crest  is  obvious,  as  is  likewise  that  of  the  Olive  branch  and 
Arrows. 

"  The  Escutcheon  being  placed  on  the  Breast  of  the  Eagle  displayed 
is  a  very  ancient  mode  of  bearing,  and  is  truly  imperial.  The  Eagle 
displayed  is  an  Heraldical  figure;  and  being  borne  in  the  manner  here  de- 
scribed, supplies  the  place  of  supporters  and  Crest.  The  American  States 
need  no  supporters  but  their  own  Virtue,  and  the  Preservation  of  their 
Union  through  Congress.  The  Pales  in  the  Arms  are  kept  closely  united 
by  the  Chief,  which  last  likewise  depends  on  that  Union  and  the  strength 
resulting  from  it,  for  its  own  support — the  Inference  is  plain.       W.   B." 

Jan.  19,  1782. 

Short  time  was  given  after  this  for  straying  -in  the  wilderness  of  fancy 
on  the  quest  for  a  device  for  a  seal.  Under  date  of  June  20,  1782,  the 
Journals  of  Congress  contain  this  record  : 

On  the  report  of  the  secretary  to  whom  was  referred  the  several  reports  on  the 
device  for  a  great  seal,  to  take  order  : 

The  device  for  an  armorial  achievement  and  reverse  of  the  great  seal  for  the  United 
States  in  Congress  assembled- is  as  follows  : 


THE    GREAT   SEAL   OF   THE    UNITED    STATES 


485 


"  ARMS — Paleways  of  thirteen  pieces,  argent  and  gules;  a  chief  azure  ; 
the  escutcheon  on  the  breast  of  the  American  eagle  displayed,  proper,  hold- 
ing in  its  dexter  talon  an  olive  branch,  and  in  his  sinister  a  bundle  of  thir- 
teen arrows,  all  proper,  and  in  his  beak  a  scroll,  inscribed  with  this  motto  E 
Pluribus  Unum. 

"  For  the  CREST — Over  the  head  of  the  eagle,  which  appears  above  the 
escutcheon,  a  glory,  or,  breaking  through  a  cloud,  proper,  and  surrounding 
thirteen  stars  forming  a  constellation,  argent,  on  a  azure  field. 

"  REVERSE — A  pyramid  unfinished. 


GREAT  SEAL   OF    I782. 

"  In  the  zenith  an  eye  in  a  triangle,  surrounded  with  a  glory,  proper-, 
over  the  eye  these  words  Annuit  Cceptis.  On  the  base  of  the  pyramid  the 
numerical  letters  MDCCLXXVI.  And  underneath  the  following  motto, 
Novus  Or  do  Sector  um" 

The  blazon  of  the  heraldic  form  shows  certain  variations  from  the  legal 
description  : 

"  Argent  six  palets  gules  a  chief  azure  worn  on  the  breast  of  the  American 
eagle  displayed,  in  his  dexter  talon  an  olive  branch,  in  his  sinister  a  bundle 
of  thirteen  arrows,  points  upward,  all  proper,  the  last  feathered  or  ;  his 
head  surrounded  with  a  circular  sky  azure,  charged  with  thirteen  mullets. 
5,  4,  3,  1  argent,  environed  with  clouds  proper,  and  beyond  rays,  or  ;  in  his 
beak  a  scroll  with  the  words  E  Pluribus  Unum, 


486  THE    GREAT   SEAL    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES 

M  Reverse.  A  pyramid  unfinished.  In  the  zenith  an  eye  in  a  triangle 
surrounded  with  a  glory  proper,  over  the  eye  these  words,  Annuit  Coeptis. 
0\\  the  base  of  the  pyramid  the  numerical  letters  MDCCLXXVI,  and 
underneath  the  following  motto,  Novus  Ordo  Secloruftt." 

The  interpretation  of  the  device  accompanying  the  report  is  in  the 
form  appended : 

The  escutcheon  is  composed  of  the  chief  and  pale  the  two  most  honorable  ordi- 
naries. The  pieces  pales  represent  the  several  states,  all  joined  in  one  solid,  compact 
entire  supporting  a  chief  which  unites  the  whole  and  represents  Congress.  The  pales 
in  the  arms  are  kept  closely  united  by  the  chief,  and  the  chief  depends  on  that  union,  and 
the  strength  resulting  from  it  for  its  support,  to  denote  the  confederacy  of  the  United 
States  of  America  and  the  preservation  of  their  union  through  congress.  The  colors  of 
the  pales  are  those  used  in  the  flag  of  the  United  States  of  America  :  white  signifies 
purity  and  innocence,  red,  hardiness  and  valor  ;  and  blue  the  color  of  the  chief  signifies 
vigilance,  perseverance  and  justice.  The  olive  branch  and  arrows  denote  the  power  of 
peace  and  war,  which  is  exclusively  vested  in  Congress.  The  constellation  denotes  anew 
State  taking  its  place  and  rank  among  the  sovereign  powers  ;  the  escutcheon  is  borne  on 
the  breast  of  the  American  eagle  without  any  other  supporters,  to  denote  that  the  United 
States  of  America  ought  to  rely  on  their  own  virtue.  Reverse.  The  pyramid  signifies 
strength  and  duration  ;  the  Eye  over  it  and  the  motto  allude  to  the  many  and  signal  inter- 
positions of  Providence  in  favor  of  the  American  cause.  The  date  underneath  is  that 
of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  and  the  words  under  it  signify  the  beginning  of  a 
new  era  which  commences  from  that  date. 

The  general  rendering  of  the  words  Annuit  Coeptis  is,  God  has  favored 
the  undertaking ;  that  of  Novus  Ordo  Seclorum,  a  new  order  of  ages — refer- 
ring to  the  new  order  of  things  in  the  western  world.  The  words  are 
traced  to  the  ^Eneid.  "  Audacious  annue  cceptis,"  favors  my  daring  under- 
taking ;  and  "  magnus  ab  integro  seclorum  nasciter  ordo,"  the  great  order 
of  ages  begins  anew.  The  origin  of  the  motto  of  the  scroll — surviving  from 
the  device  of  the  original  committee  as  "  the  best  motto  ever  appropriated  " 
— has  been  largely  discussed.  It  is  traced  ultimately  to  a  poem  of  Virgil 
called  Moretum,  which  describes  an  ancient  Italian  peasant's  morning  meal. 
The  moretum  is  a  species  of  pottage  consisting  of  herbs  and  cheese,  which 
he  prepares  before  dawn  with  the  help  of  his  servants,  grinding  up  the 
various  ingredients  with  a  pestle.     The  quotation  is  found  in  these  lines  : 

It  matus  in  gyrun  paullatum  singula  vines 
Dependent  propries — color  est  E  Pluribus  Unum. 

The  direct  source  for  the  words,  nevertheless,  was  probably  the  Gentle- 
man s  Magazine,  published  in  London,  and  having  a  large  circulation  in  the 
colonies.  This  was  an  eclectic  publication,  bearing  the  motto  E  Pluribus 
Unum  on  its  title-page.     The  motto  of  the  Spectator  (171 1)  was  :   Color  est 


THE   GREAT    SEAL   OF   THE   UNITED    STATES  48/ 

e  phiribas  unum,  attributed  to  a  poem  by  Horace.  A  writer  in  the  Over- 
land Monthly  concluded  that  the  motto  for  the  seal  was  derived  from  a 
modest  metrical  composition  in  Latin,  by  John  Carey  of  Philadelphia, 
entitled,  The  Pyramid  of  the  Fifteen  States,  which  contained  these  lines  : 

Audax  inde  cohors  stellis  e  pluribus  unum 
Aadua  pyramidos  tollit  ad  astra  caput. 

This  supposition  was  shown  by  Mr.  Preble  to  be  an  error.  The  refer- 
ence to  the  fifteen  states,  he  says,  is  evidence  that  the  poem  was  written 
subsequently  to  1794  or  1795,  after  the  admission  of  Vermont  and  Ken- 
tucky to  the  original  thirteen. 

The  seal  had  been  adopted  by  congress,  as  has  been  shown,  less  than 
six  months  previous  to  the  signing  of  the  preliminary  treaty  of  peace  with 
Great  Britain,  in  1782.  It  appears  on  a  commission  dated  September  16, 
1782,  granting  full  power  and  authority  to  General  Washington  to  arrange 
with  the  British  for  exchange  of  prisoners  of  war.  After  the  ratification  of 
the  Constitution,  this  seal  was  formally  declared,  on  September  15,  1789 — 
when  the  department  of  state  was  organized — to  be  the  seal  of  the  United 
States.  "  Sec.  3.  .  .  .  That  the  seal  heretofore  used  by  the  United 
States  in  Congress  assembled  shall  and  hereby  is  declared  to  be  the  seal  of 
the  United  States."  .  .  .  Its  custody  was  subsequently  given  to  the 
secretary  of  state,  who  is  empowered  to  affix  it  to  commissions,  etc.,  which 
have  received  the  signature  of  the  President. 

Sec.  4.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  that  the  said  Secretary  shall  keep  the  said  seal 
and  shall  make  out  and  record  and  shall  affix  the  said  seal  to  all  civil  commissions  to 
officers  of  the  United  States  to  be  appointed  by  and  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the 
Senate,  or  by  the  President  alone,  Provided  that  the  said  seal  shall  not  be  affixed  to  any 
commission  before  the  same  shall  have  been  signed  by  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
nor  to  any  other  instrument  or  act  without  the  special  warrant  of  the  President  therefor. 

All  other  legal  instruments  than  commissions  and  exequators  require  a 
separate  warrant  signed  by  the  President,  authorizing  a  seal  to  be  used. 
As  a  consequence  of  the  expanded  duties  of  the  government,  the  seal  of 
the  United  States  is  no  longer  attached  by  the  department  of  state  to  the 
commissions  of  officers  who  are  under  some  other  department.  This  is  a 
gradual  change,  beginning  with  the  act  of  March  18,  1874,  by  which  the 
commissions  of  postmasters  are  made  out  under  the  seal  of  the  postoffice 
department.  By  the  act  of  March  3,  1875,  the  commissions  of  officers  of 
the  interior  department  were  transferred  to  that  department  ;  and  by  the  act 
of  August  8,  1888,  the  appointments  of  all  judicial  officers,  marshals,  and 


488  THE    GREAT   SEAL   OF   THE    UNITED    STATES 

United  States  attorneys  were  ordered  to  be  made  under  the  seal  of  the 
department  of  justice.  The  United  States  seal  is  affixed  to  the  commis- 
sions of  cabinet  officers,  and  to  those  of  diplomatic  and  consular  officers 
nominated  by  the  President  and  confirmed  by  the  senate;  to  all  cere- 
monious communications  from  the  President  to  the  heads  of  foreign  gov- 
ernments ;  treaties,  conventions,  and  formal  agreements  of  the  President 
with  foreign  powers  ;  pardons,  commutations  of  sentence  to  offenders  con- 
victed before  courts  of  the  United  States ;  proclamations  by  the  Presi- 
dent ;  all  exequators  to  foreign  consular  offices  in  the  United  States 
appointed  by  the  heads  of  governments  which  they  represent,  and  to  war- 
rants by  the  President  in  cases  of  extradition. 

The  description  of  the  device  indicates  a  seal  pendant,  with  ribbon,  cor- 
responding to  the  English  custom  ;  since  1869  a  plaque  seal  has  been  used 
instead.  A  thin  white  wafer  affixed  to  the  surface  of  the  document,  at  the 
left  of  the  President's  signature,  receives  the  impression  of  the  seal.  This 
is  used  upon  treaties  as  well  as  all  other  documents  to  which  the  seal  is 
appended.  The  method  is  favored  on  account  of  greater  facility  in  the  use  of 
the  wafer  impression  than  with  the  pendant  die,  and  because  of  the  security 
which  it  gives,  as  the  impression  cannot  be  removed  without  mutila- 
tion of  the  document  ;  while  a  pendant  affixed  by  a  ribbon  to  which  the 
seal  is  impressed,  in  the  manner  customary  in  other  countries,  can  be  easily 
detached  through  intent  or  accident.1 

The  die-sinker  of  1782  and  that  of  1841  were  in  brass  ;  that  of  1885  is  cut 
in  the  finest  steel,  and  the  plate  on  which  the  paper  is  placed  to  receive  the 
impression  is  of  bronze.  The  seal  die,  which  is  three  inches  in  diameter, 
with  a  weight  of  one  pound  six  ounces,  is  used  in  a  screw  press.  By  an 
ingenious  mechanism  the  impression  can  now  be  given  to  show  the  eagle 
head  up,  as  in  the  former  press  was  impossible  in  the  case  of  bulky 
documents. 

The  reverse  of  the  seal  has  never  been  made,  and  no  reason  for  this 
omission  is  discovered.  The  suggestion  has  been  repeatedly  made  that  the 
use  of  the  seal  without  the  obverse  and  reverse,  as  plainly  indicated  by  the 
act,  may  be  technically  illegal,  since  making  the  half  serve  for  the  whole  has 
not  appeared  to  be  authorized  in  any  manner  by  law.  Another  complaint 
is  in  reference  to  certain  alterations  made  in  the  design  in  1841,  of  which 
no  explanation  can  be  stated.     With  other  differences,  including  that  of 

1  To  constitute  a  valid  seal  at  the  common  law  there  must  be  a  tenacious  substance  adhering  to 
the  paper  or  parchment,  and  an  impression  made  upon  it.  An  impression  made  in  the  material  of 
the  paper  itself  is  insufficient.  The  old  common  law  definition  of  a  seal  is  that  given  by  Lord 
Coke:  "  Sigillum  est  cera  impressa."  But  it  has  long  been  held  that  instead  of  wax  a  wafer  or  other 
tenacious  substance  on  which  an  impression  is  or  may  be  made  is  a  good  seal. 


THE   GREAT   SEAL   OF   THE    UNITED    STATES 


489 


smaller  dimensions,  the  eagle  engraved  on  the  die  of  that  date  holds  but 
six  arrows  instead  of  the  original  number,  the  significance  of  which  is  lost 
in  the  change.  A  doubt  of  the  legal  use  of  the  seal  in  such  form  has  been 
suggested,  although  not  maintained  by  judiciary  opinion.  The  heraldic 
inaccuracies  of  the  description,  which  also  have  been  criticised,  refer  to  the 
omission  of  the  tincture  of  the  scroll,  which  properly  might  be  either 
red  or  blue  instead  of  gold,  as  in  the  official  representation  in  color  ;  the 
mention  of  paleways,  argent,  and  gules,  while  in  the  flag  from  which  the 
colors  are  copied  are  (seven)  red  and  (six)  white  stripes,  and  the  designa- 
tion of  the  stars  over  the  head  of  the  eagle  a  crest,  when  not  a  crest  in  any 
strict  application  of  the  term. 


GREAT  SEAL   OF    I 


The  name  of  the  engraver  of  the  original  seal  or  that  of  1841  is  un- 
known. The  new  seal  of  1885  was  by  authority  of  act  of  congress,  July  7, 
1884,  entrusted  to  Tiffany  &  Co.,  of  New  York.  This  work  restores  the 
adopted  device,  the  chief  difference  in  the  drawing  being  in  the  modern 
spirit  applied  in  its  execution.  The  artist,  Mr.  James  Horton  Whitehouse, 
in  whose  hands  it  was  placed,  is  known  as  the  designer  of  many  beautiful 
pieces  of  art  in  silver,  including  the  Bryant  vase  in  the  Metropolitan  museum, 
and  the  casket  presented  to  Bishop  Potter  on  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary 
of  his  consecration.  Some  of  the  national  medals  are  examples  of  his  work, 
as  are  the  fine  memorial  brasses  in  St.  James'  church  in  this  city. 


490  THE    GREAT   SEAL   OF   THE    UNITED    STATES 

Franklin  conceived  a  strong  objection  to  the  adoption  of  the  eagle  as 
the  emblem  of  his  country.  Of  the  moral  character  of  the  white-headed 
eagle,  Haliatus  IcucoccpJialus,  of  his  tyrannical  and  overbearing  temper,  his 
want  of  a  generous  spirit,  etc.,  much  has  been  said  in  condemnation,  and 
Audubon  stated  that  his  opinion  perfectly  coincided  with  that  of  "  our 
great  Franklin  "  in  reference  to  this  selection.  The  poets  have  been  able 
to  forget  that  he  is  a  ferocious  robber,  in  paying  tribute  to  the  eagle  with 
his  "  sunward  course  erect  and  true."  Heraldry  teaches  that  the  good  qual- 
ities are  to  be  considered  in  the  choice  of  an  armorial  emblem,  as  the 
perfect  vision  and  power  of  flight  in  the  eagle.  The  American  eagle  is  a 
handsome  variety  of  his  species,  and  he  lives  to  a  great  age.  A  foreigner 
has  said  that  Americans  can  do  no  better  than  try  to  live  up  their  bird.1 

Several  good  reproductions  of  the  device  of  the  seal  of  the  United 
States  are  to  be  found  in  New  York  and  elsewhere.  The  Astor  library 
possesses  a  facsimile  in  bronze.  A  reproduction  of  large  size  on  canvas, 
of  uncertain  origin  and  date,  is  preserved  in  St.  Paul's  church  in  this  city. 
It  has  been  regretted  that  in  the  ordinary  representations  of  the  arms  of  the 
United  States,  the  chief  is  sometimes  charged  with  three  or  more  mullets. 
The  etching  by  Jacquemart  in  M.  Loubat's  Mcdallic  History  of  the  United 
States  is  a  superb  facsimile  of  the  actual  device  of  the  emblem  as  adopted 
by  the  nation.  The  reproduction  contained  in  the  recent  monograph  on 
the  subject  issued  by  the  department  of  state  is  in  colors.2 

Heraldic  Ter??is  tised  in  the  Descriptio7is  of  Devices  for  a  Seal : 

Achievement — a  complete  heraldic  composition. 

Argent — the  metal  silver  ;  represented  conventionally  by  a  plain  white  surface. 
Azure — the  tincture  blue  ;   in  engraving  represented  by  shadings  in  horizontal  lines. 
Barry — divided  with  bars. 

1  "  The  device  for  its  great  seal  adopted  by  congress  in  midsummer,"  says  Bancroft,  "is  the 
American  eagle  as  the  emblem  of  that  strength  which  uses  victory  only  for  peace.  It  therefore  holds 
in  its  right  talon  the  olive  branch  ;  with  the  left  it  clasps  together  thirteen  arrows,  emblems  of  the 
thirteen  states.  On  an  azure  field  over  the  head  of  the  eagle  appears  a  constellation  of  thirteen 
stars  breaking  gloriously  through  a  cloud.  In  the  eagle's  beak  is  the  scroll  '  E  Pluribus  Unum,' 
many  in  one  ;  out  of  diversity,  unity — the  two  ideas  that  make  America  great ;  individual  freedom 
of  states,  and  unity  as  the  expression  of  conscious  nationality." 

a  The  sources  of  information  on  the  subject  of  the  United  States  seal  include  the  following  : 
Original  documents  in  department  of  state:  American  Archives;  Journals  of  Congress; 
Familiar  Letters  of  John  Adams  and  his  Wife,  edited  by  George  Francis  Adams  ;  TJie  Flag  of  the 
United  States;  Major-General  Schuyler  Hamilton  (1852)  ;  Preble's  History  of  the  Flag  ;  Parton's 
Life  of  Jefferson;  Randall's  Life  of  Jefferson;  Pamphlet  by  John  I.  Champlin,  Jr.,  reprinted  from 
Galaxy  Magazine;  Article  by  Lossing  in  Harper 's  Magazine  for  July,  1856  ;  Genealogical  and  Bio- 
graphical Register;  American  Law  Review,  Vol.  I.  (1866-1867)  ;  Seal  of  the  United  States,  by 
Gaillard  Hunt  (department  of  state,  1892). 


THE    GREAT   SEAL   OF   THE    UNITED    STATES  49 r 

Canton — a  part  of  the  chief  cut  off  on  either  the  left  or  right  hand  upper  corner, 
bounded  by  straight,  vertical,  and  horizontal  lines. 

Charged — bearing  a  charge,  or  figure,  upon  the  escutcheon. 

Chief— head  or  upper  part  of  escutcheon  from  side  to  side,  cut  off  horizontally  by  a 
straight  line,  and  containing  properly  one-third  part  of  the  dimensions  of  the  escutcheon. 

Chevrons — bars,  as  the  rafters  of  a  roof  leaning  against  one  another. 

Coupe — cut  off -evenly. 

Crest — part  of  the  achievement  borne  outside  of  and  above  the  escutcheon. 

Damasked — wrought  with  an  ornamental  pattern. 

Dexter — that  side  of  a  shield  which  is  toward  the  right  of  the  one  bearing  it  braced 
or  fitted  upon  the  arm. 

Displayed — having  the  wings  expanded. 

Escutcheon — Surface  upon  which  are  charged  a  person's  armorial  bearings  other 
than  the  crest,  motto,  supporters,  etc.,  which  are  borne  separately. 

Fess — a  bearing  'bounded  by  two  horizontal  lines  across  the  field,  which  regularly 
contain  between  them  one-third  of  the  escutcheon. 

Glory — circle  of  glory  ;  sort  of  crown  made  with  rays,  leaving  a  circular  open  space 
in  the  middle. 

Gules — the  tincture  red  ;  in  representations  without  color,  as  in  drawing  or  engrav- 
ing, indicated  by  vertical  lines  drawn  close  together. 

Legend — inscription. 

Or — one  of  the  tinctures,  the  metal  gold,  often  represented  by  a  yellow  color,  and  in 
engraving  conventionally  by  dots  upon  a  white  ground. 

Ordinaries — common  bearings  usually  bounded  by  straight  lines — the  oldest  bear- 
ings. 

Paleways — divided  into  equal  parts  by  perpendicular  lines. 

Pale — a  perpendicular  stripe  in  an  escutcheon. 

Proper — having  its  natural  color  or  colors. 

Quarter — one  of  the  four  parts  into  which  a  shield  is  divided  by  quartering. 

Rouge — red. 

Sable — black  ;  one  of  the  tinctures  ;  represented  when  the  colors  are  not  shown,  as 
in  engraving,  by  a  fine  network  of  vertical  and  horizontal  lines. 

Saltier — an  ordinary,  in  the  form  of  St.  Andrew's  cross,  formed  by  two  bands,  dexter 
and  sinister,  crossing  each  other. 

Sanguinated — stained  with  blood. 

Seme — covered  with  small  bearings  forming  a  pattern  over  the  surface. 

Shield — the  shield-shaped  escutcheon  used  for  displays  of  arms. 

Sinister — left-hand  side  of  the  person  who  carries  the  shield  on  his  arm,  therefore  the 
right-hand  side  of  spectator. 

Supporter — the  representation  of  a  living  creature  accompanying  the  escutcheon,  and 
either  holding  it  up  or  standing  beside  it,  as  if  to  keep  or  guard  it. 


OUR    LEADING    LIBRARIES 

NO,   II.      THE    CONGRESSIONAL   LIBRARY,    WASHINGTON 
By  Ainsworth  R.  Spofford,  Chief  Librarian 

The  history  of  the  library  of  congress  is  nearly  coeval  with  that  of 
the  national  government.  During  the  formative  period  that  preceded  the 
federal  Constitution,  congress  was  a  migratory  body,  and  such  books  as 
were  used  were  either  the  private  property  of  the  members,  or  else  bor- 
rowed from  the  Library  Company  of  Philadelphia,  which  made  an  early 
tender  (August,  1774)  of  its  stores  of  information.  During  the  ten  years, 
1791-1800,  when  the  offices  of  the  government  and  congress  itself  were 
established  at  Philadelphia,  we  find  that  very  considerable  use  was  made 
of  the  privileges  of  the  Library  Company  and  the  Logan ian  library  associ- 
ated with  it.  What  few  law  books  and  works  of  reference  were  gathered 
for  the  use  of  congress  or  of  its  committees  were  not  deemed  important 
enough  to  be  called  a  library. 

At  length,  in  the  summer  of  1800,  in  pursuance  of  the  act  which  fixed 
the  permanent  seat  of  government  of  the  United  States  upon  the  Potomac, 
three  small  sailing  vessels  carred  the  archives  and  offices  of  the  departments 
and  of  congress  from  Philadelphia  to  Washington.  In  the  scanty  chron- 
icles of  this  removal,  there  is  no  mention  of  books.  But  congress,  with 
wise  foresight,  had  provided,  before  setting  up  its  tabernacle  in  the  wilder- 
ness, where  no  hospitable  Philadelphia  library  could  be  drawn  upon,  by 
act  of  April  24,  1800,  for  "further  provision  for  the  removal  and  accom- 
modation of  the  government  of  the  United  States."  By  this  act  the  sum 
of  five  thousand  dollars  was  appropriated  "  for  the  purchase  of  such  books 
as  maybe  necessary  for  the  use  of  congress  at  the  said  city  of  Washington, 
and  for  fitting  up  a  suitable  apartment  for  containing  them."  The  selection 
was  to  be  made  by  a  joint  committee  of  both  houses  of  congress. 

Out  of  this  little  appropriation  of  five  thousand  dollars  has  grown  the 
great  government  library  of  to-day,  with  its  six  hundred  and  sixty  thou- 
sand volumes,  and  two  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  pamphlets.  Congress 
assembled  for  the  first  time  in  Washington  on  November  17,  1800.  The 
capitol  was  in  process  of  building,  and  both  branches  of  congress,  with  the 
supreme  court,  were  all  crowded  into  the  north  wing  of  the  new  edifice. 
Not  many  books  were  received  until  near  the  following  session,  convened 


OUR   LEADING   LIBRARIES  493 

in  December,  1801,  when  President  Jefferson,  who  always  took  an  earnest 
interest  in  the  library,  recommended  that  a  statement  should  be  prepared 
respecting  the  books  and  maps  purchased  under  the  appropriation.  At  the 
same  session  a  joint  committee  was  appointed  to  consider  and  report  upon 
the  proper  means  of  taking  care  of  the  new  library,  and  its  report  (by  John 
Randolph  of  Virginia)  formed  the  basis  of  the  systematic  statute  ap- 
proved January  26,  1802,  for  the  administration  of  the  library  of  con- 
gress. This  act  placed  the  librarian  and  the  collection  of  books  under  the 
supervision  of  a  joint  committee  of  both  houses  on  the  library,  composed 
of  three  senators  and  three  representatives,  an  arrangement  which  still  exists. 

During  the  earlier  years,  there  was  no  titular  librarian  appointed,  the 
books  being  in  charge  of  the  clerk  of  the  house  of  representatives,  who  was 
librarian  ex-officio,  with  a  clerk  detailed  by  him  to  superintend  the  service 
of  books.  The  collection  had  grown  by  slow  accretion,  under  small  appro- 
priations (never  exceeding  one  thousand  dollars  yearly)  until  it  reached 
three  thousand  volumes  in  1814.  In  August  of  that  year,  it  was  burned, 
with  the  capitol,  by  the  British  army,  during  their  one  day's  riotous  posses- 
sion of  the  federal  city — a  piece  of  vandalism  common  enough  in  wars,  but 
never  yet  repaired,  if  I  read  history  aright.  The  next  month,  Thomas 
Jefferson  wrote  to  his  friend,  Samuel  H.  Smith,  M.  C.  (first  publisher  of 
that  historic  newspaper,  The  National  Intelligencer),  offering  to  sell  his  private 
library  of  six  thousand  seven  hundred  volumes  to  congress,  as  he  was 
encumbered  with  debt.  A  bill  for  the  purchase,  at  the  price  of  twenty- 
three  thousand  nine  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  was  finally  passed,  but  not 
without  strenuous  opposition— some  members  declaring  that  there  were 
too  many  different  editions  of  the  Bible  in  the  collection,  while  another 
wiseacre  proposed  that  all  works  of  a  skeptical  tendency  should  first  be 
weeded  out  and  returned  to  the  owner  at  Monticello.  It  is  notable  that 
the  catalogue  of  the  collection,  prepared  by  Mr.  Jefferson's  own  hand,  and 
printed  in  1815  in  a  thin  quarto  volume,  bears  the  title,  "Catalogue  of 
the  Library  of  the  United  States."  Such,  indeed,  it  was,  and  is  :  for  it  has 
been  purchased  and  maintained  at  public  expense  and  is  freely  open  to  all. 

In  181 5,  Mr.  George  Watterston  was  appointed  librarian  of  congress; 
in  1829,  John  S.  Meehan  ;  in  1861,  John  G.  Stephenson  ;  and  in  1864  Ains- 
worth  R.  Spofford.  After  Mr.  Watterston's  appointment,  the  library  was 
located  for  a  time,  with  congress,  in  the  post-office  department,  removing 
later  to  the  temporary  brick  house  of  congress  on  Capitol  hill,  until  1824, 
when  it  was  transferred  to  its  present  quarters  in  the  west  front  of  the 
central  capitol  building.  It  continued  to  grow,  under  annual  appropria- 
tions of  two  thousand  dollars,  increased  to  five  thousand  in  1824,  which 


404  OUR   LEADING   LIBRARIES 

was  continued  yearly  for  about  thirty  years.  Mr.  Jefferson's  modest 
nucleus  for  a  national  library  had  grown  to  fifty-five  thousand  volumes  in 
185 1,  when  a  fire,  occasioned  by  a  defective  flue,  wrapped  the  wooden 
shelves  and  the  library  itself  in  flames.  Only  twenty  thousand  volumes 
were  saved,  and  among  them  about  half  of  the  Jefferson  collection.  The 
whole  of  the  important  divisions  of  jurisprudence,  political  science,  and 
American  history  and  biography  were  saved,  but  all  the  books  in  general 
history,  geography,  art,  natural  science,  poetry,  and  belles  lettres  were 
destroyed.  Congress  at  once,  with  praiseworthy  liberality,  took  efficient 
measures  to  restore  the  library,  appropriating  seventy-five  thousand  dollars 
for  the  immediate  purchase  of  books,  and  seventy-two  thousand  five 
hundred  dollars  for  reconstructing  the  library  rooms  with  solid  iron  shelv- 
ing, finished  in  a  highly  decorated  style,  and  furnishing  the  first  example 
of  any  public  building  interior  constructed  wholly  of  iron. 

In  1865,  the  collection  having  quite  outgrown  the  space  devoted  to  it 
(a  hall  ninety-two  feet  in  length  by  thirty-four  feet  in  width,  and  thirty- 
nine  feet  in  height),  provision  was  made  by  congress  for  enlargement,  by 
appropriating  adjacent  space  occupied  by  committee  rooms  and  clerks' 
offices  to  add  two  spacious  wings  of  equal  size  to  the  existing  library  and 
of  greater  capacity  for  books.  The  year  following  (1866)  was  signalized  by 
the  accession  of  the  large  Smithsonian  scientific  library,  very  rich  in  the 
transactions  and  reports  of  the  learned  societies  of  Europe  and  America. 
These  were  made,  by  joint  action  of  congress  and  the  regents  of  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution,  a  permanent  deposit  in  the  library  of  the  government. 
They  had  been  fortunately  saved  from  the  fire  which  nearly  destroyed  the 
Smithsonian  building  the  same  year. 

The  next  year  (1867)  witnessed  the  purchase  by  congress  of  the  exten- 
sive historical  library  of  Peter  Norce,  the  printer,  journalist,  and  annalist 
of  the  American  Archives.  This  collection  (for  which  the  sum  of  a  hundred 
thousand  dollars  was  paid  without  opposition  in  congress,  so  thoroughly 
satisfied  was  that  body  of  its  great  value  as  materials  for  history)  embraced 
over  sixty  thousand  titles  of  books,  pamphlets,  newspapers,  and  other  peri- 
odicals, maps,  manuscripts,  etc.,  relating  to  the  discovery,  colonization, 
and  history  of  the  United  States.  This  timely  acquisition  saved  from 
dispersion  one  of  the  most  importatit  private  libraries  ever  gathered  by  a 
single  hand  in  this  country,  and  should  be  supplemented  by  the  addition 
of  the  late  George  Bancroft's  noble  collection. 

The  law  library  forms  one  of  the  richest  departments  of  the  library  of 
the  government.  Situated  in  the  basement  of  the  capitol,  in  the  room 
formerly  occupied  (until  1859)  Dy  the  supreme  court  of  the  United  States, 


OUR   LEADING   LIBRARIES  495 

it  contains  over  eighty  thousand  volumes,  and  is  very  largely  availed  of, 
not  only  by  congress  and  the  several  United  States  courts  at  the  capital, 
but  by  the  bar  of  Washington,  and  attorneys  from  all  parts  of  the  country 
having  business  there. 

While  the  central  idea  of  a  great  library  designed  primarily  for  the  use 
of  a  parliamentary  body  should  be  a  full  collection  in  the  departments  of 
jurisprudence,  political  science,  history,  and  economic  science,  yet  it  should 
not  neglect  works  in  any  field  of  human  interest.  It  is  constantly  liable 
to  be  drawn  upon  for  information  regarding  every  country  in  the  world, 
and  upon  every  question  of  public  interest  which  can  engage  the  attention 
of  statesmen.  It  must  obviously  become  sooner  or  later  a  universal  library, 
or  else  fail  of  its  highest  usefulness.  As  the  representative  national  col- 
lection of  books,  it  is  obviously  the  proper  conservator  of  all  A mericana, 
in  the  largest  interpretation  of  that  term,  to  include  not  only  the  curiosi- 
ties of  history  and  early  printed  books,  but  all  that  the  country  produces  in 
permanent  literary  form.  Accordingly,  the  library  has  already  gathered 
a  most  comprehensive  collection  of  voyages  and  travels  relating  to  America, 
in  all  languages,  together  with  most  books  in  history  and  biography,  includ- 
ing the  local  town  and  county  histories  and  genealogies  of  every  period. 
Its  collection  of  city  and  village  directories  is  large  and  constantly  increas- 
ing ;  its  stores  of  state  and  territorial  and  municipal  documents  and  laws, 
while  far  from  complete,  are  most  important ;  its  range  of  American  news- 
papers, now  numbering  over  fifteen  thousand  bound  volumes,  represents 
all  sections  of  the  Union,  and  a  century  and  a  half  of  time;  its  files  of 
magazines  and  reviews  are  measurably  complete  ;  its  collection  of  works 
relating  to  railways,  transportation,  etc.,  is  large  and  valuable  ;  and  in  all 
departments  of  business,  finance,  manufactures,  navigation,  mining,  agri- 
culture, and  the  mechanic  arts,  it  is  well  equipped.  Its  pamphlet  collec- 
tions form  one  of  the  richest  departments  of  the  library  ;  and  as  these  pro- 
ductions of  the  press  are  seldom  protected  by  copyright,  it  is  greatly  to  be 
desired  that  all  who  write  or  print  them  would  contribute  copies  to  the 
national  library,  that  due  preservation  may  not  fail. 

In  American  maps,  the  collection  is  large,  embracing  most  of  the  early 
and  more  recent  atlases,  and  some  ten  thousand  separate  maps,  among 
which  are  many  originals,  representing  revolutionary  camps,  marches,  and 
campaigns,  drawn  by  British,  French,  and  American  engineers,  as  well  as 
some  unique  charts  of  Washington  city  in  embryo.  The  rarest  early 
engraved  maps  of  America,  however,  are  conspicuous  by  their  absence, 
except  in  facsimiles.  In  old  manuscripts  only  a  few  specimens,  on  vel- 
lum, of  the   Bible  and   Latin   and   Flemish  missals  are  found  ;  while   in 


496  OUR   LEADING  LIBRARIES 

historical  MSS.  of  the  revolutionary  period  are  the  original  papers  of 
Rochambeau  and  Paul  Jones,  and  some  thirty  military  orderly  books, 
besides  fifty  folio  scrap-books  rilled  with  military  papers  and  historical 
autographs  of  early  American  generals  and  statesmen.  Several  manu- 
script copies  of  works  on  Spanish  America,  New  Mexico,  etc.,  by  Las 
Casas,  Duran,  Panez,  and  Teniente,  are  also  found,  as  well  as  the  original 
records  of  the  Virginia  Company  of  London,  in  two  MS.  folio  volumes. 

The  historical  and  medical  library  of  Dr.  Joseph  M.  Toner,  a  public- 
spirited  citizen  of  Washington,  who  presented  his  collection  to  the  govern- 
ment (the  first  instance  of  such  a  donation  in  our  annals),  is  specially  rich 
in  Wasliingtoniana,  and  will  ultimately  embrace  every  line  of  the  writings 
of  the  Father  of  his  Country,  manuscript  or  printed,  thoroughly  indexed 
and  accessible. 

The  works  of  graphic  art,  accumulated  without  expense  during  twenty 
years'  operation  of  the  law  of  copyright,  will  form  a  highly  instructive  and 
beautiful  exhibit  when  arranged  in  classes  and  displayed  in  the  new  library 
building.  They  will  show  the  steady  progress  made  in  those  arts  of 
design  which  comprise  engraving,  photography,  chromotypy,  etc. 

Since  the  transfer  of  the  entire  business  of  copyright  registry  and  the 
deposit  of  copyright  publications  to  Washington,  in  1 870,  there  have  been 
nearly  six  hundred  thousand  entries  of  copyright  titles  in  the  congressional 
library.  This  involves  a  most  extensive  bureau  of  detail,  for  which  as  yet 
no  adequate  force  has  been  provided  by  congress,  although  the  business  of 
keeping  the  copyright  records  is  much  more  than  self-sustaining,  through 
the  fees  paid  into  the  treasury.  So  exacting  has  the  vast  increase  of 
labor  become,  that  the  printing  of  catalogues  of  the  library  has  been 
perforce  discontinued  for  years  past,  though  the  manuscript  catalogue  of 
accessions,  on  the  card  system,  is  kept  up  to  date.  Of  course,  no  labor  can 
be  too  great  which  secures  to  the  library  of  the  people  an  approximately 
complete  representation  of  the  great  annual  product  of  the  American 
mind,  as  represented  in  books.  Many  works  in  the  past  have  owed  to  the 
copyright  provision  almost  their  sole  chance  of  preservation  in  public 
libraries.  Under  the  recently  enacted  international  copyright  system 
(now  extended  successively  to  Great  Britain,  France,  Belgium,  Switzer- 
land, Germany,  and  Italy),  we  may  expect  a  steady,  though  not  rapid 
increase  of  this  great  collection  through  the  extension  of  the  area  of  copy- 
right. It  is  a  wise  provision  which  renders  it  reasonably  certain  that 
every  book  which  the  country  produces  will  be  stored  up  at  Washington 
for  present  and  future  use  and  reference.  Nor  is  the  mission  of  the  so- 
called  useless  books  by  any  means  fruitless  of  benefit.     If  they  serve  no 


OUR   LEADING    LIBRARIES  497 

other  purpose,  they  may  at  least  serve  as  models  to  be  avoided  by  the 
writers  of  after  times.  The  great  national  libraries  of  the  world  have 
been  long  buying  up,  at  great  prices,  the  chap-books,  pamphlets,  period- 
icals, and  unconsidered  trifles  of  early  generations,  which  a  timely  enforce- 
ment of  a  copyright  system  might  have  saved.  Let  us  have  one  library 
in  America,  and  that  one  belonging  to  all  for  free  consultation,  which  shall 
preserve  all  the  works  which  the  other  libraries  have  not  the  means  or 
the  motive  to  acquire. 

It  is  now  almost  twenty  years  since  the  agitation  for  a  distinct  library 
building,  to  contain  the  overflowing  stores  of  the  congressional  library, 
began  in  our  national  legislature.  After  many  disagreements  between 
senate  and  house,  as  to  site,  plans,  architects,  and  cost,  land  was  finally 
purchased,  and  a  beginning  made  in  1886.  The  futility  of  any  enlarge- 
ment of  the  capitol  adequate  to  afford  permanent  accommodation  was  at 
last  fully  demonstrated,  and  congress,  with  great  liberality,  adopted  plans 
for  a  building  capable  of  containing  four  million  five  hundred  thousand  vol- 
umes, limiting  its  ultimate  cost  to  six  million  dollars.  The  site  selected  is  the 
most  eligible  in  the  city,  being  elevated,  dry,  level,  and  salubrious,  separated 
from  the  eastern  front  of  the  capitol  only  by  a  small  park.  The  exterior 
structure  is  wholly  of  white  granite,  of  two  shades  of  color,  with  four  cor- 
ner pavilions  slightly  projected  to  relieve  the  monotony  of  the  long  facade. 
In  the  interior  the  central  idea  (as  in  the  British  Museum  library)  is  the 
reading-room  rotunda,  which  is  octagonal  in  form,  and  adapted  to  seat 
three  hundred  readers.  The  great  book-repositories  are  stacks  of  iron, 
rising  tier  above  tier,  in  nine  stories  of  eight  feet  each,  bringing  every 
book  within  easy  reach  of  the  hand.  Movable  and  adjustable  shelves  of 
smooth  iron  fill  the  book  stacks.  There  being  no  materials  used  in  the 
entire  construction  of  the  edifice,  except  stone,  iron,  brick,  and  concrete, 
and  occupying  as  it  does  its  own  isolated  position,  with  an  ample  park 
around  it,  no  risk  of  fire,  under  any  circumstances,  can  be  conceived. 

The  collection  of  books,  first  begun  for  the  sole  use  and  benefit  of 
congress,  has  by  steady  growth  and  increasing  research  become  an  im- 
portant factor  in  the  education  of  the  people.  The  nation  cherishes  a 
just  pride  in  its  increase  and  preservation.  No  legislation  of  congress 
meets  with  a  heartier  response  than  its  wise  and  liberal  provision  for  the 
care  and  fitting  bestowal  of  the  nation's  books.  Let  it  become  annually 
more  and  more  worthy  of  its  great  mission  as  conservator  of  our  literature, 
and  advance  unceasingly  in  the  high  aim  of  furnishing  the  fullest  possible 
stores  of  information  in  every  department  of  human  knowledge. 

Vol.  XXIX.— No.  5.-32 


49s 


OUR   LEADING   LIBRARIES 


■  ■- 


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■ 

A    SKETCH    OF    SIR    FRANCIS    NICHOLSON 

By  Worthington  Chauncey  Ford 

If  the  late  Diedrich  Knickerbocker  could  have  laid  aside  his  predilec. 
tion  for  the  Dutch  governors  of  New  York,  and  applied  his  keen  wit  and 
harmless  satire  to  the  English  rulers,  he  would  have  found  the  field  a  very 
rich  one  to  work  upon.  For  however  odd  the  Dutch  appear  when  drawn 
by  his  pen,  their  successors  would  deserve  to  rank  as  real  curios — as  oddi- 
ties in  morals  as  well  as  politics.  It  was  not  a  very  desirable  quality  of 
rulers  that  the  crown  of  Great  Britain  selected  to  represent  its  dignity  and 
defend  its  prerogatives  in  the  colonies.  Let  a  sprig  of  aristocracy  wear  his 
reputation  so  threadbare  as  to  expose  his  wickedness  to  such  a  degree  as 
to  make  living  in  England  next  to  impossible  ;  let  him  waste  his  patri- 
mony, encumber  his  estate,  and  pawn  all  that  he  had  ;  let  him  be  ruined  in 
purse,  in  morals,  or  in  character,  and  he  was  a  fit  object  for  exportation. 
Not  like  the  criminals  who  were  shipped  to  America  to  be  sold*into  tem- 
porary servitude,  but  sent  there  to  occupy  some  position  in  church  or  state, 
and  so  have  an  opportunity  of  patching  together  a  good  name,  or  to  line 
their  purses  with  colonial  taxes.  As  in  manufactures  the  poorer  qualities 
that  were  unsalable  at  home  were  sent  to  America  under  the  general  term  of 
"  colonials,"  so  the  political  bankrupt  was  sent  to  prove  to  the  colonists  the 
blessings  of  a  royal  government.  As  exhibits  of  royal  misgovernment, 
these  home  "  misfits  "  were  perfect,  and  as  the  original  "  carpet-baggers," 
they  played  their  part  with  thoroughness  and  enthusiasm  ;  so  much  so 
that  they  everywhere  excited  opposition,  and  were  often  compelled  to  do 
what  they  had  never  before  dreamed  of  doing — work  for  their  salaries.  As 
pioneers  of  the  Revolution,  these  men  assume  almost  national  importance; 
but  it  is  on  their  personal  and  picturesque  qualities  that  I  purpose  to 
touch. 

This  side  of  them  has  never  been  fully  developed,  because  of  the  cus- 
tom to  shift  them  from  one  province  to  another,  at  the  will  of  their  royal 
masters.  So  that  however  full  a  description  of  their  service  in  one  may 
be,  he  drops  out  of  view  as  soon  as  he  steps  over  the  boundary  into 
another.  New  York  and  New  Jersey  might  have  the  same  governor,  but 
the  local  councils  of  the  governor  would  be  distinct.  As  governor  of  New 
York,  the  incumbent  might  be  captain-general  of  his  majesty's  forces  in 


500  A    SKETCH    OF   SIR   FRANCIS   NICHOLSON 

two  or  three  other  provinces;  or,  in  a  fit  of  spite  due  to  some  very  out- 
spoken petition  from  the  colonists,  a  charter  might  be  revoked,  and  the 
province  be  pinned  on  to  some  other  as  an  inactive  and  impotent  territory. 
So  that  the  historian  of  New  York  sees  pass  before  him  in  review  a  num- 
ber of  apparent  nonentities,  but  in  reality  men  who  made  greater  reputa- 
tions in  good  or  evil  deeds  in  other  parts.  Much  of  the  individuality  is 
therefore  lost  by  such  momentary  glimpses  as  he  would  give,  and  still 
more  of  the  dramatic  elements,  though,  in  reality,  the  period  is  rich  in 
them. 

Such  a  character  as  Lord  Cornbury,  who  graced — or  otherwise — the 
executive  of  New  York  as  captain-general  and  governor-in-chief  of  New 
York  and  New  Jersey,  is  too  transparent  to  require  much  attention.  A 
grandson  of  the  great  earl  of  Clarendon,  to  whose  titles  he  later  succeeded, 
a  cousin  of  the  reigning  queen,  vain,  pompous,  and  fond  of  pleasure,  it  is 
little  wonder  to  read  of  his  vagaries,  or  to  realize  the  intense  disgust  he 
aroused  in  the  sturdy  provincials  under  his  rule.  He  had  all  the  gentle- 
manly vices  of  the  day,  and  exhibited  them  in  public  to  the  great  scandal 
of  the  city,  and  when,  in  moments  of  intense  vanity,  he  swelled  with  pride 
because  of  his  alleged  likeness  to  Queen  Anne,  and  donned  the  garb  of  a 
woman,  even  having  his  portrait  so  painted,  we  are  more  apt  to  laugh  than 
be  surprised,  and  question  the  sanity  of  the  man.  The  termination  of  his 
service  in  New  York  was  fitting,  for  he  landed  in  the  debtor's  prison,  from 
which  he  was  released  only  on  attaining  the  title  of  earl  of  Clarendon,  and 
pleading  his  privileges! 

Not  so  with  Sir  Francis  Nicholson,  of  whom  little  has  been  written. 
His  dual  character  might  almost  lead  us  to  imagine  two  different  men,  for 
it  is  impossible  to  reconcile  the  two  contradictory  accounts  we  have  of 
him.  As  a  governor  he  differed  little  from  the  others,  and  as  an  individual 
he  defies  a  psychological  analysis.  On  the  one  side  he  appears  as  a  good 
governor,  and  a  real  benefactor  to  the  colonies  he  governed  ;  on  the  other 
he  is  depicted  as  a  hot-tempered,  brawling,  drunken  sot,  a  fire-brand  to 
destroy  the  peace  of  the  provinces.  A  glance  at  his  career  in  America 
may  aid  in  solving  the  contradiction. 

His  first  appearance  in  history  was  not  one  calculated  to  inspire  perfect 
confidence  in  the  strength  of  his  conviction,  for,  .though  a  Protestant,  he 
had  not  hesitated  to  gratify  King  James  by  kneeling  during  the  celebration 
of  the  mass  in  the  royal  tent  at  the  camp  on  Hounslow  Heath.  This 
courtly  pliancy,  a  proof  of  an  elastic  conscience,  so  recommended  him  to 
royalty  that  when  two  companies  of  regular  soldiers  were  raised  in  Lon- 
don, to  go  out  with  Sir  Edmund  Andros,  the   command  of  one  was  given 


A   SKETCH    OF   SIR   FRANCIS   NICHOLSON'  50 J 

to  Captain  Francis  Nicholson.  These  companies  were  composed  chiefly 
of  "  Irish  papists,"  and  they  landed  at  Boston  on  December  20,  1686. 
Of  this  mission  of  Sir  Edmund  little  need  be  said,  as  it  forms  a  favorite 
subject  with  American  historians,  readily  lending  itself  to  a  picturesque 
treatment.  We  need  only  say  that  Captain  Nicholson  was  commissioned 
in  April,  1688,  lieutenant-governor  of  New  England,  accompanied  Andros 
to  New  York,  and  was  left  in  command  at  that  place  when  his  superior 
hurried  to  Boston  to  prevent  a  second  Indian  war,  and,  as  it  proved,  hur- 
ried to  prison. 

It  was  an  age  of  political  agitation  and  transition,  and  the  colonies  and 
their  rulers  did  not  escape  the  contagion.  In  the  mother  country  William, 
by  request,  ascended  the  throne  that  the  hesitation  and  downright  cow- 
ardice of  James  had  rendered  vacant.  But  that  change  in  the  head  of  the 
nation  was  a  change  in  the  central  ideas  of  the  English  monarchy  ;  and 
however  scrupulous  William  was  to  defer  to  the  forms  of  law,  the  fact 
remained  that  his  accession  involved  a  revolution,  shaking  the  constitution 
to  its  very  foundations.  So  vast  a  movement  naturally  was  felt  in  Amer- 
ica. Andros  was  deposed  and  imprisoned  upon  charges  that  were  intended 
only  to  get  him  out  of  the  way  while  a  certain  political  ferment  was  work- 
ing. In  New  York  his  representative  hesitated,  and  went  through  a  pro- 
cess of  inaction  that  redounded  to  his  subsequent  advantage. 

Fear  and  distrust  of  the  papacy  were  general,  the  author  of  Loyalty 
Vindicated  gravely  asserting  that  King  James  was  "  bound  in  conscience 
to  indeavour  to  damn  the  English  nation  to  Popery  and  slavery."  In  such 
a  scheme  the  colonies  would  be  included,  and  the  rapid  strides  of  pope- 
dom in  England  under  that  zealous  ruler  were  viewed  with  profound 
anxiety  in  the  colonies.  Papists  were  given  seats  in  the  council,  and  were 
placed  in  high  offices  in  the  department  of  the  revenue,  and  even  in  the 
army.  In  New  York  something  of  real  antagonism  was  created.  Under 
pretence  of  teaching  Latin,  the  Jesuits,  it  was  said,  had  erected  a  school 
in  the  city.  The  bell  of  the  Dutch  church  was  tolled  on  the  day  the 
school  began,  an  indication  of  public  sorrow.  Many  influential  families, 
it  was  whispered,  had  sent  their  sons  to  this  school  ;  some  had  "  heard 
slily  a  low  mass,"  afterward  excusing  themselves  on  the  ground  of  curi- 
osity. A  celebration  of  the  birth  of  a  Prince  of  Wales  was  made  a  triumph 
for  the  enemies  of  the  Protestant  church.  All  of  these  things  sent  thrills 
of  horror  and  apprehension  through  the  colony,  only  to  be  checked  by  the 
so-called  invasion  of  England  by  William,  which  was  regarded  as  the  over- 
throw of  the  threatened  papist  revolution.  The  Dutch,  from  gratitude  to 
the  house  of  Nassau,  and   from   their   religion,  welcomed  the   change,  at 


-,02  A    SKETCH    OF   SIR   FRANCIS   NICHOLSON 

once  declared  for  King  William,  and  desired  their  authorities  to  do  the 
same  in  due  form  and  with  fitting  ceremony. 

In  March  Nicholson  had  received  from  the  governor  of  Pennsylvania 
intelligence  of  the  invasion  of  England  by  the  Prince  of  Orange,  and  at 
first  refused  to  credit  it,  keeping,  as  the  contemporary  record  relates,  to 
his  old  commission,  praying  publicly  for  the  late  king,  leaving  his  name  in 
the  king's  arms,  and  not  discharging  the  popish  officers.  He  summoned 
his  council,  and  they  determined  to  call  to  their  assistance  the  mayor, 
aldermen,. and  common  council,  with  the  principal  military  officers.  Such 
a  convention  of  authority  implied  a  crisis.  In  a  meeting  at  the  town  hall, 
the  lieutenant-governor  produced  his  commission,  and  swore  with  big 
oaths  and  protestations  that  he  would  live  and  die  by  the  same  —  the  first 
record  of  what  must  have  been  a  peculiar  failing  of  his.  It  was  determined 
to  strengthen  the  fort  by  some  city  militia,  to  admonish  the  county  officers 
to  preserve  order  in  their  districts,  and  to  fortify  the  city.  Whether  by 
design  or  accident,  in  carrying  out  this  intention  the  guns  of  the  fort 
were  turned  upon  the  town,  and  in  the  disturbed  condition  a  rumor  of  an 
intended  massacre  gained  credence.  The  demands  of  the  agitators  led  to 
a  threat  on  the  part  of  Nicholson  to  set  the  town  on  fire  ;  that  there  were 
so  many  rogues  in  town  that  he  was  not  sure  of  his  life,  nor  to  walk  the 
streets.  Those  who  were  "  well  affected  to  the  protestant  interest"  took 
possession  of  the  fort,  altered  its  name  from  James  to  William,  and  formally 
proclaimed  the  Prince  of  Orange.  The  leader  of  the  insurgents  was  the 
unfortunate  Leisler,  soon  to  be  murdered  under  cover  of  law.  Nicholson 
in  June  sailed  for  England.  Among  the  errors  afterward  remembered 
against  him,  was  the  fact  that  his  brother  drank  the  king's  health  with  the 
letter  J  !  He  himself  claimed  to  be  an  Episcopalian,  but  his  devotions  on 
Hounslow  Heath  were  matters  of  gossip  in  New  York. 

It  might  be  supposed  that  with  his  departure  his  colonial  career  was 
terminated,  and  that  with  the  sudden  rise  from  a  captain  to  a  lieutenant- 
governor  under  a  monarch  now  a  fugitive,  his  further  promotion  at  the 
hands  of  the  new  king  was  not  to  be  expected.  But  surprising  exercise  of 
the  appointing  power  is  by  no  means  a  modern  feature  in  politics.  Nich- 
olson applied  for  a  new  appointment  and  wished  that  of  New  York  ;  but 
he  had  not  sufficient  interest  at  court  to  attain  his  end,  and  he  saw 
Houghten,  a  man  destitute  of  everything,  preferred.  He  himself  was  sent 
as  lieutenant-governor  to  Virginia,  a  colony  groaning  under  the  alleged 
tyranny  of  Howard.  Phipps,  a  man  who  did  not  scruple  to  cane  an  officer 
holding  his  majesty's  commission,  afterward  hinted  that  Nicholson  had 
obtained  this  notice  by  the  liberal  use  of  gold  at  court ;  but  this  was  such  a 


A   SKETCH    OF   SIR   FRANCIS    NICHOLSON  503 

matter  of  course  at  that  time  as  to  give  occasion  for  no  comment.  Money 
could  even  gloss  over  the  fact  that  the  man  who  offered  the  bribe — a  word 
ugly  but  necessary — was  in  reality  not  in  the  king's  interest.  This  mar- 
velous power  money  has  retained  to  the  present  day. 

In  the  southern  colony  Nicholson  found  a  very  different  race  to  govern 
than  he  had  met  with  in  New  York.  Whatever  may  have  been  the  origin 
of  many  of  the  first  settlers  of  Virginia,  and  we  know  that  humble  is 
hardly  the  word  to  express  what  that  origin  was,  the  social  regime  of  the 
colony  was  in  the  direction  of  an  aristocracy.  Now  an  aristocracy  of  birth, 
supported  by  landed  property  and  a  comparatively  constitutional  govern- 
ment, is  one  of  the  most  desirable  forms  that  such  a  doubtful  institution 
can  attain.  All  the  elements  of  high  breeding  are  present,  and  result  in  the 
preservation  of  the  steps  in  the  aesthetic  progression  of  man.  No  excep- 
tions of  abuse  of  power  can  alter  this  general  rule.  The  more  such  an 
aristocracy  depends  upon  temporary,  factitious,  or  immoral  forces,  the 
greater  is  its  divergence  from  the  ideal,  and  the  more  evident  become  the 
germs  of  evil  contained  within  itself.  In  Virginia,  pampered  by  the 
mother  country  under  a  commercial  fallacy  of  the  day,  having  her  pro- 
ductive energies  subservient  to  slavery  and  the  greed  of  English  factors,  a 
system  of  caste  was  developing  that  in  time  yielded  as  many  evils  as  it 
did  benefits  to  the  colony.  In  itself  slavery  was  sufficient  to  undermine 
the  real  strength  of  the  rulers,  and  morally  produced  important  results  on 
the  character  of  the  slave  owners.  They  were  a  proud,  stiff-necked,  and 
overbearing  race,  restive  under  restraint,  and  little  inclined  to  dictation 
from  others,  even  when  such  dictation  was  covered  by  a  parchment  bearing 
the  king's  manual  and  granting  powers  to  our  "ever  trusted  and  well- 
beloved  servant."  Loyal  to  the  king  and  English  to  the  core,  the  Vir- 
ginians were  sufficiently  independent  to  oppose  the  royal  will  when  their 
interests  seemed  to  demand  it,  and  nothing  delighted  the  house  of 
Burgesses  so  well  as  a  round,  full-mouthed  protest  to  the  royal  representa- 
tive, checking  what  they  deemed  his  arbitrary  conduct,  and  an  appeal  to 
the  king  for  a  redress  of  their  grievances. 

It  so  happened  that  the  titular  governor  of  Virginia,  Howard,  Earl  of 
Effingham,  had  antagonized  the  colony  to  such  a  degree  as  to  make  his 
residence  in  England  more  desirable  than  any  active  and  personal  participa- 
tion in  the  government  of  his  majesty's  liege  subjects  in  America.  Weak, 
unscrupulous,  and  rapacious,  he  was  a  fair  type  of  the  needy  adventurer  who 
looked  to  office  and  patronage  in  the  new  continent  to  recoup  his  shattered 
fortunes.  As  the  lieutenant  of  this  royal  representative,  Nicholson  entered 
upon  his  office  under  a  suspicion  of  being  his  instrument.      Realizing  that 


504  A   SKETCH    OF    SIR   FRANCIS   NICHOLSON 

his  position  must  be  thus  colored  by  reflected  light,  the  lieutenant-gov- 
ernor started  out  to  be  "  popular."  Was  it  in  imitation  of  the  Grecian 
candidates  for  the  people's  favor  that  he  instituted  athletic  games,  and 
offered  prizes  to  be  contested  ?  Was  it  as  a  Maecenas  that  he  suggested  a 
college  building,  headed  the  subscription  list  himself,  and  favored  the 
commissar}'  James  Blair  in  his  mission  to  London,  a  mission  that  produced 
the  college  of  William  and  Mary?  Tradition  further  relates  that  he  made 
a  tour  of  the  counties,  and  proved  that  he  could  be  an  aristocrat  with  the 
aristocrats,  and  a  man  of  the  people,  even  a  demagogue,  when  with  the 
people. 

What  his  efforts  at  popularity  might  have  produced  can  be  only  con- 
jectured, for  Nicholson  was,  in  1692,  superseded  by  his  former  chief,  Sir 
Edmund  Andros.  He  went  to  England,  but  was  in  1693  transferred  to 
the  government  of  Maryland.  At  this  stage  Nicholson  becomes  an  active 
reformer,  and,  in  support  of  the  church,  removes  the  capital  of  the  colony 
from  the  Catholic  town  of  St.  Mary's  to  Annapolis,  just  as  later,  and  for 
another  reason,  he  changed  the  capital  of  Virginia  from  Jamestown  to 
Williamsburg.  Such  a  step  implied  no  little  power  in  the  one  who  took 
it,  and  it  argues  that  Sir  Francis  must  have  been  in  thorough  confidence 
and  accord  with  the  king  and  his  ministers.  The  interests  that  had  grown 
up  at  St.  Mary's  under  the  shadow  of  the  official  life  protested  strongly, 
for  the  removal  involved  them  in  great  loss  ;  but  the  change  was  made, 
and  Nicholson  by  it  found  himself  in  a  better  position  to  contend  with  the 
proprietor  of  the  colony.  But  the  "  divers  inhabitants"  who  had  "  seated 
themselves  on  mean  indifferent  lands"  adjacent  to  St.  Mary's,  and  had 
"  launched  out  and  disbursed  considerable  estates  to  their  great  impover- 
ishment and  utter  ruin  "  if  the  government  offices  were  removed,  were 
naturally  dissatisfied.  As  the  only  objection  urged  against  St.  Mary's  was 
that  its  distance  from  the  river  (Patuxent)  obliged  members  of  the  assem- 
bly to  travel  thence  on  foot,  the  inhabitants  pledged  themselves  to  provide 
a  coach  or  caravan,  or  both,  to  run  daily  from  the  town  to  the  river,  and 
at  least  half  a  dozen  horses,  with  suitable  furniture,  for  such  as  wished  to 
travel  post  to  any  part  of  the  province  on  the  western  shore.  But  the 
assembly  only  laughed  at  the  sugar-plum  thus  offered,  and  somewhat  inso- 
lently replied  that  they  were  weary  of  spending  three  times  as  much  money 
as  the  city  and  all  the  inhabitants  for  ten  miles  round  is  worth,  and  "  say 
that  having  had  sixty-odd  years'  experience  of  this  place,  and  at  most  a 
quarter  of  the  province  devoured  by  it,  and  still,  like  Pharaoh's  kine, 
remain  as  at  first,  they  are  discouraged  to  add  any  more  of  their  substance 
to  such  ill-improvers." 


A   SKETCH    OF   SIR   FRANCIS   NICHOLSON  505 

Upon  the  new  town  Nicholson  expended  his  best  care,  and  soon  had 
the  satisfaction  of  seeing  about  forty  houses  in  it,  some  seven  or  eight  of 
which  were  able  to  afford  a  good  lodging  and  accommodations  for  stran- 
gers. The  state  house  was  of  brick  ;  there  was  a  brick  free  school,  and  the 
foundations  of  what  was  at  the  time  the  only  brick  church  in  the  colony 
were  laid.  Had*  the  governor  only  remained  in  office  longer,  wrote  a  con- 
temporary, "he  had  brought  it  to  perfection."  And  ridiculously  mean  as 
such  a  town  appears  to  us,  it  was  really  a  great  achievement,  for  the  plan- 
tation system  was  opposed  to  town  life,  and  brick  was  a  costly  and  unusual 
building  material — so  much  so  that  the  myth  arose  of  all  the  bricks  in  Vir- 
ginia and  Maryland  having  been  brought  from  England. 

The  good  governor  again  appears  at  his  best,  for  it  was  during  his 
administration  that  the  first  provision  was  made  for  a  free  school,  and  he 
headed  the  list  of  subscribers  with  the  sum  of  fifty  pounds  and  a  yearly 
allowance  of  twenty-five  pounds  while  he  was  governor.  He  had,  doubt- 
less, the  example  of  the  college  of  William  and  Mary  in  Virginia  before 
him  ;  and  it  may  be  conjectured  that  his  efforts  in  behalf  of  that  institution 
were  in  part  the  cause  of  his  being  in  so  great  favor  with  the  authorities  at 
home.  Certainly  it  was  a  marked  advance  upon  the  attitude  of  one  of  his 
predecessors  in  Virginia,  who  thanked  God  "there  are  no  free  schools  nor 
printing,  and  I  hope  we  shall  not  have  these  hundred  years,  for  learning 
has  brought  disobedience  and  heresy  and  sects  into  the  world,  and  print- 
ing has  divulged  them,  and  libels  against  the  best  government.  God  keep 
us  from  both!"  Had  it  not  been  for  men  of  the  active  mold  of  Nichol- 
son, the  prayer  might  have  received  a  favorable  answer. 

As  a  soldier,  courtier,  canvasser,  and  patron  of  learning,  Nicholson  had 
so  well  acquitted  himself  that  he  was  in  almost  absolute  control  of  his 
government,  and  fully  supported  by  the  povyers  at  home.  This  implied 
much,  for  the  times  were  much  troubled  morally  and  politically.  In 
Massachusetts  the  official  report  declared  that  "  the  people  were  suffering 
by  molestation  from  .the  invisible  world,"  and  though  no  official  definition 
of  such  molestation  was  framed,  we  know  what  a  grievous  persecution  it 
produced.  In  Maryland  it  was  a  molestation  from  the  visible  world  that 
troubled  the  zealots,  ever  ready  to  urge  the  government  to  severe 
measures.  An  epidemic  broke  out  among  the  people,  and  what  an  epi- 
demic was  in  that  time  of  comparative  ignorance  no  words  can  express. 
The  Catholic  priests,  as  they  have  ever  done,  went  from  house  to  house, 
alleviating  the  wants  of  the  sick  and  administering  comfort  to  the  dying. 
The  only  thanks  they  received  was  to  be  denounced  for  their  "  extrava- 
gance and  presumptuous  behavior,"  on  the  ground  that  they  endeavored  to 


500  A    SKETCH    OF   SIR   FRANCIS   NICHOLSON 

seduce  and  convert  the  people  when  frantic  and  dying.  In  some  cases  the 
assembly  was  petitioned  to  silence  Catholic  preachers  ;  and  that  body  with 
some  relief  threw  the  burden  of  action  onto  the  governor.  Under  any 
circumstances,  to  take  a  step  would  demand  rare  judgment  and.  caution  ; 
yet  Nicholson  seems  to  have  done  what  pleased  the  people,  and  it  was 
with  some  complacency  that  he  reported  to  his  spiritual  superior  that  there 
were  few  papist  priests  and  no  Quakers  under  him. 

This  religious  ferment  was  not  the  only  leaven  of  mischief  in  the 
colony,  for  there  was  an  active  political  ferment  also.  The  war  with 
France  had  shown  that  the  colonies  were  in  danger,  and  only  common 
prudence  pointed  to  united  effort  as  the  best  means  of  defense.  But  any 
proposition  for  union  resulted  in  one  of  two  schemes  :  A  colony  sought  to 
have  its  neighbors  placed  under  its  control,  greatly  to  its  aggrandizement; 
or  an  individual  governor  would  outline  a  plan  by  which  the  entire  mili- 
tary service  of  all  the  colonies  was  to  be  at  his  command.  The  scramble 
for  power  alone  condemned  the  plans,  and  the  utter  selfishness  of  the 
schemers  brought  about  its  own  defeat.  A  "  malignant  humor  "  of  de- 
mocracy wras  making  itself  felt  in  every  colony,  and  the  royal  represen- 
tatives conjured  to  find  a  remedy.  Nicholson  had  his  idea  to  bring  the 
colonies  under  a  single  viceroy,  with  a  standing  army  to  do  his  bidding  ; 
but  it  was  too  early  to  act  upon  such  a  political  act,  and  for  three-quarters 
of  a  century  the  growing  children  were  to  be  swathed  in  swaddling  clothes 
until  the  proper  time  for  declaring  independence  had  arrived. 

Exactly  what  had  occurred  to  alter  the  nature  of  our  governor  is 
doubtful,  but  it  is  certain  that  on  his  second  coming  to  Virginia  in  1698 
he  was  another  man.  His  tact  appears  to  have  deserted  him  ;  he  no 
longer  was  the  suave  courtier,  placating  interests  that  might  be  trouble- 
some ;  he  becomes  almost  a  demon  of  temper,  and  so  good  a  hater  as  to 
inspire  fear  among  his  associates.  The  pliant  and  temporizing  governor 
who  saved  his  neck  in  New  York  (for  he  had  run  the  risk  of  Leisler's  fate) 
is  now  a  stubborn  and  malicious  tyrant.  Here  is  the  second  side  of  the 
man's  dual  nature,  and  one  that  is  so  difficult  to  be  reconciled  with  that 
shown  in  his  previous  career.  That  there  must  have  been  some  progress 
in  his  infirmity  of  temper  is  shown  by  the  recommendation  to  moderation 
sent  to  him  while  in  Maryland  from  his  masters  in  England,  a  recommend- 
ation that  naturally  gave  him  great  umbrage.  He  attributed  it  to  some 
reports  sent  on  by  Commissary  Blair,  of  whom  more  will  be  said  later, 
and  meeting  him  he  burst  into  a  passion  and  vowed  that,  "  God  !  I  know 
better  to  govern  Virginia  and  Maryland  than  all  the  bishops  in  Eng- 
land ;   if  I  had  not  hampered  them   in   Maryland  and  kept  them  under,  I 


A    SKETCH    OF   SIR   FRANCIS   NICHOLSON  $°7 

should  never  have  been  able  to  have  governed  them."  The  commis- 
sary, as  befitted  one  of  his  cloth,  mildly  hinted  that  with  such  a  good- 
natured,  tractable  people  as  those  of  Virginia,  civility  would  do  more 
toward  managing  them  than  by  hampering  and  keeping  them  under.  This 
interchange  of  courtesies  occurred  on  the  very  day  the  governer's  com- 
mission for  Virginia  was  published.  It  is  of  value  as  pointing  to  some 
church  question  as  the  origin  of  discord. 

That  Nicholson  could  sink  his  conscience  if  occasion  demanded  has 
already  been  shown  ;  but  as  he  advanced  in  years  he  assumed  more  and 
more  the  position  of  an  ardent  defender  of  the  church.  In  this  he  was 
quite  as  successful  as  he  had  been  in  his  other  ventures.  The  bishop  of 
Litchfield  thought  him  fit  to  be  a  bishop.  There  were  not  wanting  those 
who  believed  that  his  appointment  as  governor  of  Virginia  would  produce 
a  great  alteration  there  in  the  church  for  the  better.  "  If  his  Excellency 
was  governor  here,  and  your  Lordship  would  send  here  a  good  bishop, 
with  a  severe  observation  of  the  Canons  of  the  church,  and  eager  for  the 
salvation  of  souls,  there  would  be  a  great  alteration  in  the  church.  When 
I  do  think  with  myself  of  Governor  Nicholson,  I  do  call  him  the  Right 
hand  of  God,  the  father  of  the  church,  and  more,  a  father  of  the  poor. 
An  eminent  Bishop  of  that  same  character  being  sent  over  here  with  him, 
will  make  Hell  tremble,  and  settle  the  church  of  England  in  these  parts 
forever."  So  Rev.  Nicholas  Moreau  wrote  in  April,  1697,  to  the  bishop  of 
Litchfield. 

Even  James  Blair  was  favorably  impressed  with  his  respect  for  the 
clergy,  his  constancy  in  public  prayers,  and  his  charities — qualities,  to  his 
mind,  quite  as  much  to  his  credit  as  his  activity  and  diligence  in  conduct- 
ing the  business  of  government.  Blair  had  come  from  Scotland  in  1685, 
and  in  a  few  years  was  appointed  commissary,  whose  general  supervision 
of  church-matters  in  the  colony  conferred  upon  him  great  authority.  Under 
Nicholson  as  lieutenant-governor,  Blair  had  been  sent  to  England  to  plead 
the  cause  of  the  new  college,  and  successful  in  his  mission,  he  returned 
as  the  first  president  of  the  new  institution,  an  office  to  be  held  during  his 
life.  Even  before  this  voyage  he  had  given  occasion  for  some  criticism, 
but  this  arose  from  a  prejudice  then  prevalent  against  Scotchmen,  a  curious 
foreshadowing  of  what  later  became  a  hatred  under  Bute's  misrule.  Why, 
it  was  asked,  was  it  necessary  to  place  a  Scotchman  at  the  head  of  church 
matters  in  the  colony?  Cannot  the  English  established  church  supply 
an  Englishman  for  the  place  ?  He  was  charged  with  filling  the  appoint- 
ments under  him  with  Scotchmen — the  people  who  had  already  engrossed 
the  trade  of  the  colony,  the  schools,  and  now  sought  to  engross  the  church  ! 


SOS  A    SKETCH    OF   SIR   FRANCIS   NICHOLSON 

But  Blair  grew  in  importance,  and  it  was  deserved,  for  his  talents  and 
industry  were  great. 

The  commissary  was  as  much  in  favor  of  having  Nicholson  appointed 
to  the  government  of  Virginia  as  Nicholson  himself  desired  the  promotion, 
and  in  one  of  his  visits  to  England  he  was  charged  with  the  mission  of 
securing  the  transfer.  The  manner  of  attaining  this  end  was  not  very 
creditable  to  the  morality  of  the  day,  for  Nicholson  expected  to  use  money, 
as  well  as  persuasion,  with  courtiers  and  others  in  the  royal  favor.  He 
was  in  a  better  position  to  do  this,  as  the  governorship  of  Virginia  was  a 
more  lucrative  government  than  New  York  and  Massachusetts  Bay  to- 
gether. Blair  appears  to  have  used  the  pious  reputation  of  the  governor 
as  a  plea,  for  he  obtained  the  voice  of  the  clergy  in  the  matter,  and  that 
was  of  no  small  weight  in  determining  the  appointment.  So  the  change 
was  made,  and  Nicholson  superseded  Andros  in  October,  1698. 

The  governor's  experience  in  Maryland  had  perhaps  been  one  that 
tended  to  sour  his  disposition,  for  he  admits  having  hectored  the  colo- 
nists, and  found  it  easier  to  browbeat  than  to  appeal  to  England.  He 
also  had  a  grievance  against  certain  persons  high  in  trust  in  Virginia,  and 
may  have  been  nursing  his  wrath  till  a  fitting  opportunity  for  revenge 
should  offer.  Andros,  as  governor  of  Virginia,  had  attempted  to  take 
upon  himself  the  government  of  Maryland  upon  the  death  of  Governor 
Coply,  when  by  right  Nicholson,  then  absent  in  England,  was  the  proper 
successor.  Nicholson,  even  when  at  Annapolis,  had  retained  a  lively 
interest  in  the  college  of  William  and  Mary,  and  as  a  member  of  the 
board,  had  attended  regularly  the  meetings.  On  such  occasions  the  dis- 
like of  Andros  was  freely  shown,  and  some  of  the  members  of  his  council, 
also  having  a  voice  in  the  conduct  of  the  college,  did  not  hesitate  to  curry 
favor  with  Andros  by  insulting  behavior  toward  Nicholson.  Especially 
one,  Colonel  Parke,  a  young  rake,  drunken  roysterer,  and  spark,  whose  name 
carried  by  a. descendant — Daniel  Parke  Custis — has  been  indelibly  written 
in  our  nation's  history,  did  not  hesitate  to  threaten,  challenge,  bluster, 
and  even  on  one  occasion  horsewhip,  Nicholson,  who  bore  it  all  with  a 
resignation  and  propriety  that  contrasted  strangely  with  his  repute. 

There  does  not  appear  to  be  any  evidence  that  Nicholson  came  to  Vir- 
ginia lacking  the  trust  and  confidence  of  the  people,  and  his  subsequent 
conduct,  apart  from  his  unfortunate  temper,  showed  that  at  heart  he  was 
well  disposed  to  the  people's  interest.  It  was  against  individuals  that  his 
enmity  was  first  directed  ;  and  a  growing  moroseness  was  attributed  to  a 
romantic  and  passionate  yet  hopeless  attachment  he  had  conceived  for  Miss 
Burwell.     These  premonitory  indications  of   a  change  of  disposition   soon 


A   SKETCH    OF   SIR   FRANCIS    NICHOLSON  509 

became  chronic  and  serious  symptoms,  and  it  was  not  long  before  the  colo- 
nists realized  that  King  Log,  a  very  proper  and  desirable  governor,  had 
become  King  Stork,  a  rampant,  destructive  tyrant.  So  at  least  thought 
the  good  commissary,  who  had  been  largely  instrumental  in  securing  this 
head  of  the  government. 

In  less  than-  six  weeks  after  his  accession  to  the  governor's  chair, 
Nicholson  had  so  embroiled  his  affairs  as  to  be  losing  the  confidence  and 
support  of  his  assembly  ;  and  unable  to  control  it  by  persuasion,  threatened 
to  use  violent  means,  and  so  coerce  them  to  his  wishes.  This  in  itself 
would  not  imply  a  serious  situation,  for  it  was  natural  that  the  represen- 
tative of  kingly  authority  should,  in  the  defense  of  prerogative,  clash  with 
the  popular  or  democratic  spirit  that  was  ever  becoming  more  aggressive, 
and  eager  to  question  the  rule  they  chafed  under.  It  was  more  serious 
when  Nicholson  antagonized  the  members  of  his  council,  for  they  were 
the  connecting  link  between  the  monarchy  and  the  democracy,  exercising 
functions  and  monopolizing  offices  that  made  them  at  once  guardians  of 
the  king's  honor  and  defenders  of  the  rights  of  the  people.  He  refused 
to  act  upon  their  advice,  taking  neither  reason  nor  contradiction,  and  when 
crossed,  breaking  out  into  such  violence  as  to  make  it  unsafe  for  any  to 
approach  him.  Blair,  whose  interest,  duty,  and  reputation  were  in  a 
measure  linked  with  those  of  the  governor,  was  amazed  at  the  stories  of 
his  misbehavior  that  soon  began  to  reach  his  ears.  His  rudeness  and 
abuse  of  the  leading  men  of  the  colony  were  mingled  with  such  terrible 
cursing  as  beggared  description.  Even  in  council  he  became  so  furious, 
menacing,  and  imperious  that  his  oaths  and  threats  were  distinctly .  heard 
in  houses  far  removed  from  the  council  room. 

Had  he  laid  down  a  rule  to  disoblige  and  abuse  all  mankind,  he  could 
not  have  been  more  consistent  in  his  conduct.  Men  who  had  grown  gray 
in  the  colony  service,  who  had  long  been  honored  and  respected,  rewarded 
by  office  and  enjoying  the  confidence  of  the  people,  rich  in  estate  and 
reputation,  and  powerful  by  reason  of  their  far-reaching  influence — these 
men  he  called  rogues,  rascals,  villains,  and  cowards,  of  no  more  estimation 
in  his  eyes  than  the  dirt  under  his  feet.  He  threatened  to  cut  their  throats, 
challenged  them,  knowing  that  his  office  shielded  him  from  their  accepting 
the  gage,  or  avenging  the  insults  he  heaped  upon  them.  Such  fits  of 
passion,  acted  with  so  much  rage  and  fury,  did  "  so  lively  resemble  those 
of  a  mad  man  in  his  looks,  gait,  and  gesture,  that  the  greatest  patience 
is  not  able  to  endure  them,  nor  no  words  can  sufficiently  describe  them. 
One  might  as  well  pretend  to  describe  a  hurricane  to  one  that  never  saw 
it,  as  to  think  to  describe  the  brutality  and  savageness  of  his  passions,  to 


5io 


A   SKETCH    OF   SIR   FRANCIS   NICHOLSON 


make  strangers  sensible  what  sort  of  things  they  are,  if  they  never  were 
eye  and  ear  witnesses  of  them  "  (Blair).  Take  for  an  example  a  meeting 
of  the  governors  of  the  college,  when  Nicholson,  without  cause,  began  to 
revile  some  gentlewomen,  and  then  "  immediately  shifting  the  sense  from 
the  absent  wives  to  the  present  husbands  and  others,  he  told  us  we  were 
brutes,  and  understood  not  manners,  that  he  knew  how  to  govern  the 
Moors,  that  he  would  beat  us  into  better  manners  and  make  us  feel  that 
he  was  governor  of  Virginia."  And  this  speech  was  addressed  to  gentle- 
men, four  of  whom  were  members  of  the  council,  and  others  some  of  the 
chiefest  men  in  the  colony. 

Such  was  Nicholson  as  governor,  and  as  a  lover  he  was  quite  as  violent. 
The  father  of  the  object  of  his  attentions  was  opposed  to  the  match,  and 
Nicholson  in  dramatic  language  swore  to  have  his  blood.  Remember, 
wrote  an  anonymous  friend  to  whose  ears  the  threat  had  come,  "  it  is  not 
here  as  in  some  barbarous  countries  where  the  tender  lady  is  often  dragged 
into  the  Sultan's  arms  just  reeking  in  the  blood  of  her  nearest  relations, 
and  yet  must  strongly  dissemble  her  aversion."  His  suit  being  denied,  he 
vowed  vengeance  upon  her  father,  brother,  and  other  relations.  Hearing 
that  she  was  to  be  married,  he  threatened  to  cut  the  throats  of  the  bride- 
groom, of  the  minister  who  should  perform  the  service,  and  of  the  justice 
of  peace  who  should  issue  the  license.  Suspecting  as  a  rival  one  of  the 
cloth,  he  waylaid  him  on  the  road,  and  in  the  king's  name,  and  as  his 
superior  in  the  church,  forbade  him  to  enter  the  lady's  house  or  to  speak 
with  her  ! 

Some  thought  the  governor  was  out  of  his  mind,  and  had  become  irre- 
sponsible for  his  acts;  that  his  passion  and  public  exhibitions  were  proofs 
of  an  unsound  mind.  The  more  philosophic  Blair  thought  he  acted  by 
design  and  intention  ;  that  his  outbursts  were  mere  acts  of  dissimulation 
to  cover  up  the  deep  plots  he  was  meditating  for  his  own  advancement  and 
increase  of  authority.  For  he  noted  with  care  the  inconsistency  of  the 
governor's  behavior.  How  quiet  and  meek  he  could  be  with  strangers 
when  he  thought  it  his  interest  to  be  so!  How  mild  he  was  before  his  pro- 
motion, and  how,  that  step  made  and  his  position  secured,  his  passions 
increased  and  transformed  his  general  carriage!  Even  then  he  could 
"admirably  act  a  good-natured,  courteous  governor,"  when  money  was 
needed  of  the  assembly,  or  when  he  desired  an  endorsement  of  his  con- 
duct. He  conciliated  a  part  of  the  clergy,  so  as  to  receive  a  strong  com- 
mendation from  them.  No  governor,  it  was  admitted,  had  greater  art  to 
gain  the  affections  of  his  people  than  he,  if  only  he  chose  to  make  use 
of  it. 


A   SKETCH   OF   SIR   FRANCIS   NICHOLSON'  511 

This  controversy  over  Nicholson's  fitness  has  been  attributed  to  a  per- 
sonal quarrel  between  the  governor  and  the  commissary.  In  a  measure 
this  was  so,  and  the  unutterable  wickedness  that  Blair  painted  in  his  me- 
morials was  strongly  colored  by  his  personal  animosity.  "  I  really  came 
at  last  to  consider  him  as  a  man  of  the  blackest  soul  and  conscience  that  I 
had  ever  known,  in  my  life,  for  I  found  when  once  he  had  affronted  any 
man  to  that  height  as  to  reckon  him  his  enemy,  he  then  thought  himself 
absolved  from  all  rules  of  justice,  honor,  and  honesty  to  such  a  person  to 
that  degree  that  if  he  could  ruin  him  in  his  good  name  by  the  falsest 
and  grossest  lies  and  calumnies,  or  in  his  estates  by  the  basest  tricks,  law 
suits,  and  circumventions,  or  in  his  friends  by  all  the  seeds  of  enmity  and 
discord  that  could  possibly  be  sown,  or  in  his  correspondence  by  intercept- 
ing and  breaking  open  his  letters,  or  in  anything  else  wherein  he  could 
work  his  ruin  or  prejudice,  he  stuck  at  nothing  for  compassing  his  revenge, 
and  in  contriving  the  ways  and  means  thereof  I  found  that  of  all  other 
things  he  was  by  much  the  most  inventive  and  ingenious." 

After  four  years  of  such  experience,  the  commissary  recorded  his 
opinion  :  "  Never  people  were  more  deceived  or  disappointed  in  any  man 
than  we  have  been  in  him.  Instead  of  the  halcyon  days  we  promised  our- 
selves under  his  government,  we  never  had  so  much  storm  and  tempest, 
tornadoes  and  hurricanes,  as  in  that  time.  He  governs  us  as  if  we  were  a 
company  of  galley  slaves,  by  continually  roaring  and  thundering,  cursing 
and  swearing,  base,  abusive,  Billingsgate  language  to  that  degree  that  it  is 
utterly  incredible  to  those  who  have  not  been  spectators  of  it.  ...  I 
do  really  believe,  since  Oliver  Cromwell,  there  never  was  a  man  that  deceived 
so  many  with  a  shew  of  religion,  which  is  now  turned  into  a  mixture  of  the 
grossest  hypocrisy,  and  lewdness,  and  prophaneness,  that  can  be  imagined." 
The  patience  of  the  colony  was  sorely  tried,  and  finally  the  council,  in  1703, 
asked  for  his  removal  on  the  grounds  that  they  feared  his  revengeful  and 
implacable  disposition  ;  that  his  life  was  a  scandal,  a  standing  menace  to 
the  peace  and  quiet  of  the  colony,  and  that  his  continuance  in  office  would 
injure  his  majesty's  service.  That  the  council  should  unite  in  such  a  repre- 
sentation is  good  evidence  that  Nicholson's  misconduct  did  not  affect  Blair 
alone,  but  had  become  a  matter  of  public  importance.  The  petition  was 
received,  Nicholson  was  removed,  and  shortly  after  1705  he  went  to 
London. 

On  a  MS.  letter  of  the  governor,  written  from  Williamsburg,  June  9, 
1705,  is  noted  by  Archbishop  Wake:  "  This  Fran.  Nicholson,  Esq.,  was 
famous  in  the  wars  of  Tangier,  Governor  of  Virginia,  gave  £500  to  the 
buildings  of  the  Royal  College  of  Wm.  and  Mary  in  Virginia,  £40  towards 


5*2  a    SKETCH    OF   SIR   FRANCIS   NICHOLSON 

building  a  church  in  Philadelphia,  ^30  towards  three  churches  in  North 
Carolina,  and  the  like  to  many  others.  He  is  yet  living,  April,  1709,  at 
London."  In  the  face  of  such  a  record  for  benevolence  and  good  deed,  it  is 
difficult  to  admit  that  the  governor  could  be  as  black  as  Blair  would  have 
us  believe.  Yet  there  is  not  wanting  other  evidence  of  his  weaknesses,  the 
greatest  of  which  was  his  infirmity  of  temper.  Penn  in  1696  spoke  of  the 
"violence  and  harsh  carriage  of  Col.  Nicholson  ";  and  in  1703  Logan  de- 
scribed how  Nicholson  had  passed  through  Pennsylvania  on  his  way  to  and 
from  New  York,  and  at  his  departure  "  did  all  the  mischief  it  was  possible 
for  him  at  New  Castle,  though  treated  very  civilly  by  friends  here  "  ;  how 
some  high  words  passed  at  Chester,  "  occasioned  at  first  by  the  clergy." 
And  Cadwallader  Colden  wrote  :  "  He  was  subject  to  excessive  fits  of  pas- 
sion, so  far  as  to  loose  the  use  of  his  reason.  After  he  had  been  in  one  of 
these  fits,  while  he  had  command  of  the  army,  an  Indian  said  to  one  of  the 
officers,  '  The  general  is  drunk.'  '  No,'  answered  the  officer,  '  he  never  drinks 
any  strong  liquor.'  The  Indian  replied,  'I  do  not  mean  that  he  is  drunk 
with  rum  ;  he  was  born  drunk.' 

The  capacity  of  the  man  for  recovering  from  apparent  defeat  was 
remarkable,  and  he  never  seemed  to  forfeit  the  confidence  of  the  ministry. 
In  1 7 10  he  was  appointed  to  command  the  provincial  forces  that  were  to 
attack  Canada  by  land,  while  an  English  force  was  to  co-operate  by  way 
of  the  St.  Lawrence.  This  resulted  in  the  capture  of  Port  Royal,  Nova 
Scotia,  an  achievement  that  only  increased  his  desire  for  a  larger  movement 
against  the  French  settlements.  He  hastened  to  England  to  lay  his  plan 
before  the  ministry,  and  not  forgetting  the  effect  of  a  dramatic  adjunct,  he 
took  with  him  five  or  six  Indians,  making  them  personate,  one,  the  empe- 
ror of  the  Five  Nations,  and  the  others,  the  kings  of  each  nation.  Colden, 
who  was  an  expert  in  such  matters,  denounced  the  gross  imposition,  saying 
that  the  ministry,  if  they  had  not  been  so  fond  of  amusing  the  people  by 
such  exhibitions,  ought  to  have  known  that  there  was  no  such  thing  among 
the  Five  Nations  as  either  king  or  emperor.  Nicholson  was  successful  in 
his  suit,  received  a  new  commission,  and  conducted  an  expedition  that 
was  abortive,  receiving  as  a  reward  the  governorship  of  Nova  Scotia,  an 
appointment  that  he  held  till  1717. 

Such  a  restless  nature  could  ill  brook  being  shut  up  in  such  a  province, 
and  he  intrigued  to  be  made  governor  of  New  York.  "At  this  time  the 
church  clergy  joined  in  the  design  to  distress  the  governor  [Robert 
Hunter],  in  hopes  of  having  the  good  churchman,  Col.  Nicholson, 
appointed  governor.  He  had  a  crowd  of  clergymen  allwise  about  him, 
who  were  continually  extolling  his  merits  among  the  people,  and  doing  all 


A   SKETCH    OF   SIR   FRANCIS   NICHOLSON  5  1  3 

in  their  power  to  lessen  Mr.  Hunter.  Mr.  Hunter  had  then  a  hard  task. 
His  friends  in  the  ministry  out  of  place  ;  his  bills  to  a  great  value  pro- 
tested. ...  At  this  time,  while  Mr.  Hunter  had  the  greatest  reason  to 
be  shagreened  and  out  of  humor,  he  diverted  himself  in  composing  a  farce 
with  the  assistance  of  Mr.  Morris,  which  he  called  Androborus  (the  man- 
eater).  In  this  the  general  (Nicholson),  the  clergy  and  the  Assembly  were 
so  humorously  exposed  that  the  laugh  was  turned  upon  them  in  all  com- 
panies, and  from  this  laughing  humor  the  people  began  to  be  in  good 
humor  with  their  governor,  and  to  despise  the  idol  of  the  clergy."  Such 
was  Colden's  account  of  this  intrigue. 

Nothing  disheartened,  Nicholson  returned  to  England,  where  he  was 
knighted  in  1720,  and  soon  after  was  named  governor  of  South  Carolina, 
an  office  that  he  filled  with  great  ability  till  1725,  and  at  a  very  trying 
period  for  the  colony.  In  reward  for  his  five  years  of  service  in  Carolina 
he  was  made  a  lieutenant-general,  and  died  in  London  in  June,  1728. 

Such  a  career,  of  more  than  thirty-eight  years  in  the  royal  service,  was 
remarkable  for  that  day  ;  and  when  the  nature  of  that  service  is  examined, 
it  becomes  even  more  remarkable.  For  Nicholson  in  his  Maryland  and 
Carolina  experience  had  to  deal  with  what  was  one  of  the  most  difficult 
•problems  of  colonial  policy — proprietary  governments  ;  while  in  his  Virginia 
governorship  he  had  to  contend  with  the  spirit  of  growing  democracy. 
That  he  was  successful  in  the  one,  and  unsuccessful  in  the  other,  is  no  con- 
demnation of  his  general  capacity  for  leadership.  Perhaps  a  suave,  gentle 
nature  might  have  placated  Virginia  ;  but  the  rugged  force  of  a  soldier 
was  needed  to  give  peace  to  Carolina,  while  his  leaning  to  the  church  and 
education  gave  him  an  influence  in  Maryland  apart  from  his  mere  authority. 
His  very  ambitions  gave  him  strength,  for  he  foresaw  the  necessity  of  unit- 
ing the  English  colonies  against  the  French  settlements,  and  while  the 
means  at  his  disposal  were  inadequate  to  carry  out  his  aims,  a  generation 
had  hardly  passed  away  when  the  encroachments  of  the  French  led  to  the 
first  public  employment  of  Washington  to  check  them.  In  the  light  of 
subsequent  history  we  can  give  great  praise  to  Nicholson's  political  fore- 
sight and  his  generous  aid  to  the  gentler  arts  of  peace.  If  his  personal 
failings  have  given  him  a  bad  name,  his  good  deeds  should  be  remem- 
bered ;  and  in  that  remembrance  should  participate  New  England,  New 
York,  Maryland,  Virginia,  and  South  Carolina. 


Vol.  XXIX.-No.  5.-33 


tHiiinnilnuumuiij 


BsrainM 


uuuillUUiuiiuiiiiMiiiinunnm* 


GEORGE    III.'S    PROCLAMATION    AGAINST   THE    REBELS 

OF    AMERICA1 

About  the  time  that  this  proclamation  was  sent  forth,  King  George  III. 
had  received  much  provocation  to  such  an  act.  The  to  him  entirely  rea- 
sonable and  proper  measure  for  raising  revenue  for  paying  off  the  debt  of  a 
war  waged  to  deliver  the  colonies  from  the  ravages  of  French  and  Indians, 
had  been  met  with  the  most  determined,  universal,  and  persistent  opposi- 
tion. The  Stamp  Act  had  to  be  repealed,  so  invulnerable  was  this  senti- 
ment of  the  colonists.  A  very  practical  and  "  home-reaching  "  feature  of 
this  stubborn  antagonism  to  the  parliamentary  device  had  been  the  non- 
importation agreements.  No  doubt  the  king  had  looked  on  in  amazement 
and  anger  when  the  colonial  merchants  dared  thus  to  conspire  to  interfere 
with  the  conduct  of  trade,  and  to  presume  to  forbid  those  of  the  mother 
country  to  send  their  wares  to  America.  But  whether  it  was  daring  or 
presumption,  or  not,  the  effectiveness  of  that  stand  was  undoubted  ;  and  a 
little  more  firmness  or  a  more  general  fidelity  to  the  policy  all  along  the 
line  of  the  colonial  seaports  might  have  secured  many  concessions  after- 
ward to  be  secured  only  by  bloodshed. 

When  the  Stamp  Act  agitation  had  blown  over  and  the  non-importation 
agreements  were  no  more,  there  came  the  trouble  with  tea.  It  seemed 
a  small  matter  for  the  Americans  to  exercise  their  audacity  about ;  but 
that  audacity  was  manifested  became  in  the  course  of  events  painfully 
patent  to  king  and  cabinet  and  people.  When  the  king  said  that  the 
colonies  should  receive  the  tea-ships,  the  last  word  in  the  matter  had  not 
yet  been  heard.  The  tea-ships  had  yet  to  make  their  appearance  in  Boston, 
New  York,  and  Charleston  harbors  ;  they  did,  but  the  tea  did  not  get  a  land- 
ing in  either  of  those  ports.  Some  frolic,  some  violence,  some  rough-shod 
riding  over  the  feelings  of  sea-captains  and  naval  and  customs  officers  there 
were  ;  but  the  design  and  the  will  of  British  authorities  were  frustrated, 
and  the  march  toward  rebellion  went  bravely  on. 

1  One  of  the  original  broadsides  upon  which  the  above  proclamation  was  printed  is  preserved 
in  the  Boston  Public  Library,  and  a  facsimile  of  it  was  published  in  its  bulletin  for  October,  1892. 
By  the  courtesy  of  the  librarian,  Mr.  Theodore  F.  Dwight,  a  copy  of  this  facsimile  appears  on 
another  page. 


ORIGINAL   DOCUMENT  5  I  5 

Non-importation  agreements,  tea  parties,  brawls  on  Boston's  Common 
or  New  York's  Golden  Hill,  finally  resolved  themselves  into  action  more 
dignified  and  regular,  and  in  the  summer  of  1774  the  first  continental  con- 
gress met.  It  was  just  twenty  years  since  the  Albany  conference  of  1754. 
Then  had  Benjamin  Franklin  labored  to  effect  a  plan  of  union  for  all  the 
colonies,  and  it  hacl  been  matured  and  adopted  by  the  delegates;  but  when 
it  was  submitted  to  the  authorities  in  England  and  to  their  colonial  con- 
stituent, it  met  with  a  double-edged  opposition  which  proved  its  death- 
blow. The  king  and  his  ministers  thought  the  plan  gave  too  much  liberty 
to  the  colonies,  and  the  colonies  feared  that  it  placed  too  much  power  in 
the  hands  of  the  king.  The  fact  of  union,  on  whatever  plan,  had  now 
shown  itself  so  indispensable  to  the  colonies,  that  delegates  were  elected 
to  the  congress  of  1774  to  deliberate  on  the  common  defence,  and  to  con- 
coct a  scheme  for  a  common  government.  There  was  as  yet  no  renouncing 
of  royal  authority,  but  the  royal  will  or  wish  was  of  exceeding  little  account 
in  any  measures  the  congress  might  adopt.  And  hence  it  was  with  no 
friendly  eye  that  George  III.  contemplated  the  congress.  Its  meeting  was 
a  distinct  element  in  the  accumulating  provocation. 

But  defiance  went  further.  Besides  the  general  congress  there  were 
provincial  congresses,  meeting  in  the  place  of  royal  councils  and  provincial 
assemblies  of  the  old  regime.  In  November,  1774,  Earl  Percy,  afterward 
to  win  some  note  on  the  disastrous  day  of  Lexington,  wrote  home  to  his 
friends  in  England,  from  Boston:  "The  Provincial  Congress  I  find  met 
again  yesterday,  and  I  am  informed  they  mean  to  proceed  to  the  choice 
of  a  new  Gov?  They  have  already  raised  an  Army,  seized  the  Publick 
Money,  and  have  taken  on  themselves  all  the  Powers  of  Government." 
Surely  the  march  toward  rebellion  was  proceeding  at  a  quickstep  pace. 
To  a  man  of  the  temperament  of  George  III.  it  was  all  surpassingly  exas- 
perating ;  it  was  getting  to  be  more  than  he  could  bear. 

The  next  step  could  only  be  the  breaking  out  of  actual  hostilities,  the 
arraying  of  force  against  force,  the  clash  of  arms,  and  the  spilling  of  blood 
of  embattled  hosts.  And  that  too  came.  The  soldiers  of  George  III.  and 
the  colonial  militia,  or  rather  the  patriot  trainbands,  looked  into  each 
other's  faces  at  Lexington  for  the  first  time;  and  the  snapping  of  the  Brit- 
ish major's  pistol,  on  their  refusal  to  lay  down  their  arms  at  his  behest, 
began  the  armed  contest  and  was  the  first  alarum  of  war.  At  Concord  there 
was  a  return  of  volleys,  and  then  all  the  way  from  Concord,  back  through 
Lexington  to  Boston,  war  raged  fiercely  and  disastrously  on  that  first  day 
of  revolutionary  war.  To  George  III.  it  was  the  outbreak  of  armed 
rebellion  after  the  rebellion  of  the  years  that  went  before,  which  had  found 


By    the     KING, 

A     PROCLAMATION, 

For  fuppreiTing  Rebellion  and  Sedition. 


GEORGE    R. 


them,  after  various  diforderly  Acts  committed  in  Difturbance.  of  the  Publick 
Peace,  to  the  Obftruclion  of  lawful  Commerce,  and  to  the  OpprefTion  of  Our 
loyal  Subjects  carrying  on  the  fame,  have  at  length  proceeded  to  an  open  and 
S*S?S^  avowed  Rebellion,  by  arraying  themfelves  in  hoftile  Manner  to  withftand  the 
^^/^5^^S  Execution  of  the  Law,  and  traitoroufly  preparing,  ordering,  and' levying  War 
^S&K£sfifc3§^&7  againft  Us;  And  whereas  there  is  Reafon.to  apprehend  that  fuch  Rebellion  hath 
been  much  promoted  and  encouraged  by  the  traitorous.  Correfpoudence,  Counfels,  and  Comfort  of 
divers  wicked  and  defperatePerfons  within  this  Realm:  To  the  End  therefore  that  none  of  Our  Subje&s 
may  neglect  or  violate  their' Duty  through  Ignorance  thereof,  or  through  any"  Doubt  of  the  Protection 
which  the  Law  will  afford  to  their  Loyalty  and  Zeal;  We  have  thought  fit,  by  and  with  the  Advice  of 
Our, Privy  Council,  to  iflue  this  Our  Royal  Proclamation,  hereby  declaring  that  not  only  all  Our 
Officers  Civil  and  Military  are  obliged  to  exert  their  utmoft  Endeavours  to  fupprefs  fuch  Rebellion,  and 
tc  bring  the  Traitors  to  Juftice ;  but  theft  all  Our  Subjects  of  this  Realm  and  the  Dominions  thereunto 
belonging  are 'bound  by  Law  to  be  aiding  and  affifting,in!  the  Suppreffion  of  fuch  Rebellion,  and  to 
difclofe  and  make  known  all  traitorous  Confpiracies  and  Attempts  againft  Us,  Our  Crown  and  Dignity; 
And  We  do  accordingly  ftrjetly  charge  and  command  all  Our  Officers  as  well  Civil  as  Military, 
and  all  other  Our  obedient  and  loyal  Subjects,  to  u(e  their  utmoft  Endeavours  to  withftand  and 
fupprefs  fuch#  Rebellion,  and  to  difclofe  and  malce  known  all  Treafbns  and  traitorous  Confpi- 
racies which  they  fhall  know  to  be  againft  Us,  Our  Crown  and  Dignity;  and  for  that,  Purpofe, 
that  they  tranfmit  to  One  of  Our  Principal  Secretaries  of  State,  or  other  proper  Officer,  due  and 
full  Information  of  all  Perfons  who  fhall  be  found  carrying  on  Corrcfpondence  with,  or  in  any 
Manner  or  Degree  aiding  or  abetting  the  Perfons  now  in  open  Arms  and  Rebellion  againft  Our 
Government  within  any  of  Our  Colonies  and  Plantations  in  North  slmerica%  in  order  to  bring  to 
condign  Punifhment  the  Authors,  Perpetrators,  and  Abettors  of  fuch  traitorous  Defigns. 

Given  at  Our  Cour.  dt  St.  James 's,  the  Twenty-third  Day  of'sfugu/?,    One    thoufand 
feven  hundred  and  feventy-five,  in  the  Fifteenth  Year  of  Our  Reign, 


God    fave    the    King, 


LONDON- 

Pnnted  by  Charles  Eyre  and  William  Slraiav^ Printers  to  the  Kings  moil  Excellent  Majefly.     07S* 


ORIGINAL   DOCUMENT  517 

expression  only  in  mutinous  speech,  or  sudden  brawls,  or  legislative 
deliberations. 

But  he  was  yet  to  learn  of  Bunker  Hill,  and  the  assumption  of  all  the 
forms  and  rights  of  a  national  being  independent  of  the  mother  country. 
The  challenge  of  war  was  boldly  accepted,  and  an  American  commander- 
in-chief  appeared  apposite  Boston,  and  cooped  up  the  royal  troops  within 
it  by  regular  leaguer.  And  all  this  had  time  to  travel  across  the  ocean, 
and  to  stir  up  the  mind  of  the  would-be  despot  to  deepest  wrath  before 
August  23.  Then  he  poured  forth  his  troubled  soul,  exasperated  beyond 
all  bounds  against  his  rebellious  subjects,  in  the  proclamation,  which  was 
printed  as  a  broadside,  and  scattered  throughout  the  colonies. 

We  must  observe  the  philosophical  exhortation  "  to  put  ourselves  in 
his  place  " — which  is  at  the  same  time  the  scientifically  historic  attitude — 
to  appreciate  the  terms  of  this  proclamation.  From  the  king's  standpoint 
England  was  "the  Power  that  has  [had]  protected  and  sustained"  the 
colonies.  Surely  they  could  have  got  along  without  much  of  that  protec- 
tion ;  and  the  sustaining  did  not  reach  their  commercial  or  manufacturing 
development  to  any  great  extent.  Their  real  prosperity,  their  rights  as 
political  integers,  were  serenely  ignored  or  even  trampled  upon,  to  advance 
or  protect  the  commerce  and  manufactures  of  the  mother  country.  This 
had  been  the  deliberate  policy  of  a  century  and  over,  and  allegiance  based 
on  a  gratitude  for  protecting  and  sustaining  which  had  itself  such  slender 
ground  to  stand  upon,  could  not  be  expected  to  be  very  firm.  But  [again 
from  the  king's  standpoint]  when  this  protection  was  repaid  by  their  "  array- 
ing themselves  in  hostile  Manner  to  withstand  the  Execution  of  the  Law,  and 
traitorously  preparing,  ordering,  and  levying  War,"  no  wonder  that  it  seemed 
high  time  to  pronounce  summary  sentence  and  denunciation  in  the  form 
of  this  proclamation. 


The  Escape  of  the  Constitution — 
The  frontispiece  of  this  number  repre- 
sents one  of  the  most  thrilling  incidents 
in  the  history  of  the  American  navy. 
It  deserves  particular  emphasis  because, 
by  reason  of  the  more  distinctive  and 
brilliant  glory  derived  from  the  victory 
of  the  Constitution  over  the  Guerriere  a 
month  later,  the  merit  and  the  profound 
interest  and  importance  of  her  escape 
from  a  British  squadron  have  been  some- 
what obscured.  By  a  law  passed  in 
1794,  which  received  Washington's  sig- 
nature, the  Constitution  was  constructed 
as  one  of  six  first-class  frigates  at  a  cost 
of  nearly  three  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars, and  was  launched  at  Boston,  Octo- 
ber 21,  1797.  In  the  quaint  and  stilted 
style  of  the  early  American  newspaper, 
the  Boston  Commercial  Gazette  of  Mon- 
day, October  23,  1797,  described  the 
event  as  follows  : 

THE  LAUNCH— A  MAGNIFICENT  SPEC- 
TACLE. 

On  Saturday  last,  at  15  minutes  past  M., 
the   frigate 

CONSTITUTION 

was  launched  into  the  adjacent  element,  on 
which  she  now  rides  an  elegant  and  superb 
specimen  of  American  naval  architecture,  com- 
bining the  unity  of  wisdom,  strength  and 
beauty.  The  tide  being  amply  full  she  de- 
scended into  the  bosom  of  the  Ocean,  with  an 
ease  and  dignity,  which,  while  it  afforded  the 
most  exalted  and  heartfelt  pleasure  and  satisfac- 
tion to  the  many  thousand  spectators,  was  the 
guarantee  of  her  safety,  and  the  pledge  that  no 


occurrence  should  mar  the  joyous  sensations  that 
every  one  experienced.  On  a  signal  being  given 
on  board,  her  ordnance  on  shore  announced  to 
the  neighboring  country  that  the 

CONSTITUTION    WAS    SECURE. 

This,  then,  was  the  birth  of  "  Old 
Ironsides,"  as  the  vessel  came  to  be 
called  after  her  famous  exploits  in  the 
war  of  181 2.  When  that  war  broke 
out,  the  Constitution,  Captain  Isaac 
Hull,  was  recalled  from  the  European 
station  and  ordered  to  refit  and  recruit 
at  Annapolis,  in  the  Chesapeake.  This 
was  done  with  great  celerity,  resulting 
in  a  crew  many  of  whom  received  their 
first  training  after  arrival  on  the  ship. 
On  July  12,  1812,  the  Constitution  left 
Annapolis.  On  July  17,  out  at  sea,  her 
company  descried  at  a  great  distance 
several  sail  toward  the  north  and  east, 
and  on  July  18  it  had  become  evident 
that  these  vessels  constituted  a  squad- 
ron of  the  enemy,  of  four  frigates  and 
one  ship-of-the-line.  It  was  of  course 
out  of  the  question  for  a  single  vessel 
to  engage  such  an  overwhelming  force  ; 
the  only  thing  to  do  was  to  get  away. 
But  just  as  the  chase  began  the  wind 
failed,  whereupon  the  possibility  of 
escape  depended  upon  fertility  in  expe- 
dients on  the  part  of  the  Americans. 
They  proved  adepts  in  these.  In  the 
first  place,  as  there  was  no  wind  some 
other  mode  of  propulsion  must  be 
resorted  to.  "The  Constitution,"  says 
Cooper,    "  hoisted    out    her    boats,    and 


HISTORY   IN   BRIEF 


519 


sent  them  ahead  to  tow,  with  a  view  to 
keep  the  ship  out  of  the  reach  of  the 
enemy's  shot."  But  the  enemy  soon 
followed  suit,  with  the  advantage  of 
being  in  a  condition  to  concentrate  sev- 
eral boats  from  other  vessels  upon  the 
towing  of  one  of  two  which  it  was 
deemed  best  to  engage  the  American 
first.  Hence  there  was  a  decided  and 
perceptible  gain  on  their  part.  What 
next  to  do  ?  Cooper  tells  the  story  in 
his  seaman-like  manner  : 

At  half-past  six  [a.m.]  Captain  Hull 
sounded  in  twenty-six  fathoms,  when  finding 
that  the  enemy  was  likely  to  close,  as  he  was 
enabled  to  put  the  boats  of  two  ships  on  one, 
and  was  also  favored  by  a  little  more  air  than 
the  Constitution,  all  the  spare  rope  that  could 
be  found,  and  which  was  fit  for  the  purpose, 
was  payed  down  into  the  cutters,  bent  on,  and  a 
kedge  was  run  out  near  half  a  mile  ahead,  and 
let  go.  At  a  signal  given,  the  crew  clapped  on, 
and  walked  away  with  the  ship,  overrunning  and 
tripping  the  kedge  as  she  came  up  with  the  end 
of  the  line.  While  this  was  doing,  fresh  lines 
and  another  kedge  were  carried  ahead,  and 
though  out  of  sight  of  land  the  frigate  glided 
away  from  her  pursuers  before  they  discovered 
the  manner  in  which  it  was  done. 

Neither  in  the  Naval  History  of  the 
United  States,  from  which  the  above  is 
cited,  nor  in  his  article  on  u  Old  Iron- 
sides," in  Putnam's  Magazine  (vol.  i.), 
does  Cooper  tell  us  who  suggested  this 
novel  and  effective  expedient.  An  ac- 
count in  Niks'  Weekly  Register  for  Au- 
gust 24,  1833,  informs  us  that  "  during 
the  most  critical  period  of  the  chase, 
when  the  nearest  frigate,  the  Belvidera, 
had  already  commenced  firing,  and  the 
Guerriere  was  training  her  guns  for  the 
same  purpose,  the  possibility  of  kedging 
the  ship  was   suggested  by   Lieutenant, 


now  Commodore,  Morris,  and  was  eagerly 
adopted,  with  the  most  brilliant  suc- 
cess." ' 

But  while  a  "lucky  mile"  had  been 
gained,  the  chase  was  by  no  means  over. 
Very  soon  the  enemy  penetrated  the 
mystery  and  again  followed  the  example 
of  the  Americans.  Thus  the  day  wore 
on,  and  night  came  ;  and  another  day 
and  night  were  passed  in  the  same  try- 
ing and  anxious  manner.  There  was  no 
rest  for  officers  or  men  ;  but  there  was 
also  no  discouragement.  At  last  the 
wind,  which  had  so  often  promised  to 
return  and  had  blown  only  with  tantaliz- 
ing fitfulness  and  feebleness,  came  up  in 
earnest.     On  the  third  day — 

At  meridian  the  wind  began  to  blow  a  pleas- 
ant breeze,  and  the  sound  of  the  water  rippling 
under  the  bows  of  the  vessel  was  again  heard. 
From  this  moment  the  noble  old  ship  slowly 
drew  ahead  of  all  her  pursuers,  the  sails  being 
watched  and  tended  in  the  best  manner  that 
consummate  seamanship  could  dictate,  until  4 
P.M.,  when  the  Belvidera  was  more  than  four 
miles  astern,  and  the  other  vessels  were  thrown 
behind  in  the  same  proportion,  though  the  wind 
had  again  got  to  be  very  light.     .     .     .     At  a 

1  It  is  pleasant  to  notice  that  Captain  Hull  did 
not  arrogate  to  himself  all  the  praise  for  this 
fine  exploit.  Niles1  Weekly  Register  for  August 
8,  1812  (vol.  ii.,  p.  381),  contains  the  follow- 
ing: "Captain  Hull,  after  escaping  from  the 
English  squadron  with  the  Constitution,  was 
greeted  by  the  citizens  of  Boston  and  made  the 
following  entry  on  the  Coffee  House  Books  : 
'  Capt.  Hull  finding  his  friends  in  Boston  are 
correctly  informed  of  his  situation  when  chased 
by  the  British  squadron  off  New  York,  and 
that  they  are  good  enough  to  give  him  more 
credit  for  having  escaped  them  than  he  ought  to 
claim,  takes  the  opportunity  of  requesting  them 
to  make  a  transfer  of  a  part  of  their  good  wishes 
to  Lt.  Morris  and  the  other  brave  officers,  and 
the  crew  under  his  command.'" 


520 


HISTORY    IN    BRIEF 


little  before  7,  however,  there  was  every  ap- 
pearance  of  a  heavy  squall,  accompanied  by 
rain  ;  when  the  Constitution  prepared  to  meet 
it  with  the  coolness  and  discretion  she  had  dis- 
played throughout  the  whole  affair.  ...  In 
a  little  less  than  an  hour  after  the  squall  struck 
the  ship,  it  had  entirely  passed  to  leeward,  and 
a  sight  was  again  obtained  of  the  enemy.  The 
Belvidera,  the  nearest  vessel,  had  altered  her 
bearings  in  that  short  period  two  points  more 
to  leeward,  and  she  was  a  long-  way  astern. 
.  .  .  All  apprehensions  of  the  enemy  now 
ceased,  though  sail  was  carried  to  increase  the 
distance. — Cooper's  Naval  History,  vol.  ii. ,  pp. 
46-51. 

Thus  the  Constitution  was  saved, 
"  secure,"  in  a  somewhat  different  sense 
from  that  intended  by  the  Boston  Ga- 
zette of  1797.  The  importance  of  the 
event  can  hardly  be  overestimated. 
Had  she  been  captured  then,  there 
would  have  been  no  victory  over  the 
Guerriere  a  month  later,  and  it  may  be 
doubted,  if  the  first  of  that  series  of  tri- 
umphs had  failed,  whether  those  of  the 
United  States,  the  Wasp,  the  Hornet, 
and  the  others  would  have  followed.1 


A  Rare  Colonial  Relic  '2 — There 
is  in  the  possession  of  General  Henry 
Heth,  now  residing  in  Washington,  a 
colonial  relic  of  unique  historical  inter- 
est, which  deserves  more  than  a  passing 
notice.  It  is  a  goblet  that  has  been 
fashioned  out  of  the  head  of  the  awe- 
inspiring  mace  that  was  carried  before 
the  royal  governors  of  Virginia  on  all 
state    occasions,    and    always    preceded 

1  The  picture  of  the  Constitution  in  the  fron- 
tispiece was  copied  by  the  artist  from  a  drawing 
made  from  the  actual  ship  by  a  naval  architect. 

a  Contributed  by  David  FitzGerald,  Washington, 
D.  C. 


them  when  they  opened  the  House  of 
Burgesses  of  that  then  loyal  colony.  It 
is  made  of  sterling  silver,  gilt  on  the  out- 
side, is  of  chalice  shape,  stands  about 
seven  and  one-half  inches  high,  and  is 
five  inches  wide  at  the  rim.  It  is  elabo- 
rately embossed  in  high  relief  with  four 
designs,  the  two  principal  ones  being  : 
First,  a  shield  bearing  the  cross  of  St. 
George,  the  arms  of  Great  Britain,  Ire- 


land,  France,  and  Hanover  being  in  the 
four  quarters,  underneath  being  the 
motto  :  "En  Dat  Virginia  Quartam." 
(This  motto,  be  it  said  en  passant,  was 
granted  to  Virginia  by  Charles  the 
Second,  in  recognition  of  her  unswerving 
loyalty  to  the  cause  of  the  Stuarts.) 
Second,  a  female  warrior  in  quilted 
armor,  with  a  spear  in  her  right  hand, 
her  left  hand  resting  upon  a  shield 
on   which   appears  the  head  of  Medusa. 


HISTORY   IN    BRIKF 


21 


Below  this  is  the  motto  :  "  Virtute 
et  Labore  Florent  Res  Publicae." 
Between  these  two  designs  are,  on  one 
side,  the  typical  "  belle  sauvage "  of 
that  day,  viz.:  an  Indian  maiden  with 
flowing  hair,  a  crown  on  her  head,  nude, 
but  cut  off  short  at  the  waist ;  and  on  the 
other  side  is  a  bird  which  is  undoubted- 
ly meant  for  the  bald  eagle  of  America. 
What  was  formerly  the  top  of  the  mace 
has  been  converted  into  the  foot  of  the 
goblet.  This  bears  embossed  in  high  re- 
lief the  royal  arms  of  England,  inscribed 
within  the  "  garter,"  which  has  the 
legend  :  "  Honi  soit  qui  mal  y  pense." 
On  either  side  of  the  arms  are  the  lion  and 
the  unicorn  "  fighting  for  the  crown," 
which  is  between  them,  with  the  letters 
G.  R.  on  either  side  of  it,  the  legend 
"  Dieu  et  mon  Droit "  being  below. 
Tradition  has  it  that  it  was  a  present 
from  one  of  the  Georges,  most  probably 
the  First,  to  the  colony,  and  it  certainly 
looks  like  a  royal  gift.  At  the  outbreak 
of  the  Revolutionary  war,  all  the  articles 
pertaining  to  the  royal  government  were 
sold,  and  this  mace  was  bought  by  Gen- 
eral Heth's  great-great-granduncle,  Col. 
William  Heth,  who  had  it  made  into  the 
goblet  as  it  now  stands.  It  is  highly 
prized  by  General  Heth,  who  comes  of 
famous  fighting  Revolutionary  stock,  and 
is  perhaps  as  interesting  a  colonial  relic 
as  any  in  the  country. 

Town  Resolutions  of  1774  1 — The 
following  extract  from  the  History  of 
New  I>ritai?t,  Connecticut,  by  D.  M. 
Camp,  gives  an  account  of  an  early 
movement  in  New  England,  looking  to 

1  Communicated  by  General  Marcus  J.  Wright, 
Washington,  D.  C. 


independence,  which  may  be  of  interest 
to  such  as  have  not  seen  it. 

The  sentiment  of  the  people  of  Farmington, 
Conn.,  which  then  included  New  Britain  and 
Berlin,  was  strong  in  opposition  to  the  tyranny 
of  the  English  government.  This  sentiment 
was  repeatedly  and  emphatically  expressed. 
At  a  very  full  meeting  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
town,  held  June  15,  1774,  when  persons  were 
present  from  New  Britain  and  Berlin,  it  was 
voted  : 

That  the  act  of  Parliament  for  blocking  up  the  port 
of  Boston  is  an  invasion  of  the  Rights  and  Privileges 
of  every  American,  and  as  such,  we  are  determined  to 
oppose  the  same,  with  all  other  arbitrary  and  tyranni- 
cal acts  in  every  Way  and  Manner,  that  may  be  adopted 
in  General  Congress  ;  to  the  intent  we  may  be  Instru- 
mental in  Securing  and  Transmitting  our  Rights  and 
Privileges  Inviolate  to  the  Latest  Posterity. 

That  the  fate  of  American  freedom  Greatly  De- 
pends upon  the  Conduct  of  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Town 
of  Boston  in  the  Present  Alarming  Crisis  of  Public 
affairs  :  We  therefore  entreat  them  by  every  thing 
that  is  Dear  and  Sacred,  to  Persevere  with  unremitted 
Vigilance  and  resolution  till  their  labor  shall  be 
crowned  with  the  desired  success. 

A  committee  of  thirty-four  of  the  principal 
men  in  the  different  parishes  of  Farmington 
was  appointed  for  the  following  purpose  :  "  To 
take  in  subscriptions  of  wheat,  rye,  Indian 
corn  and  other  provisions  of  the  Inhabitants, 
and  to  collect  and  transport  the  same  to  the 
Town  of  Boston,  there  to  be  delivered  to  the 
Select  Men  of  the  Town  of  Boston,  to  be  by 
them  Distributed  at  their  Discretion  to  those 
who  are  incapacitated  to  procure  a  necessary 
subsistence  in  consequence  of  the  late  oppressive 
Measures  of  Administration." 

At  the  same  meeting  another  committee  was 
appointed  "to  keep  up  a  correspondence  with 
the  towns  of  this  and  the  neighboring  colonies,'' 
and  also  to  correspond  with  the  town  of  Boston, 
and  transmit  a  copy  of  the  votes  of  the  meeting. 
At  another  town  meeting  held  in  Farmington, 
September  20,  of  the  same  year,  the  selectmen 
were  directed  to  purchase  ' '  Thirty  Hundred 
weight  of  lead,  Ten  Thousand  French  flints, 
and  thirty-six  barrels  of  powder,  to  be  added  to 
the  Town  Stock  for  the  use  of  the  Town." 
Special  encouragement  was  also  given  for  the 
manufacture  of  saltpeter. 


HISTORY    IN    BRIEF 


Traditions  of  Major  Andre1 — 
The  eastern  part  of  Long  Island,  New 
York,  was  free  from  the  horrors  of  war 
during  the  Revolution,  yet  nowhere  in 
the  colonies  were  the  daily  lives  of  res- 
idents more  influenced  by  British  con- 
trol. The  island  was  in  the  hands  of 
the  enemy  most  of  the  Revolutionary 
period,  and  in  various  places  English 
soldiers  were  stationed.  It  was  their 
duty  to  command  obedience  to  the  laws 
of  King  George,  but  it  was  often  their 
pleasure  to  make  concessions  while  en- 
forcing the  same.  Many  times  this 
course  was  taken  in  appreciation  of  per- 
sonal attentions  which  were  received 
from  American  people  in  whose  homes 
they  were  intruders.  Thus,  when  a  de- 
tachment of  the  British  army  was  in 
East  Hampton,  Sir  Henry  Clinton,  Sir 
William  Erskine,  Adjutant-General  An- 
dre, and  Lord  Percy  enjoyed  social 
intercourse  with  such  patriotic  charac- 
ters as  Priest  Buell,  the  Gardiners, 
Wyckhams,  and  other  resident  families. 
Differences  of  political  sentiments  were 
not  allowed  to  interfere  with  an  inter- 
change of  courtesies,  thus  alleviating 
many  annoyances  that  were  beyond  the 
power  of  either  party  to  avert. 

x\n  incident  connected  with  Andre's 
sojourn  in  this  village  during  Septem- 
ber, 1780,  but  three  weeks  before  his 
tragic  death,  accords  with  all  that  is 
pathetic  in  the  career  of  this  accom- 
plished young  officer.  One  evening, 
while  in  the  midst  of  a  convivial  gather- 
ing of  rebels  and  loyalists  at  the  house 
of  Colonel  Abraham  Gardiner,  where  An- 
dre was  quartered,  the  company  was  an- 
noyed    by    hearing    various    mysterious 

1  Contributed  by  Anna  Mulford,  Sa^  Harbor,  L.  I. 


sounds.  The  house  stood  where  is  now 
the  residence  of  J.  T.  Gardiner,  which 
was  built  by  President  Tyler,  who 
spent  his  summers  in  the  quaint  town 
with  his  beautiful  wife,  who  had  been 
Miss  Julia  Gardiner,  of  Gardiner's  Is- 
land. Comments  were  made  and  a 
shade  of  gloom  was  cast  over  the  guests. 
Perhaps  the  "  dark  day,"  which  occurred 
in  the  month  of  May  previous,  made 
even  strong-minded  folks  apprehensive 
of  things  grewsome  or  weird.  Be  this 
as  it  may,  unaccountable  noises  disturbed 
the  nerves  of  sensitive  people  sometimes, 
at  that  time  as  at  the  present.  It  was 
observed  that  Major  Andre  in  particu- 
lar was  thus  affected.  He  withdrew 
from  the  room  to  one  which  was  vacant, 
and  sat  for  a  long  time  wrapt  in  silence 
and  reflection.  He  was  urged  to  return, 
and  rallied  as  to  his  dejected  countenance, 
but  finding  that  he  could  not  be  diverted, 
his  friends  made  many  solicitous  inqui- 
ries. The  burden  of  his  replies  was : 
"  These  sounds  are  meant  for  me.  I  am 
fated.     I  shall  always  be  unfortunate." 

The  scheme  of  betraying  West  Point 
into  the  hands  of  the  English  had  at  this 
time  been  devised  by  Benedict  Arnold. 
Sir  Henry  Clinton  was  in  secret  com- 
munication with  his  aide  regarding  its 
accomplishment,  and  doubtless  Adjutant 
Andre  at  this  time  was  seriously  medi- 
tating the  dangerous  undertaking,  for  a 
few  days  after  he  went  to  New  York, 
and  received  orders  from  General  Clin- 
ton to  proceed  with  the  business.  Be- 
tween this  date  and  October  2,  1780,  the 
over-zealous  Andre  had  caused  the  fail- 
ure of  the  plot,  and  disgrace,  arrest, 
trial,  sentence,  and  execution  quickly 
ended  this  drama  of  real  life. 


HISTORY   IN    BRIEF 


523 


It  may  be  conjectured  that  those  sa- 
tirical verses  on  American  officers  called 
''The  Cow  Chase,"  of  which  Andre 
was  the  author,  were  written  while  in 
East  Hampton.  The  last  canto  was 
published  on  the  day  of  his  capture.  No 
doubt  some  idle  moments  in  that  quiet 
and  pastoral  spot  were  thus  enlivened, 
and  we  may  well  wish  that  this  unfortu- 
nate young  man  had  never  attempted  a 
more  harmful  project  than  the  sobriquet 
"  Mad  Anthony  "  for  General  Wayne, 
which  had  its  origin  in  these  verses. 

Another  tradition  blends  aptly  with 
the  former.  Dr.  Nathaniel  Gardiner, 
son  of  Colonel  Abraham  Gardiner,  was  a 
young  surgeon  in  the  American  army. 
He  was  at  home  visiting  his  family,  and 
being  in  the  house  with  British  officers 
made  him  very  liable  to  arrest  as  a  spy, 
and,  besides,  East  Hampton  was  within 
the  British  lines.  His  parents  tried  to 
keep  from  the  enemy  the  knowledge  of 
their  son's  presence,  but  soon  it  was 
apparent  that  Andre  had  discovered  the 
secret,  who  remained,  however,  magnan- 
imously indifferent  to  household  affairs. 
After  the  departure  of  young  Gardiner, 
Andre  expressed  the  wish  that  circum- 
stances might  have  been  so  as  to  have 
favored  an  acquaintance.  Under  the  sad- 
dest surroundings  was  this  fulfilled.  Dr. 
Gardiner  was  one  of  the  guard  the  night 
before  his  execution,  and  with  no  great 
stretch  of  the  imagination  we  may  sup- 
pose these  two  young  men  to  have  con- 
versed. On  this  same  evening  Andre 
made  a  pen-and-ink  sketch  of  himself 
which  he  gave  to  an  American  acquaint- 
ance. It  is  not  improbable  that  his 
companion  was  permitted  to  look  at  the 
lovely  features  of  Honora  Syned,  which 


from  memory  he  had  painted  in  minia- 
ture, which  had  been  successfully  hidden 
when  he  was  searched  by  his  captors. 
A  niece  of  Dr.  Gardiner  vividly  remem- 
bers hearing  these  stories  in  her  youth. 
Such  traditions  are  fascinating.  They 
should  be  hoarded  and  treasured  in 
memory,  and  be  as  cautiously  preserved 
for  inspection  as  rare  laces,  old  china, 
and  old  Bibles.  Few  localities  are  more 
fraught  with  such  charms  than  the 
"  Hamptons  "  of  Long  Island,  nor  are 
there  many  colonial  families  richer  in 
such  lore  than  those  of  the  name  of 
Gardiner. 

Price  of  Slaves  in  New  York 
(1659-1818)1 — I.  Price  of  slaves  newly 
imported.  In  1659  negroes  purchased  at 
Curagoa  for  $60  could  not  be  sold  at 
New  Amsterdam  for  the  same  price.  In 
1661  a  few  sold  there  for  $176  each,  less 
the  freight.  Three  years  later  negroes 
brought  $200  at  a  certain  sale,  the  highest 
price  being  $270.60,  and  the  lowest 
$134.20.  On  the  same  occasion  negresses 
brought  about  $129  each,  although  in 
1694  "  good  negresses  "  sold  for  $240, 
and  in  1723  anywhere  from  $225  to 
$300.  Negroes  had  risen  in  value,  mean- 
time, to  $250,  and  there  remained  as 
long  as  the  importation  of  slaves  con- 
tinued. 

II.  Price  of  slaves  whose  character 
and  abilities  were  known  to  their  masters. 

In  1705  a  Bermuda  merchant  sold,  in 
New  York  City,  a  young  negro  woman, 
about  eighteen,  who  had  lived  in  his 
family  some  time,  for  $200.  A  negro 
wench,  nineteen    years    old,  "  whom    he 

1  Contributed     by    Edwin    Vernon    Morgan,  Cam- 
bridge, Massachusetts. 


3-4 


HISTORY    IN    BRIEF 


brought  up  from  infancy,"  was  sold  by 
Dr.  Duprey,  of  New  York  City,  in  1723, 
for  S-75-  IR  the  same  year  a  negro 
wench  and  child,  belonging  to  a  former 
sheriff  of  Amboy,  brought  $375.  In  the 
inventory  of  an  estate,  in  17 19,  another 
negro  wench  and  child  stood  for  only 
3300.  Able-bodied  men  were  selling  for 
about  $250. 

During  and  just  after  the  Revolu- 
tion the  price  of  slaves  appears  to  have 
varied  exceedingly.  The  assessors  in 
Ulster  county,  in  1775,  valued  a  male 
slave  between  fifteen  and  forty  at  $150  ; 
between  forty  and  fifty,  ten  and  fifteen, 
and  seven  and  ten,  at  $75,  $90,  and  $50, 
respectively.  Female  slaves  between 
the  same  ages  brought  $roo,  $50,  $60, 
and  $40,  although  in  1783  the  Council 
of  Sequestration  sold  a  negro  boy  for 
$56.25.  Ten  years  later  another  (in 
Albany  county)  was  bought  for  $100, 
and  a  third  (in  Richmond  county)  in 
1798  for  $410,  though  by  agreement  he 
was  to  be  manumitted  in  nine  years.  In 
the  Oswego  Herald,  1799,  appeared  this 
advertisement  :  "  A  Young  Wench — For 
Sale.  She  is  a  good  cook  and  ready  at 
all  kinds  of  house-work.  None  can  ex- 
ceed her  if  she  is  kept  from  liquor.  She 
is  24  years  of  age — no  husband  nor  chil- 
dren. Price  $200;  inquire  of  the  printer." 

From  the  beginning  of  this  century, 
owing  to  the  Manumission  act  of  1799, 
the  price  of  slaves  decreased.  In  1801, 
William  Potter  and  Mary  his  wife  pur- 
chased their  freedom  for  $400.  A  negro 
nineteen  years  old  brought  in  Rockland 
county,  March,  1809,  $250,  and  finally  a 
negro  woman  aged  thirty-seven,  with  all 
the  rights  her  present  mistress  had  to  the 
service  of  her  children, was  sold  for  $100. 


From  these  facts  we  may  draw  the 
following  conclusions  :  First,  that  while 
agricultural  laborers  were  scarce,  male 
slaves  were  more  valuable  than  female, 
but  when  domestic  servants  rather  than 
farm-hands  were  in  demand,  the  pre- 
vious condition  of  things  was  reversed  ; 
second,  that  in  the  years  preceding  the 
Revolution  slaves  brought  their  highest 
price  ;  and  third,  that  from  1790,  when 
it  became  apparent  that  the  legislature 
contemplated  measures  to  bring  about 
emancipation,  the  price  of  slaves  grad- 
ually declined.  A  fourth  and  last  con- 
clusion is  that  during  the  colonial 
period  the  average  price  of  both  male 
and   female   slaves   varied  from  $150  to 

$250. 

A  Forgotten  Battle  of  the  War 
of  18121 — There  was  a  battle  of  con- 
siderable importance  in  determining  the 
respective  position  of  the  British  and 
American  navies  on  Lake  Ontario,  in 
the  second  war  with  England,  which 
seems  to  have  escaped  entirely  the 
notice  of  later  historians.  A  history 
of  the  United  States  during  the  ad- 
ministration of  Jefferson  and  Madison 
written  by  Henry  Adams,  and  which 
is  in  nine  volumes,  has  not  one  word 
in  regard  to  the  Big  Sandy  battle,  in 
which  the  percentage  of  the  British 
loss  was  as  great  as  in  almost  any  con- 
test in  which  the  troops  of  that  empire 
were  ever  engaged,  being  about  sixteen 
per  cent,  of  the  men  on  their  side  killed, 
and  about  thirty-five  per  cent,  killed 
and  wounded.  Every  British  soldier 
and  sailor  not  killed  was  captured.  In 
this    part     of     Jefferson     county,     New 

1  Contributed  by  "  Jack  Evans.1' 


HISTORY    IN    BRIEF 


5^5 


York,  the  streams  all  converge  toward 
the  great  marshes,  separated  from  the 
lake  by  a  line  of  sand-hills,  where  the 
Big  Sandy  joins  its  north  and  south 
branches,  and  pours  the  accumulated 
waters  through  a  deep  channel  into  the 
Ontario.  The  creeks  before  reaching 
the  marshes  dash  downward  from  rock 
to  rock,  forming  innumerable  rapids  and 
miniature  waterfalls.  As  far  as  naviga- 
tion is  concerned  the  creeks  are  not 
available  ;  but  when  the  marshes  are 
reached,  the  branches  force  their  slug- 
gish way  with  many  a  turn,  making  in 
many  instances  a  perfect  S,  into  a  chan- 
nel sometimes  seventy  to  a  hundred  feet 
wide,  and  deep  enough  for  navigation 
for  about  three  miles  at  least.  There  is 
no  wharf  on  the  south  branch  of  Big 
Sandy,  and  no  building  from  the  inland 
edge  of  the  marshes  out  to  the  life-sav- 
ing station  at  the  mouth  of  the  creek  at 
the  present  time.  But  in  1814  there 
was  maritime  trade  there,  and  houses 
were  standing  on  bits  of  hard  ground 
here  and  there  along  the  courses  of  the 
two  streams  through  the  marshes.  At 
noon  of  May  29,  in  that  year,  a  line  of 
American  rowboats  entered  the  mouth 
of  the  creek  from  the  lake.  There  were 
eighteen  of  them,  and  they  contained 
munitions  and  armament  for  two  vessels, 
the  Mohawk  and  the  Jones,  which  were 
still  on  the  stocks  at  Sackett's  Harbor, 
awaiting  their  necessary  furnishing  be- 
fore being  added  to  the  little  American 
fleet  on  the  lake.  The  boats  had  left 
Oswego  the  day  before,  and  included  in 
their  cargoes  twenty-one  long  thirty-two- 
pounders,  ten  twenty  -  four  -  pounders, 
three  forty-two-pounder  carronades,  ten 
cables,  and  shot,  shell,  and  rigging,  all 


of  which  had  been  sent  up  the  Mohawk 
and  down  the  Oswego  river,  and  which 
it  was  of  supreme  importance  to  have  on 
board  of  the  new  vessels  at  the  earliest 
possible  date.  A  company  of  the  First 
United  States  Rifles,  under  command  of 
Captain  Daniel  Appling,  was  scattered 
among  the  various  boats,  and  a  party  of 
Oneida  Indians  had  been  taken  aboard 
a  few  miles  back,  so  that  the  entire  force 
in  charge  of  the  supplies  amounted  to 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  men.  See- 
ing some  sails  in  the  distance,  as  they 
were  hugging  the  shore  at  this  place, 
they  ran  into  the  creek  with  the  hope  of 
having  their  goods  landed  and  dis- 
patched overland  by  wagons  toward 
Sackett's  Harbor  before  the  supposed 
enemy  could  reach  them  at  the  creek. 
Runners  were  accordingly  sent  out  to 
invite  the  sparse  farming  population  to 
bring  teams  for  the  rescue,  and  a  watch 
was  set  on  one  of  the  sand-hills  to  keep 
the  strange  vessels  in  sight.  Before  day- 
light the  next  morning  it  was  discovered 
that  the  outside  boats  were  really  the 
enemy's  and  were  making  for  the  mouth 
of  the  creek.  They  comprised  three 
gunboats,  three  cutters,  and  a  gig.  Mes- 
sengers were  immediately  dispatched  to 
Ellis  village  for  militia  support,  and  pre- 
parations were  made  by  Lieutenant 
Woolsey,  the  naval  officer  in  charge, 
and  Captain  Appling  to  give  the  British 
the  warmest  possible  reception. 

Fences  were  torn  down  and  brush  cut 
away  to  facilitate  movements  of  cavalry 
and  artillery,  which  were  expected  from 
the  neighboring  hamlets,  and  the  work 
of  landing  the  marine  stores  under  the 
old  chestnut-trees  at  the  head  of  naviga- 
tion near  the   edge   of   the   marsh    was 


126 


HISTORY    IN    BRIEF 


entered  upon  with  spirit.  In  the  mean- 
time the  sun  rose,  and  the  enemy  brought 
their  vessels  into  the  mouth  of  the  creek, 
and  speedily  assisted  in  rousing  the 
country  by  opening  upon  the  Americans 
with  six  eight-pounders  across  the  marsh. 
Not  the  slightest  damage  was  done  by 
this  cannonade,  and  the  British  com- 
mander, Captain  Popham,  soon  ordered 
its  cessation  and  worked  his  boats  further 
up  the  south  branch  of  the  creek,  having 
seized  one  of  the  residents  named  Ed- 
munds and  compelled  him  to  act  as  a 
pilot.  At  nine  a.  m.  a  battery  of  two  six- 
pounders  and  a  squadron  of  cavalry 
arrived  from  Ellis  village,  and  reported 
that  infantry  would  soon  follow.  By 
this  time  the  British  were  landing  troops 
on  the  south  shore  of  the  branch,  to  the 
joy  of  the  Americans,  who  knew  they 
would  be  unable  to  make  their  way 
through  the  marsh  there,  and  therefore 
gave  them  a  few  scattering  cannon  shot, 
while  Captain  Appling  posted  his  soldiers 
in  ambush  among  some  bushes  near  the 
edge  of  the  marsh  on  the  north  side  of 
the  stream. 

The  Indians  refused  to  be  posted,  but 
spent  their  time  in  foraging  the  neigh- 
borhood for  provisions  on  the  strength 
of  the  plea  that  they  were  going  to  fight. 
When  the  British  found  the  south  shore 
impracticable  they  returned  to  the  north 
shore,  and  formed  in  line  of  battle  under 
command  of  Midshipman  Hoare,  ad- 
vancing boldly  in  the  direction  of  Ap- 
pling's ambush,  until  within  about  ten 
rods  of  the  concealed  riflemen,  when,  at 
Appling's  order,  a  full  volley  was  poured 
into  the  faces  of  the  British,  every  shot 
apparently  taking  effect.  Nineteen  of 
the   attacking    party    fell    dead    to    the 


ground,  including  Mr.  Hoare,  whose 
heart  was  torn  out  by  eleven  bullets. 
Fifty  men  were  wounded.  The  order 
was  given  to  "  charge  bayonets,"  and  the 
Americans  rushed  upon  the  paralyzed 
troops  with  their  empty  rifles  in  the  pro- 
per position,  although  unprovided  with 
bayonets.  In  an  instant  the  enemy  had 
dropped  their  arms  and  held  up  their 
hands  in  token  of  surrender.  Then  the 
Indians  came  up  valorously,  and  were 
with  difficulty  restrained  from  murdering 
the  disarmed  Britons.  Captain  Gad. 
Ackley's  company  of  infantry  militia 
also  arrived,  but  the  battle  was  over,  with 
the  exception  that  a  negro  on  one  of  the 
gunboats  persisted  in  prying  a  cannon 
overboard  in  spite  of  orders  to  stop,  and 
as  the  gun  splashed  into  the  water  the 
young  African  fell  after  it,  pierced  with 
a  dozen  fatal  wounds.  Besides  the 
wounded  there  were  taken  of  the  enemy 
twenty-seven  marines,  with  one  captain 
and  two  lieutenants,  and  one  hundred 
and  six  sailors,  with  two  post  captains, 
four  lieutenants,  and  two  midshipmen. 
Of  the  American  forces,  one  Indian  was 
killed,  probably  by  our  own  troops  in 
preventing  massacre,  and  one  rifleman 
wounded.  The  victory  was  as  complete 
and  satisfactory  as  any  ever  gained  by 
any  troops  in  resisting  an  attack,  and 
was  an  efficient  factor  in  securing 
Lake  Ontario  against  British  control. 
Ten  days  afterward  the  Mohawk  was 
launched,  and  Sir  James  L.  Yeo  aban- 
doned the  blockade  which  he  had  hith- 
erto kept  up  at  this  end  of  the  lake. 
The  wounded  of  the  enemy  were  taken 
to  the  neighboring  houses  and  provided 
for  as  well  as  possible. 

After  the  battle,  all  of  the  stores  and 


HISTORY   IN    BRIEF 


527 


armaments  had  been  forwarded  overland 
to  "  The  Harbor,"  except  one  big  cable, 
and  that  was  shouldered  by  four  hun- 
dred and  fifty  stalwart  citizens,  to  be  car- 
ried for  the  twenty  long  miles  in  front 
of  them,  and  thus  they  marched  to  the 
sound  of  drum  and  fife  for  two  days 
before  they  reached  their  destination  and 
received  the  plaudits  of  the  Sackett's 
Harbor  people.  There  is  only  one  living 
spectator  to  the  battle  which  proved  so 
successful,  to  the  Americans.  She  still 
lives  near  the  scene  of  the  conflict,  and 
is  a  bright  old  lady  of  about  eighty-five 
years,  who  still  retains  vivid  impressions 
of  these  incidents  of   her  childhood. 

A  Columbus  Celebration  in  1792 
— The  following  extract  from  the  Mail, 
or  Claypoles  Daily  Advertiser,  Philadel- 
phia, Wednesday,  August  22,  1792,  was 
sent  by  Mr.  Edward  F.  DeLancy,  cor- 
responding secretary  of  the  New  York 
Historical  Society,  to  Mr.  Henry  F. 
Thompson,  Baltimore,  and  was  read  by 
him  before  the  Maryland  Historical  So- 
ciety. It  has  reference  to  a  Columbus 
celebration  in  1792  : 

A  LETTER  RECEIVED  FROM  BALTI- 
MORE, DATED  AUGUST  17,  1792. 
We  are  informed  by  a  correspondent,  that  on 
Friday,  the  third  day  of  this  month,  being  the 
anniversary  of  the  departure  of  Christopher 
Columbus  from  Spain,  for  the  voyage  in  which 
he  discovered  this  new  World,  and  that  day 
closing  the  third  century  and  secular  year  of  the 
event  that  led  to  that  great  discovery,  the  corner 
stone  of  an  obelisk,  to  honour  the  memory  of  the 
immortal  man,  was  laid  in  a  grove  in  one  of  the 
gardens  of  a  villa  "  Belmont,"  the  country  seat 
of  the  Chevalier  d'Amnour,  near  this  town.  He 
adds  that  suitable  inscriptions,  on  metal  tables, 
are  to  be  affixed  to  its  pedestal,  on  the  twelfth 


of  next  October,  the  anniversary  of  the  day  on 
which  he,  for  the  first  time,  saw  the  land  he  so 
eagerly  was  in  quest  of  ;  the  same  day  closing 
also  the  third  century  and  secular  year  of  that 
important  epocha  of  the  annals  of  this  Globe. 
He  remarks  that  in  none  of  the  countries  that 
have  so  much  benefited  by  the  discovery  of  this 
almost  half  of  the  earth,  no  monuments  of  public 
or  private  veneration  have  been  raised  to  his 
memory  by  deserved  gratitude  ;  and  that  great 
man,  towards  whom  his  contemporaries  were 
unjust,  even  to  cruelty,  has  not  yet  obtained 
from  time  and  posterity,  the  reward  they  never 
fail  to  grant  to  real  virtue  and  useful  merit. 

Our  correspondent,  however,  congratulates 
this  Country  on  having,  for  some  years  past, 
taken  the  firsu  step  to  restore  him  part  of  the 
honours  due  to  his  name.  There  are  in  the 
United  States,  districts  of  Columbia,  counties  of 
Columbia,  towns  of  Columbia,  colleges  of 
Columbia,  &c,  &c,  &c.  Some  future  State, 
he  hopes,  will  also  be  called  by  that  name  ;  and 
he  observes  that  it  is  often  employed  by  the 
Columbian  favourites  of  the  muses,  in  their 
poetical  performances.  This  leads  him  to  be- 
lieve, or  at  least  to  hope,  that  the  time  is  ap- 
proaching when  universal  justice  will  be  done  to 
the  man,  whose  courage,  fortitude  and  talents 
place  him  among  the  first  heroes  of  modern 
times  ;  and  to  whom,  in  ancient  Rome,  and  still 
more  in  ancient  Greece,  public  respect  and 
gratitude  would  have  dedicated  statues,  temples, 
altars,  and  public  solemnities. 

He  also  observes  that  the  nominal  day  of  the 
week  on  which  Columbus  sailed  from  Spain, 
and  the  same  also  which  crowned  his  enterprise 
by  the  discovery  of  the  land,  terminates  the 
secular  year  of  the  third  century  of  these  two 
events  ;  and  that  it  is  the  same  nominal  day  (viz. 
Friday)  which  the  superstition  of  many  modern 
navigators  makes  them  believe  ominous  ;  and 
prevents  them  from  sailing  on  that  day,  often  to 
the  prejudice  of  their  owners,  or  other  parties 
concerned. 

(Charles  Francis  Adrian  Le  Paulmier  d'Am- 
nour, Chevalier,  &c,  was  appointed  Consul  of 
H.  M.  C.  Majesty  at  Baltimore,  October  27, 
1778,  and  Consul  General,  September  13,  1783-) 


QUERIES 


Lord  Stirling's  House  —  In  the 
February  number  of  the  Magazine  ap- 
peared an  illustration  representing  the 
house  of  the  Revolutionary  general, 
William  Alexander,  called  also  by  court- 
esy. Earl  of  Stirling.  I  have  ascertained 
that  it  stood  in  Broad  street.  Can  any 
local  antiquarian  of  New  York  city  in- 
dicate the  precise  spot  where  this  dwell- 
ing stood  ?  J.  A.   D. 


A      POWDER     MILL      OF      THE      REVOLU- 
TION— I  have  learned,  either  from  read- 


ing or  from  conversation  with  residents 
in  that  section  of  the  country,  that  as 
soon  as  war  with  the  mother  country 
was  determined  upon  by  the  Continental 
Congress,  one  of  the  members,  hailing 
either  from  Ulster  or  Orange  county, 
New  York,  went  quietly  home  and  began 
the  very  practical  work  of  preparing  for 
the  manufacture  of  gun-powder.  Can 
any  reader  furnish  the  name  of  this 
practical  patriot  and  the  location  of  his 
powder  mill  ? 

Ulster. 


REPLIES 


The  oldest  dwelling  house  in 
new  york  state — The  following  dates 
may  be-  relied  upon : 

The  old  Pelletreau  house,  in  South- 
ampton, Long  Island,  was  built  in  1686. 
It  is  not  now  standing  entire.  The 
Townsend  house,  Port  Jefferson,  L.  I., 
the  east  part  of  which  is  still  standing, 
tradition  says  was  built  in  1680.  The 
Captain  John  Young's  house  in  Southold, 
L.  I.,  was  built  in  1650.  These  ancient 
homesteads  are  certainly  among  the 
oldest  (if  not  positively  the  most  ancient 
dwellings)  in  the  state  of  New  York. 

C.  H.  G. 


[n  reply  to  the  inquiry  of  your  corre- 
spondent, R.  B.  S.,  in  the  March  num- 
ber, about  the  documentary  account  of 
the  burning  of  the  Tiger  in  New  York 
harbor  in  1614,  I  desire  to  say  that  I 
communicated  with  the  General  Archivist 
of  the  Netherlands  at  the  Hague.  This 
gentleman  reported  that  after  carefully 
going  over  the  records,  no  document  of 


August  14,  1 6 14,  or  any  other  document 
referring  to  the  Tiger's  mishap  was 
found.  The  archivist  added  that  upon 
every  paper  in  the  bundle  containing 
those  near  the  above  date  were  still  to  be 
seen  Mr.  Brodhead's  pencil  marks,  to  in- 
dicate that  he  had  examined  it,  and  how 
much  of  it  was  to  be  copied.  If  he  had 
found  such  a  document  as  the  one  in 
question,  he  certainly  would  have  had  it 
copied  for  his  collection  for  the  state  of 
New  York.  Some  one  to  whom  Mrs. 
Lamb  intrusted  this  part  of  her  investi- 
gations must  have  misinformed  her, 
doubtless  unwittingly. 

D.  V.  P. 


In  reply  to  query  of  "P.  Q.  W."  in 
your  March  number,  1893,  I  do  not  find 
that  Lafayette  was  ever  sick  in  a  farm- 
house near  the  Delaware  river,  in  a  New 
Jersey  village. 

A  few  days  after  the  battle  of  Brandy- 
wine,  September  n,  1777,  where  he  re- 
ceived a  bullet  wound  through  the  leg, 


REPLIES 


529 


he  was  taken  to  Bristol,  Bucks  county, 
Pennsylvania,  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
Delaware,  and  thence  in  a  few  days  to 
Bethlehem,  Northampton  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, about  ten  miles  in  a  direct  line 
from  the  Delaware,. where  he  remained 
about  two  months,  until  his  wound 
healed  sufficiently  to  permit  him  to  re- 
pair to  Valley  Forge.  After  the  evacua- 
tion of  the  latter  place,  we  find  him 
in  New  Jersey  on  June  22,  1778,  at 
Coryell's  Ferry  (now  Lambertville),  on 
the  left  bank  of  the  Delaware,  Hunter- 
don county,  New  Jersey,  in  the  old 
Richard  Holcombe  house  (still  stand- 
ing), and  the  headquarters  of  Washing- 
ton at  the  same  time.  After  remaining 
here  about  two  days,  he  marched  with 
the  main  army  to  Hopewell,  New  Jersey, 
where  the  famous  council  of  war  was 
held  just  previous  to  the  battle  of  Mon- 
mouth.    He  could  not  have  been  very 


sick  on  this  march,  nor  at  the  time  of 
the  last  battle,  as  he  took  a  very  con- 
spicuous part  on  that  momentous  occa- 
sion. 

After  the  battle  of  Monmouth,  he 
accompanied  Washington  up  the  Hud- 
son river ;  and  when  the  latter,  in  the 
autumn  of  1778,  came  down  with  a  por- 
tion of  the  army  to  Middlebrook,  Somer- 
set county,  New  Jersey,  and  there  made 
his  headquarters,  Lafayette  remained  be- 
hind, and  we  find  him  figuring  very 
prominently  in  the  states  of  New  York 
and  Rhode  Island.  Early  in  1779  he 
obtained  a  leave  of  absence  and  made  a 
visit  to  France. 

He  returned  to  America  in  1780,  and 
I  find  no  record  in  local  or  national 
history  of  his  spending  any  time  in  sick- 
ness or  health,  on  or  near  the  Delaware 
river  during  the  Revolutionary  war,  in 
New  Jersey.  J.  H.  G. 


Vol.  XXIX.— No.  5.-34 


California — The  Historical  Society 
of  Southern  California  [Los  Angeles  J, 
at  its  meeting  in  March,  besides  listen- 
ing to  papers  keeping  alive  the  memories 
of  thrilling  events  in  the  history  of  the 
State,  discussed  the  sending  of  an  ex- 
hibit to  the  World's  Fair,  illustrating 
that  history  by  relics  and  curios. 


ready  for  dedication  in  June  as  was  hoped. 
It  will  resemble  that  of  the  Century  Club, 
of  New  York  city,  but  on  a  smaller  scale. 

— A  bill  has  passed  the  legislature  ap- 
propriating one  thousand  dollars  annually 
to  the  Connecticut  Historical  Society 
[Hartford],  to  be  used  for  the  compilation 
and  publication  of  important  documents. 


Connecticut — Captain  Charles  H. 
Townshend  read  a  paper  before  the  New 
Haven  Colony  Historical  Society  at  its 
meeting  in  March,  on  u  The  Quinnipiac 
Indians  and  their  Reservation  at  Royn- 
ham,  near  New  Haven."  Among  other 
things  he  said  :  "  The  land  of  the  Quin- 
nipiac Indians  lay  adjoining  the  land  of 
the  Mohawk  Indians,  who  dwelt  to  the 
westward  of  the  Hudson  river.  The 
village  of  the  Quinnipiac  Indians  lay  near 
what  is  now  Perry  Hill.  Beacon  Hill  was 
their  lookout  and  signal  fireplace.  The 
reservation  comprised  'twelve  hundred 
acres,  being  a  tract  of  land  about  two 
square  miles  extending  inland  from  Long 
Island  sound.  By  treaty  the  Indians 
had  the  right  to  fish,  cut  wood,  and  till 
the  soil,  and  the  English  wTere  pledged  to 
protect  them  in  any  just  cause."  The 
new  building  of  the  society  will   not  be 


District  of  Columbia — In  Washing- 
ton there  is  an  organization  which  bears 
the  name  of  the  Memorial  Association  of 
the  District  of  Columbia.  The  purpose 
of  that  society  is  declared  to  be  a  three- 
fold one  of  "  preserving  the  most  note- 
worthy houses  at  the  capital  that  have 
been  made  historic  by  the  residence 
of  the  greatest  men  of  the  nation";  of 
"  suitably  marking,  by  tablets  or  other- 
wise, the  houses  and  places  throughout 
the  city  of  chief  interest  to  our  own  res- 
idents and  to  the  multitudes  of  Ameri- 
cans and  foreigners  who  annually  visit 
the  capital";  and  of  "thus  cultivating 
that  historic  spirit  and  reverence  for  the 
memories  of  the  founders  and  leaders  of 
the  republic  upon  which  an  intelligent 
and  abiding  patriotism  so  largely  de- 
pends." 


Note. — This  department  aims  to  present  such  notes  of  the  proceedings  of  historical  societies 
throughout  the  country  as  are  of  general  historical  interest,  with  such  items  of  a  local  nature  as 
will  serve  to  stimulate  the  formation  of  new  societies,  or  to  encourage  the  activities  of  those 
already  established.  Thus  we  hope  to  furnish  a  comprehensive  survey  of  the  character  of  the 
actual  historical  work  done  by  these  organizations,  and  to  indicate  the  growth  everywhere  of 
the  historical  spirit. 


NOTES    FROM   THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


531 


Florida — The  South  Florida  Histor- 
ical and  Archaeological  Society  [Orlan- 
do], having  been  allowed  to  almost  die 
out,  an  effort  is  now  being  made  to  re- 
suscitate it.  In  his  appeal  in  the  public 
prints  its  secretary  says  : 

"  Where  is  the  patriotism  of  our  peo- 
ple ?  I  do  not  mean  the  profitless  pa- 
triotism which  finds  its  vent  in  trashy 
speeches  concerning  politics,  or  which 
begins  and  ends  at  the  polling  booth, 
but  that  higher  patriotism  which  shows 
its  love  of  country  in  preserving  its  an- 
cient and  modern  past  for  the  study  of 
future  generations.  Is  it  not  a  shame 
that  to-day,  if  a  Floridian  desires  to 
know  aught  of  the  distant  past  of  his 
state,  or  even  more  modern  events  which 
make  its  history,  he  would  seek  the  in- 
formation in  some  museum  in  Massachu- 
setts, or  in  the  archives  at  Washing- 
ton ?" 


Louisiana — The  board  of  governors 
of  the  Louisiana  Historical  Association 
[New  Orleans],  met  in  March  and  elect- 
ed officers.  The  society  is  in  the  most 
flourishing  condition,  from  the  fact  that 
the  citizens  of  the  state  are  awakening  to 
its  great  importance  and  future  usefulness 
in  preserving  historical  relics  and  data. 


Maryland — We  are  informed  by  the 
secretary  of  the  Maryland  Historical  So- 
ciety that  a  replica  of  the  bronze  work 
upon  the  monument  to  the  Maryland 
Line  on  the  battlefield  of  Guilford  Court- 
House,  which  was  dedicated  October 
15,  1892,  was  presented  to  the  society 
by  the  subscribers  to  the  Monument 
Fund.  An  oil  portrait  of  General  John 
Spear  Smith,  the  first  president  of  the 


society  (from  1843  to  his  decease  in 
1867),  by  Robertson,  was  presented  to 
the  gallery  committee,  by  Captain  Robert 
Carter  Smith.  There  was  also  presented 
an  excellent  portrait,  by  Bendann,  of  the 
present  eminent  and  beloved  president, 
Mr.  S.  Teakle  Wallis.  The  society  has 
now  portraits  of  all  its  presidents,  in- 
cluding one  of  Colonel  Brantz  Mayer,  by 
Frank  B.  Mayer,  and  of  the  late  John 
H.  B.  Latrobe,  by  Dabour.  Mr.  La- 
trobe,  who  was  the  son  of  the  architect 
of  the  capitol  at  Washington,  and  father 
of  the  present  mayor  of  Baltimore,  pre- 
sided from  1869  to  the  date  of  his  death 
in  1891.  The  society  is  also  preparing 
to  make  an  exhibit  of  colonial  and  Revo- 
lutionary relics,  as  one  of  the  original 
thirteen  states  who  are  invited  to  make 
such  an  exhibit  by  the  government,  in 
the  rotunda  of  the  government  building 
at  Chicago. 

—  A  Maryland  branch  of  the  Society 
of  Colonial  Wars  was  organized  at  Balti- 
more in  March.  This  organization  is  an 
extension  of  the  society  formed  some 
time  since  in  the  city  of  New  York, 
which  aims  to  do  for  the  colonial  period 
of  America  that  which  it  is  the  purpose 
of  the  Revolutionary  societies  to  do  in 
regard  to  the  struggle  for  independence. 
While  the  history  of  Maryland  as  a  col- 
ony is  without  much  of  the  Indian  war- 
fare which  was  so  marked  in  others  of 
the  colonies,  it  bore  an  important  part 
in  the  French  war,  both  prior  and  sub- 
sequent to  the  defeat  of  Braddock  at 
Fort  Duquesne  ;  and  Forts  Cumberland 
and  Frederick  are  visible  memorials, 
standing  to  this  day,  of  the  share  the 
Marylanders  took  in  that  war. 


NOTES    FROM    THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


— The  recent  organization  of  the  Fred-  Canada  and  endeavor  to  effect  a   union 

erick  County  Historical  Society  has  al-  between  the  Canadians  and  the  American 

ready  begun  to  stimulate  the  citizens  of  colonies  in   an  effort  to  accomplish  their 

Cumberland  to  follow  that  good  exam-  independence  by  a  separation  from  Eng- 

ple.  land. 


— The  Frederick  County  Historical 
Society  [Frederick]  continues  to  give 
impetus  to  local  historical  research. 
Many  interesting  incidents  are  being 
brought  to  light.  In  1781  it  was  dis- 
covered in  Frederick  that  it  was  part  of 
the  enemy's  plan  for  a  British  force,  by 
entering  from  Canada  and  seizing  Fort 
Pitt,  to  co-operate  with  the  tories  in 
liberating  the  British  prisoners  of  war 
confined  in  large  numbers  at  Frederick, 
Sharpsburg,  and  other  points  near  by, 
and  effect  a  junction  with  Cornwallis. 
It  happened,  however,  that  an  American 
officer  was  standing  at  the  very  place 
appointed  for  a  tory  messenger  to  meet 
a  British  officer  in  the  disguise  of  a  Con- 
tinental, so  that  the  papers  were  de- 
livered to  him,  revealing  the  plot  and  the 
names  of  the  leaders.  Seven  of  these 
leaders  were  shortly  captured  in  the  vi- 
cinity of  Harmony,  in  the  western  part 
of  the  county,  and  taken  to  Frederick, 
where  they  were  tried  on  July  25th, 
before  a  commission  presided  over  by 
Judge  Hanson,  found  guilty,  and  sen- 
tenced to  be  hung,  drawn,  and  quar- 
tered. This  sentence  was  executed  on 
three  of  them,  and  the  others  were  par- 
doned. At  the  meeting  of  the  Society 
in  March  there  was  exhibited  for  in- 
spection the  original  commission,  on 
parchment,  given  by  the  Continental 
Congress  of  1776  to  Benjamin  Frank- 
lin, Samuel  Chase,  and  Charles  Carroll 
of  Carrollton,  as  a    committee    to  go  to 


Massachusetts — In  the  paper  read 
by  Mr.  Andrew  McFarland  Davis  before 
the  Colonial  Society  of  Massachusetts 
[Boston],  mentioned  in  our  last  number, 
he  gave  a  classified  list  of  the  historical 
societies  of  the  state.  The  societies 
strictly  of  this  nature  are  the  following  : 

I.    GENERAL. 

1.  American  Antiquarian  Society.  Wor- 
cester. 

2.  American  Statistical  Association.    Boston. 

3.  Archaeological  Institute  of  America.  Bos- 
ton. 

4.  Colonial  Society  of  Massachusetts.  Bos- 
ton. 

5.  Massachusetts  Historical  Society.  Bos- 
ton. 

6.  New  England  Historic  Genealogical  So- 
ciety.    Boston. 

II.    LOCAL. 

7.  Berkshire  Historical  and  Scientific  So- 
ciety.     Pittsfield. 

8.  Beverly  Historical  Society. 

9.  Bostonian  Society. 

10.  Canton  Historical  Society. 

11.  Cape  Ann  Historical  Society.   Gloucester. 

12.  Cape  Cod  Historical  Society. 

13.  Concord  Antiquarian  Society. 

14.  Connecticut  Valley  Historical  Society. 
Springfield. 

15.  Dan  vers  Historical  Society. 

16.  Dedham  Historical  Society. 

17.  Dorchester  Antiquarian  and  Historical 
Society. 

18.  Dorchester  Historical  Society. 

19.  Essex  Institute.      Salem. 

20.  Framingham  Historical  and  Natural  His- 
tory Society. 

21.  Historical,  Natural  History  and  Library 
Society.     Natick. 


NOTES   FROM   THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


533 


22.  Historical  Society  of  Old  Newbury. 

23.  Historical  Society  of  Watertown. 

24.  Hyde  Park  Historical  Society. 

25.  Lexington  Historical  Society. 

26.  Maiden  Historical  Society. 

27.  Manchester  Historical  Society. 

28.  Medfield  Historical  Society. 

29.  Old  Colony  Historical  Society.    Taunton. 

30.  Old  Residents'  Historical  Association. 
Lowell. 

31.  Pocumtuck  Valley  Memorial  Association. 
Deerfield. 

32.  Rehoboth  Antiquarian  Society. 

33.  Rumford  Historical  Society.      Woburn. 

34.  Westboro  Historical  Society. 
351   Weymouth  Historical  Society. 

36.  Winchester  Historical  Society. 

37.  Worcester  Society  of  Antiquity. 

Since  this  list  was  made,  three  more  societies 
have  come  to  light,  namely,  the  Shephard 
Historical  Society  of  Cambridge,  the  Roxbury 
Military  Historical  Society,  and  the  Old  South 
Historical  Society  of  Boston. 

—By  the  will  of  the  late  R.  C.  Waters- 
ton  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society 
receives  forty  thousand  dollars  in  four 
instalments  of  ten  thousand  dollars 
each.  The  library,  collections  of  pam- 
phlets, manuscripts,  and  autographs,  etc., 
will  remain  in  possession  of  the  widow 
of  the  deceased  as  long  as  she  lives.  At 
her  death  they  will  also  go  to  the  society. 
The  instalments  of  money  are  to  be  ap- 
plied as  follows  :  ten  thousand  dollars 
toward  a  building  fund ;  ten  thousand 
dollars  to  be  invested  in  a  separate  fund 
to  be  known  as  the  Waterston  Fund  No. 
1,  the  income  to  be  appropriated  to  the 
printing  and  publishing  of  a  complete 
catalogue  of  his  autographs  and  manu- 
scripts ;  ten  thousand  dollars  for  Waters- 
ton  Fund  No.  2,  the  income  to  be  used 
in  the  printing  and  publishing  of  any 
important  or  interesting  autographs, 
original  manuscripts,  etc. ;  ten  thousand 


dollars  to   be  designated  as  the  Robert 
Waterston  Publishing  Fund. 

— The  Connecticut  Valley  Historical 
Society  [Springfield],  at  its  meeting  in 
March,  adopted  an  amendment  to  the 
constitution,  by  which,  on  payment  of 
fifty  dollars,  the  privilege  of  life  member- 
ship to  the  society  should  inure  upon 
the  death  of  a  member  to  his  oldest  son 
or  daughter.  Steps  were  taken  to  secure 
the  marking  of  all  places  of  historic  inter- 
est in  the  city  and  vicinity.  A  letter 
from  John  Brown,  in  possession  of  Rev. 
Dr.  Buckingham,  was  read. 

— The  Danvers  Historical  Society  ar- 
ranged early  in  March  for  a  series  of 
fortnightly  lectures,  to  extend  into  May. 
One  of  these  falling  in  April  is  certainly 
of  unique  interest.  Its  title  is  "  Old 
Anti-Slavery  Days"  ;  the  meeting  was  to 
be  addressed  by  some  of  the  more  famous 
abolitionists,  who  were  earliest  in  the 
fight  for  freedom,  and  who  were  ex- 
pected to  give  personal  reminiscences 
of  the  battle  in  which  they  were  faithful 
to  the  end. 

— The  Fitchburg  Historical  Society,  at 
its  meeting  in  March,  listened  to  a  letter 
from  an  old  resident,  now  living  in  Colo- 
rado, giving  an  account  of  his  recollec- 
tions of  the  town  in  his  boyhood.  The 
letter  confirms  the  fact  of  the  apathy  of 
Massachusetts  toward  the  second  war 
with  England.  "  Soon  after  the  war  of 
18 1 2  broke  out,  I  saw  and  heard  of 
many  military  movements.  The  war 
was  unpopular  in  Massachusetts.  It 
was  called  •  Jim  Madison's  war.'  Gov- 
ernor Strong  did  not  respond  readily  to 


534 


NOTES    FROM    THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


calls  for  troops,  but  when  a  British  fleet 
appeared  off  Boston  harbor  he  became 
alarmed,  and  issued  a  call  for  all  the 
independent  companies  in  the  state  to 
repair  to  Boston  for  the  protection  of 
the  capital  town  of  the  state." 

— The  Hyde  Park  Historical  Society, 
as  was  noticed  last  month,  completed  ar- 
rangements to  celebrate  the  twenty-fifth 
anniversary  of  the  founding  of  the  town, 
on  April  2 2d.  The  details  of  the  cele- 
bration will  be  noticed  in  our  next 
number. 

— The  Lexington  Historical  Society 
celebrated  the  one  hundred  and  eigh- 
teenth anniversary  of  the  battle,  by  ser- 
vices in  the  churches  on  Sunday,  April 
1 6th  ;  a  ball  on  the  evening  of  the  18th  ; 
on  the  19th  a  concert  for  the  school  chil- 
dren in  the  Town  Hall,  bells  being  rung 
and  salutes  fired  at  the  break  of  day. 
In  the  afternoon  of  the  19th  an  ora- 
tion by  the  Hon.  Alfred  S.  Rowe,  and  a 
poem  by  Henry  O'Meara,  of  the  Boston 
Journal,  were  delivered  ;  and  in  the 
evening  there  was  a  public  reception  by 
the  society. 

— The  Rumford  Historical  Associa- 
tion [Woburn],  at  its  annual  meeting  in 
March,  considered  the  question  of  secur- 
ing a  replica  of  the  famous  statue  of 
Count  Rumford,  the  celebrated  chemist, 
and  a  native  of  their  town,  which  now 
adorns  one  of  the  finest  streets  of 
Munich,  Germany. 

—The  Wakefield  Historical  Society 
has  taken  steps  to  become  incorpo- 
rated under  the  laws  of  the  state.     Its 


services  are  to  be  solicited  in  the  ap- 
proaching commemoration  of  the  two 
hundred  and  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the 
founding  of  the  town. 

— At  a  meeting  of  the  Massachusetts 
Society  of  Sons  of  the  American  Revo- 
lution in  April  there  was  a  discussion  of 
the  matter  of  continuing  the  work  of 
marking  historic  spots  in  the  state.  It 
is  proposed  to  send  a  circular  to  the 
selectmen  of  towns,  invoking  their  aid 
and  co-operation  in  this  matter.  Last 
year  the  graves  of  about  seventy-five 
Revolutionary  soldiers  in  the  town  of 
Acton  were  designated.  This  year,  on 
Memorial  Day,  some  one  hundred  such 
spots  in  Concord  will  be  marked,  and 
probably  twenty-five  more  in  Acton.  It 
is  proposed  to  place  bronze  tablets  on 
these  sites  as  fast  as  they  can  be  ob- 
tained., The  sub-committee  is  com- 
posed of  five  gentlemen  in  Boston, 
Nantucket,  Groton,  Cambridge,  and 
Lexington. 


New  York  — ■  On  April  8th,  the  New 
York  Historical  Society  met  to  commem- 
orate the  two  hundredth  anniversary 
of  the  appointment  of  William  Bradford 
to  be  public  printer  of  the  colony  of 
New  York.  The  meeting  wras  held  in 
the  hall  of  the  Cotton  Exchange,  which 
stands  on  the  site  of  the  building  in 
which  Bradford  published  the  first  num- 
ber of  the  New  York  Gazette,  the  first 
newspaper  issued  in  the  middle  colonies. 
The  hall  was  crowded  with  members  of 
the  society,  but  the  small  available  space 
made  it  impossible  to  issue  invitations 
for  other  guests  to  be  present.  The 
Rev.  Dr.  Morgan  Dix  opened  the  exer- 


NOTES   FROM    THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


535 


cises  with  a  prayer,  and  the  Hon.  John 
A.  King,  president  of  the  society,  then 
introduced  Charlton  F.  Lewis,  the  orator 
of  the  occasion.  Mr.  Lewis  dwelt  main- 
ly on  Bradford's  career,  speaking  of  his 
trouble  with  the  Pennsylvanian  colonial 
authorities  which  forced  him  to  come  to 
New  York.  Here,  through  the  influence 
of  Benjamin  Fletcher,  governor  of  New 
York  province,  he  was  appointed  public 
printer.  The  profession  was  so  unre- 
munerative,  however,  that  Bradford  died 
in  poverty.  He  is  buried  in  Trinity 
churchyard.  Dr.  Chambers,  senior  min- 
ister of  the  Collegiate  church,  pro- 
nounced the  benediction.  The  society 
have  set  a  tablet  in  the  Cotton  Exchange 
building,  on  the  Hanover  square  side, 
inscribed  :  "  On  this  site  William  Brad- 
ford, appointed  Public  Printer  April  10, 
A.- D.  1693,  issued  November  8,  A.  D. 
1725,  the  New  York  Gazette,  the  first 
newspaper  printed  in  New  York. 
Erected  by  the  New  York  Historical 
Society,  April  10,  A.  D.  1893,  in  com- 
memoration of  the  two  hundredth  an- 
niversary of  the  introduction  of  printing 
in  New  York."  Another  tablet  will  be 
placed  in  Pearl  street,  upon  the  building 
on  the  site  where  Bradford's  first  office 
stood. 

The  society,  in  the  death  of  Benjamin 
H.  Field,  mourns  the  loss  of  a  generous 
friend  and  patron.  From  i860  to  1877 
he  was  the  treasurer.  He  was  vice- 
president  from  1878  to  1885,  when  he 
was  elected  president.  At  the  time  of 
his  death  he  was  a  member  of  the  exec- 
utive committee.  He  was  actively  iden- 
tified with  the  movements  which  secured 
the  present  fireproof  building  which  is 
the  society"shome,  and  also  with  the  pur- 


chase of  the  new  site  opposite  Central 
Park. 

— The  Suffolk  County  Historical  Soci- 
ety (Riverhead,  Long  Island)  enjoys  the 
prospect  of  soon  possessing  a  fund  suf- 
ficient to  put  up  a  permanent  home  for 
itself.  Ex-Senator  John  A.  King  and 
Hon.  Joseph  Nimmo  have  contributed 
largely  toward  the  enterprise,  and  sev- 
eral residents  of  Riverhead  have  prom- 
ised to  give  one  hundred  dollars  each. 

— The  Rockland  County  Historical 
and  Forestry  Society  [Nyack]  possesses 
quite  a  collection  of  official  records 
of  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  annual  re- 
ports of  state  and  national  officers,  ex- 
ecutive documents,  congressional  de- 
bates, year  books  of  various  societies, 
etc.  They  have  also  an  old  safe  which 
is  crowded  with  documents  and  relics 
which  are  of  considerable  curiosity  and 
worth. 

— On  April  1st,  General  Charles  W. 
Darling,  secretary  of  the  Oneida  Histori- 
cal Society  at  Utica,  delivered  in  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church,  at  Whitestown, 
Oneida  county,  New  York,  an  address  on 
the  early  history  of  that  church.  It  is  one 
of  the  earliest  churches  in  Central  New 
York,  and  the  facts  relating  to  its  organ- 
ization are  extremely  interesting. 

— At  the  meeting  of  the  Rochester 
Historical  Society  in  March,  Frank  H. 
Severance  read  a  scholarly  paper  on 
"  Niagara  and  the  Poets."  He  described 
the  manner  in  which  the  poet  who  first 
wrote  upon  the  falls  journeyed  through 
the    wilderness    and    emerged  from    the 


536 


NOTES    FROM    THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


woods  near  Lake  Erie  in  July,  1804. 
This  was  Tom  Moore,  "  a  handsome, 
ruddy-faced  Irishman."  The  speaker 
said  that  he  not  only  wrote  what  proba- 
bly was  the  first  poem  composed  in  Buf- 
falo, bat  also  the  poem  which  contained 
the  first  allusion  to  Niagara.  The  writer 
then  referred  in  an  interesting  manner 
to  the  visits  of  various  other  poets  to 
Niagara,  and  their  poems. 

— A  meeting  of  old  residents  of  War- 
saw was  held  in  March  for  the  purpose 
of  organizing  a  historical  society.  The 
object  of  the  organization  is  to  prepare 
and  preserve  records  of  the  history  of 
this  town,  which  will  be  one  hundred 
years  old  at  the  end  of  another  decade. 


Ohio — The  agent  for  the  Ohio 
Historical  and  Archaeological  Society 
[Columbus],  who  is  gathering  relics  to 
display  at  the  World's  Fair,  is  meeting 
with  pronounced  success  in  his  work. 
Among  the  curious  and  invaluable  relics 
he  has  in  his  charge  are  some  Blenner- 
hassett  and  La  Fayette  pieces.  An 
autograph  letter  of  the  former  is  es- 
pecially interesting,  and  a  brass  sand 
box  used  by  our  great  French  sympa- 
thizer in  the  time  of  our  early  struggle 
for  liberty  is  of  especial  merit.  The 
society  will  endeavor  to  have  panoramic 
pictures  of  all  the  different  cities  of  the 
state  on  exhibition.  When  the  exposi- 
tion is  over,  these  pictures  are  to  be 
returned  to  Columbus,  and  placed  with 
other  historical  articles  in  the  state  mu- 
seum building  now  being  erected  on  the 
university  grounds  at  Columbus. 

— The  New  Century  Historical  Soci- 


ety [Marietta]  was  given  permission  by 
the  city  authorities  to  celebrate  the  land- 
ing of  the  Ohio  pioneers  on  April  7, 
1788,  by  placing  a  stone  memorial  on 
the  spot  made  memorable  by  that  event. 

— The  Muskingum  County  Pioneer 
and  Flistorical  Society  [Zanesville]  also 
took  occasion  to  celebrate  this  first  set- 
tlement of  Ohio  by  appropriate  exer- 
cises. 


Pennsylvania  —  The  Pennsylvania 
Historical  Society  [Philadelphia]  is  hav- 
ing a  course  of  essays  on  the  provincial 
history  of  the  State.  The  first  paper, 
read  at  the  March  meeting,  was  on 
"  The  Early  Welsh  Quakers  and  their 
Emigration  to  Pennsylvania,"  by  Dr. 
James  J.  Levick.  The  second  essay,  read 
in  April,  was  by  the  president,  Dr.  Stille, 
on  "  The  Pennsylvania  Constitution  of 
1776,"  in  which  the  writer  retold  the 
story  of  how  the  constitutions  were 
changed  in  the  different  states  upon 
the  recommendation  of  Congress,  May 
15,  1776,  and  of  the  difficulty  attending 
the  modification  in  Pennsylvania.  He 
described  the  irregular  methods  by  which 
the  convention  which  framed  the  con- 
stitution accomplished  the  defeat  of  the 
advocates  of  old  "  Home  Government," 
and  stated  that  the  principal  change 
brought  about  by  the  then  new  consti- 
tution was  the  transfer  of  power  from  a 
small  body  of  men  of  a  certain  social 
condition  to  those  elected  by  universal 
suffrage. 

— The  Historical  Society  of  Western 
Pennsylvania  [Allegheny],  at  its  meeting 
in  March,  enlivened  its  exercises  by  reci- 


NOTES    FROM    THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


537 


tations  and  songs  interspersed  among 
the  reading  of  papers  on  more  serious 
subjects.  Some  valuable  relics  were  also 
exhibited,  among  them  a  receipt  writ- 
ten by  General  Grant  when  he  was  a 
lieutenant,  and  the  tally-sheet  of  an  elec- 
tion held  in  1807. 

— A  movement  has  been  started  at 
Uniontown  to  organize  a  Fayette  County 
Historical  Society.  It  is  the  intention 
of  the  movers  in  the  matter  to  get  all 
those  interested  in  local  history  to  be- 
come members,  and  assist  in  gathering 
relics  of  Fort  Necessity,  the  expeditions 
of  Jumonville,  Washington,  Braddock, 
etc.,  and  to  collect  a  library  of  rare  and 
local  interest.  Few  sections  of  Penn- 
sylvania are  more  rich  in  the  material 
for  interesting  local  history  than  Fay- 
ette. It  is  of  the  highest  importance 
that  relics  and  records  that  will  be  of 
value  in  coming  times  be  preserved,  and 
it  is  hoped  that  the  movement  now  in 
progress  will  be  completely  successful. 


Rhode  Island — At  a  meeting  of  the 
Rhode  Island  Historical  Society  [Provi- 
dence] in  March,  a  paper  was  read  by 
Judge  Stiness,  of  the  Supreme  Court, 
on  "  A  Century  of  Lotteries  in  Rhode 
Island."  At  the  April  meeting  the  soci- 
ety empowered  the  committee  on  publi- 
cations to  issue  a  quarterly,  at  a  total 
cost  of  not  more  than  five  hundred  dol- 
lars, the  first  number  to  contain  the  an- 
nual proceedings  of  the  society,  and  the 
others  such  matter  as  was  thought  best. 
Professor  W.  H.  Munro>  of  Brown  Uni- 
versity, was  elected  editorial  assistant. 

— The    Newport    Historical    Society 


held  its  annual  meeting  in  March.  The 
election  of  officers  took  place.  It  was 
learned  from  the  librarian's  report  that 
a  volume  of  deeds  and  wills,  dated  prior 
to  1779,  is  being  arranged  chiefly  through 
the  liberality  of  certain  members,  and 
will  be  of  special  value,  as  the  public 
records  are  not  accessible.  There  have 
also  been  deposited,  for  the  benefit  of 
the  public,  private  alphabetical  lists  of 
births,  marriages,  and  deaths  in  this  vi- 
cinity, the  data  being  obtained  from  all 
the  churches,  town  records,  tombstones, 
and  newspapers  of  Providence  and  New- 
port. Years  of  labor  were  required  to 
produce  these  lists.  During  the  year 
one  hundred  and  fifty-three  bound  vol- 
umes, sixty-eight  pamphlets,  three  maps, 
one  portrait,  three  photographs,  and 
forty-two  manuscripts  have  been  added  ; 
also  fifty  volumes  of  newspapers,  and 
five  hundred  and  seven  single  copies, 
one  hundred  and  sixty-three  magazines, 
and  fifty-six  relics. 

— The  Soldiers  and  Sailors'  Histori- 
cal Society  [Providence],  at  its  meeting 
in  March,  listened  to  a  paper  by  Dr. 
Charles  O'Leary,  late  medical  director 
of  the  Sixth  Army  Corps,  on  "  Experi- 
ences of  an  Army  Surgeon."  He  spoke 
at  length  on  the  importance  of  medical 
officers  as  conservators  of  the  health,  of 
the  spirits,  and  of  the  fighting  powers 
of  the  men.  He  emphasized  the  fact  that 
the  equipment  of  the  surgical  staff  of 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  under  McClel- 
lan  was  absolutely  nothing,  and  to  this 
circumstance  was  due  the  excessive  and 
entirely  needless  suffering  of  the  sick  and 
wounded  during  the  campaign  on  the 
Peninsula.     Special  reference  was  made 


538 


NOTES    FROM    THE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETIES 


to  the  peculiar  depression  existing  in  the 
army  at  Harrison's  Landing  prior  to  the 
arrival  of  fresh  vegetables  from  the  North, 
and  the  marked  effect  produced  after  a 
few  days  in  the  restoration  of  the  men 
to  health  and  energy. 

— Before  the  Rhode  Island  Veterans' 
Historical  Association  a  paper  was  read 
by  Hon.  Benjamin  G.  Chace,  on  "  The 
Valley  of  the  Taunton  River."  Mr. 
Chace  entered  into  an  elaborate  and 
exhaustive  history  of  the  towns  along 
the  river,  giving  an  account  of  the  in- 
dustries in  Fall  River,  and  laying  stress 
on  the  cotton  manufactories.  The  in- 
fluence of  the  Quaker  element  of  Somer- 
set was  also  described.  The  early  his- 
tory of  that  town  is  not  generally  known, 
as  for  one  hundred  and  sixteen  years 
it  was  settled  by  Quakers  alone,  who  pre- 
served no  history.  Religious  tolerance 
was  the  foundation  of  its  success. 


Tennessee — A  special  meeting  was 
called  of  the  Confederate  Historical 
Association  [Memphis],  for  the  purpose 
of  preparing  suitable  resolutions  regard- 
ing the  death  of  General  E.  Kirby  Smith, 
of  Sewanee,  Tennessee.  Measures  have 
also  been  adopted  by  the  society  to  do 
their  share  toward  maintaining  a  Tennes- 
see table  at  the  Confederate  bazaar  held 
in  Richmond,  Virginia,  in  behalf  of  a 
monument  to  Jefferson  Davis. 


Virginia — The  Virginia  Historical 
Society  [Richmond],  having  in  contem- 
plation the  removal  into  new  quarters, 
and  the  better  preservation  of  its  histor- 
ical treasures,  the  Old  Dominion  chap- 
ter of  the   Daughters  of  the  American 


Revolution  have  generously  contributed 
nearly  nine  hundred  dollars  in  aid  of 
that  purpose. 

The  secretary  made  a  report  on  the 
number  and  condition  of  the  manu- 
scripts in  the  possession  of  the  society. 
This  number  includes  many  that  have 
already  been  published,  but  also  many 
which  have  not,  but  which  ought  to 
be  made  accessible  to  the  public  in  a 
printed  form.  Among  them  are  several 
manuscripts  of  great  value,  prepared  for 
publication  by  the  late  Conway  Robin- 
son, bearing  on  the  early  history  of  the 
colony,  and  on  the  period  of  the  Revolu- 
tion ;  the  journal  of  the  Confederate 
steamer  Georgia  ;  the  parish  register  of 
Sussex  county,  1749-17 75  ;  the  History 
of  Virginia,  by  Edmund  Randolph  ;  a 
list  of  members  of  the  Phi  Beta  Kappa 
Society  at  William  and  Mary;  the  letter- 
book  of  the  first  William  Byrd  ;  the 
letters  of  William  Fitzhugh  ;  the  Rose 
diary  ;  Appellate  court  decisions,  1731- 
39  ;  the  account  book  of  William  Mas- 
sie,  1747-48  ;  and  a  number  of  papers 
in  the  gift  of  the  late  Cassius  F.  Lee  of 
Alexandria,  to  the  society. 


Canada — At  the  monthly  meeting  of 
the  Numismatic  and  Antiquarian  Society 
[Montreal]  a  paper  was  read  on  the 
"  Early  Currency  of  Maryland,  and  the 
Early  Trade  of  Wisconsin,"  which,  with 
notes,  appeared  in  the  April  number  of 
the  society's  journal,  The  Antiquarian. 
The  Smithsonian  Institute  and  the 
Kansas  Academy  of  Science  have  con- 
tributed some  important  works,  which, 
with  the  generous  donations  from  the 
members,  have  largely  increased  the 
archives. 


EDITORIAL    NOTES 


As  was  to  be  expected,  the  proposal 
to  have  a  history  of  the  United  States 
written,  which  shall  be  acceptable  to  the 
south,  and  which. the  people  there  shall 
be  willing  to  have  taught  to  their  chil- 
dren, meets  with  some  adverse  criticism 
from  the  northern  press.  It  is  observ- 
able, however,  that  those  papers  which 
rather  boast  of  being  narrowly  partisan 
in  political  controversies  object  to  this 
measure.  There  is  no  doubt  that  books 
written  from  the  northern  standpoint 
are  sometimes  unjust  to  the  south. 
There  have  been  some  grossly  so.  In  a 
boy's  history  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  for 
instance,  not  content  with  referring  to 
the  confederates  from  beginning  to  end, 
with  the  most  contemptuous  emphasis,  as 
"  Rebels,"  the  author  pauses  every  now 
and  then  to  explain  that  these  southern- 
ers were  "traitors"  and  villains.  The 
effect  of  this  is  not  to  teach  history  but 
to  instil  into  the  minds  of  children 
a  malignant  hatred.  No  right-minded 
person  anywhere  in  this  country  can 
approve  of  such  teachings.  Fortunately 
such  books  are  the  exception,  but  doubt- 
less in  a  milder  way,  a  degree  of  the 
same  influence  may  be  wrought  by  other 
northern  histories.  It  is  not  in  human 
nature  to  relish  getting  such  books  into 
one's  children's  hands,  if  one  happens  to 
live  in  the  south.  Hence  it  is  natural 
that  the  movement  which  we  noticed  in 
our  last  number  has  taken  shape.  But, 
it  is  without  question,  that  southern 
writers  will  find  it  as  hard  to  be  per- 
fectly impartial  as  the  northern  ones 
have  found  it  to  be.  And  it  will  be 
very    nearly    as    bad    for    the    southern 


children,  if  they  in  turn  are  inoculated 
with  sentiments  of  contempt  or  hatred 
toward  their  northern  countrymen.  In 
all  such  matters  the  section  should  be 
sunk  as  much  as  possible,  and  the  nation 
raised  to  the  pinnacle  of  devotion  and 
love.  We  rejoice  in  the  spirit  mani- 
fested in  the  columns  of  a  southern 
journal  on  this  subject.     It  says  : 

"We  would  resist  just  as  strongly  the 
proposition  to  place  in  the  hands  of 
southern  children  a  history  that  did  not 
do  justice  to  Abraham  Lincoln,  or  that 
told  them  that  the  federals  were  scoun- 
drels, or  that  contained  false  or  garbled 
statements  of  facts.  Such  a  writer  is  the 
enemy  of  the  reunited  nation.  All,  in 
short,  that  the  south  asks  for,  is  the  truth, 
and  a  spirit  of  fraternity  such  as  should 
now  prevail  between  the  two  sections." 


It  is  interesting  to  note  how  on  every 
hand  the  effort  is  being  made  to  preserve 
and  appropriately  mark  the  various 
buildings  and  places  with  which  our 
history  is  interwoven.  This  is  espe- 
cially true  of  those  which  are  connected 
with  the  Revolutionary  period  ;  and  we 
are  glad  to  give  place  to  the  following 
communication,  which  relates  to  that 
time  and  to  one  of  its  more  interesting 
episodes. 

"  A  large  historic  interest  centres  about 
the  west  bank  of  the  Hudson.  Wash- 
ington's headquarters  were  near  Tappan 
at  the  time  of  the  Arnold  treason,  and 
the  house  and  grounds  are  now  kept  in 
the  best  condition.  The  church,  re- 
built on  the  foundation  of  the  one  in 
which  Andre  was  tried,  marks  the  place 


JO 


EDITORIAL   NOTES 


for  all  time.  The  spot  on  the  hill  where 
Andre  was  executed,  surrounded  by  an 
iron  railing,  perpetuates  this  event.  The 
stone  "  1776  house,"  in  which  Andre 
was  imprisoned  and  from  which  he 
walked  out  to  his  execution,  is  neglected, 
and  if  not  protected  at  once  will  go  to 
ruin.  These  mementos,  with  the  mon- 
ument where  Andre's  arrest  was  made 
at  Tarrytown,  across  the  river,  form  the 
historic  points  of  one  eve?it.  It  does  seem 
that  the  '1776  house,'  which  bore  so 
important  a  part  at  this  period,  should  be 
preserved  to  complete  the  historic  group. 

"  General  Washington  was  often  in  the 
'1776  house'  in  consultation  with  offi- 
cers ;  General  Greene,  in  charge  of  this 
division,  made  it  his  headquarters;  Gen- 
eral La  Fayette  also  often  met  officers 
there  ;  and  it  was  the  central  rendezvous 
for  the  yeomanry  far  and  near,  when  they 
learned  the  progress  of  the  national 
struggle.  This  house  can  be  purchased 
and  put  in  good  condition  for  a  small 
amount,  and  with  some  one  residing  in 
it  to  protect  it,  it  will  always  be  open  to 
visitors,  with  little  outlay. 

"The  value  of  preserving  this  house 
will  in  a  few  years  be  appreciated.  Its 
loss  would  be  a  perpetual  regret.  The 
whole  sum  needed  to  purchase  and  re- 
pair the  building  would  not  exceed  three 
thousand  dollars.  It  is  hoped  that  those 
who  are  themselves  descended  from  the 
men  who  helped  make  history  at  Tap- 
pan  will  aid  in  its  preservation  and  pro- 
tect the  historic  interest  from  being 
made  the  basis  of  trade." 

* 

There  is  an  interesting  story  told  of 
Mrs.  Lamb's  earliest  successful  literary 
effort.     When  she  was  fifteen  years  of 


age  she  went  to  visit  the  birthplace  of 
her  mother,  who  died  when  she  was  a 
child.  She  wrote  a  long  account  of  the 
impressions  she  received,  and  sent  it 
unsigned  to  a  paper  at  Northampton, 
Massachusetts,  near  by  where  she  was 
living.  The  editor  learned  who  the  au- 
thor was,  and  published  it  over  her  sig- 
nature. Her  father  was  a  deacon,  and 
a  very  savage  deacon  at  that,  and  he 
didn't  take  much  stock  in  newspapers 
or  in  people  who  wrote  for  them.  Ac- 
cording to  all  accounts,  when  she  saw 
her  article  in  print  she  was  so  surprised 
and  frightened  that  she  ran  to  her  room, 
locked  herself  in,  and  would  not  come 
out  until  her  father  assured  her  that  she 
should  not  be  scolded  for  her  first  lit- 
erary effort.  Before  she  was  twenty  she 
had  a  number  of  stories  for  children 
accepted  by  magazines  and  periodicals, 
and  during  her  lifetime  she  wrote  eight 
books  for  children. 


It  is  gratifying  to  learn  that  the  study 
of  American  history  will  be  the  main 
feature  of  this  summer's  meeting  of  the 
"American  Society  for  the  Extension  of 
University  Teaching."  This  is  to  be 
held  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania 
buildings,  in  Philadelphia,  from  July  5 
to  August  3.  It  is  expected  that  fifty 
thousand  pupils  will  attend.  The  Rev- 
olutionary period  will  receive  particular 
attention  ;  but  the  Colonial  era  will  also 
receive  a  large  share  of  study.  Subsid- 
iary studies  will  be  the  American  news- 
paper, the  American  magazine,  and 
American  art,  as  illustrated  by  the  stage, 
by  painting  and  sculpture,  and  by  archi- 
tecture. Philadelphia  is  a  happy  selec- 
tion for  these  thoroughly  patriotic  inves- 


EDITORIAL   NOTES 


541 


tigations,  and  was  chosen  just  because 
of  its  national  historic  interest.  Excur- 
sions will  be  made  by  the  various  classes 
to  the  famous  sites  and  spots  in  and 
around  the  city.  The  proposal  of  these 
studies,  and  the  vast  numbers  who  are 
confidently  expected,  and  partly  known 
to  be  coming  for  their  pursuit,  indicate 
how  deep  and  universal  the  historic  spirit 
has  grown,  as  touching  our  own  land. 


To  improve  the  tone  of  citizenship 
and  the  quality  (we  have  too  much  of  a 
quantity)  of  voters,  there  is  need  of  be- 
ginning early  to  form  the  prospective 
citizen  and  voter's  mind.  This  practical 
subject  is  discussed  ably  and  thoroughly 
by  Charles  A.  Brinley  in  a  pamphlet  on 
"Citizenship  and  the  Schools."  Refer- 
ring to  a  number  of  articles  on  the  sub- 
ject in  prominent  periodicals  he  con- 
cludes as  follows  :  "  The  more  general 
the  interest  in  the  past  history  and  the 
future  of  the  government,  the  better. 
Let  us,  by  all  means,  glory  in  our  coun- 
try and  love  her  ;  but  let  it  be  a  love 
that  finds  expression  in  fidelity  to  her — 
fidelity  in  the  only  way  that  is  possible 
for  most  of  us — by  the  sacrifice  of  some 
ease  and  money,  if  necessary,  in  an 
effort  to  raise  the  standard  of  citizen- 
ship. Above  all,  let  us  bear  in  mind  that 
as  cur  country  is  our  mother,  our  chil- 
dren are  her  children  and  should  be 
made  worthy  of  her." 


In  connection  with  the  article  on 
John  Brown  in  the  preceding  number 
of  this  Magazine,  it  seems  proper  to 
call  attention  to  the  instructive  reference 
to  that  unique  incident  in  our  country's 


history,  found  in  Rhodes'  History  of 
the  United  States  from  the  Compromise 
of  1850.  His  treatment  of  this  particu- 
lar episode  speaks  well  for  his  judi- 
cious and  impartial  manner  of  writing 
history.  If  it  is  difficult  in  any  case 
to  be  impartial,  and  maintain  the  judi- 
cial frame  of  mind,  it  is  when  one 
deals  with  events  wherewith  living  gen- 
erations are  contemporaneous.  He 
says  :  "  A  century  may  perchance  pass 
before  an  historical  estimate  acceptable 
to  all  lovers  of  liberty  and  justice  can 
be  made  of  John  Brown.  What  infinite 
variety  of  opinions  may  exist  of  a  man 
who  on  the  one  hand  is  compared  to 
Socrates  and  Christ,  and  on  the  other 
hand  to  Orsini  and  Wilkes  Booth  !  The 
likeness  drawn  between  the  old  Puritan 
and  these  men  who  did  the  work  of 
assassination  revolts  the  muse  of  history  ; 
yet  the  comparison  to  Socrates  and 
Christ  strikes  a  discordant  note.  The 
apostle  of  truth  and  the  apostle  of  peace 
are  immeasurably  remote  from  the  man 
whose  work  of  reform  consisted  in  shed- 
ding blood  ;  the  teacher  who  gave  the 
injunction,  'Render  unto  Csesar  the 
things  that  are  Cassar's,'  and  the  philos- 
opher whose  long  life  was  one  of  strict 
obedience  to  laws,  are  a  silent  rebuke  to 
the  man  whose  renown  was  gained  by 
the  breach  of  laws  deemed  sacred  by  his 
country."  "  And  who  can  say,"  he 
adds,  "  that  the  proclamation  of  eman- 
cipation would  have  met  as  hearty  a 
response,  that  northern  patriots  would 
have  fought  with  as  much  zeal,  the 
people  have  sustained  Lincoln  for  the 
abolition  of  slavery  as  faithfully,  had 
not  John  Brown  suffered  martyrdom  in 
the  same  cause  on  Virginia  soil  ?  " 


General  Jackson,  by  James  Parton. 
New  York  :  D.  Appleton  &  Com- 
pany, 1893.  (Great  Commanders 
Series.) 

A  melancholy  interest  attaches  to  this 
volume  because  it  was  the  last  work  of 
a  prolific  pen.  Two  months  before  Mr. 
Parton's  death  the  last  page  of  the  MS. 
of  this  biography  was  finished.  It  is 
therefore  worthy  of  especial  note,  that  its 
style  is  so  vigorous,  the  treatment  so 
vivacious,  the  narrative  so  skillful,  that  it 
is  no  mere  conventionalism  to  say  that 
these  pages  are  as  "  interesting  as  a 
novel."  There  is  no  need  for  the 
editor's  apologetic  caution  in  introduc- 
ing the  work  in  the  preface.  A  more 
positive  tone  might  have  been  adopted 
in  speaking  of  such  a  charming  and  yet 
discriminating  work  as  this. 

It  is  difficult  at  this  date  for  one  not 
blinded  by  partisanship,  and  for  one  who 
wishes  to  cherish  a  high  ideal  for  politi- 
cal life,  to  keep  the  mind  in  a  state  of 
calm  judicial  impartiality  in  dealing  with 
a  man  who  gave  to  our  republic  the 
baneful  spoils-system  with  all  its  heritage 
of  evil  and  of  shame,  involving  the  deg- 
radation of  politics  and  a  waste  of  the 
public  money  so  reckless  as  to  amount 
to  thievery.  Yet  Jackson  did  other 
things,  and  vastly  better  things,  for  his 
country  than  committing  that  sad  mis- 
take, in  which  his  temperament  got 
away  with  his  judgment,  and  of  which, 
could  he  have  seen  the  consequences  as 
we    now    see    them,    we    are   certain  he 


would  have  repented  in  sackcloth  and 
ashes  ;  for  with  all  his  faults  he  was  a 
true  lover  of  his  country.  Nevertheless, 
as  we  follow  this  book,  which  does  its 
subject  full  justice  and  vividly  presents 
his  merits,  but  glosses  over  no  real  de- 
fects of  character  and  conduct,  we  are 
painfully  impressed  with  the  unworthi- 
ness  of  the  earlier  career.  There  is  un- 
fortunately a  good  deal  of  the  rowdy  and 
the  ruffian  in  it — the  playing  with  dice, 
the  racing  of  horses,  the  brawling  and 
fighting,  the  dueling  with  deadly  intent 
and  remorseless  execution.  All  this 
makes  up  an  unhappy  record,  and  the 
faults  of  temper,  of  imperious  willfulness, 
of  unforgiving  revengefulness  for  politi- 
cal hostility,  which  led  to  the  mistakes 
of  the  later  life,  were  no  doubt  the  harvest 
of  the  wild  oats  sown  at  the  beginning. 

The  two  conspicuous  acts  of  Jackson 
as  President  were  the  erection  of  the 
spoils-system  and  the  casting  down  of 
the  Bank  of  the  United  States,  In  treat- 
ing of  the  former,  Mr.  Parton  significantly 
begins  : 

It  is  delightful  to  observe  with  what  a  scrupu- 
lous conscientiousness  the  early  Presidents  of 
this  republic  disposed  of  the  places  in  their  gift. 
Washington  demanded  to  be  satisfied  on  three 
points  with  regard  to  an  applicant  for  office: 
Is  he  honest  ?  Is  he  capable  ?  Has  he  the 
confidence  of  his  fellow  citizens?  Not  till 
these  questions  were  satisfactorily  answered  did 
he  deign  to  inquire  respecting  the  political 
opinions  of  a  candidate.  .  .  .  The  example 
of  General  Washington  was  followed  by  his 
successors. 


RECENT   HISTORICAL   PUBLICATIONS 


543 


Then  without  direct  censure,  but  with- 
out varnishing  the  act,  the  biographer 
indicates  the  real  extent  of  the  new  de- 
parture. The  author,  again,  clearly  shows 
what  was  the  animus  inducing  Jackson 
to  attack  the  bank.  It  was  essentially 
political  hatred,  glossed  over  (and  un- 
doubtedly to  his  own  mind  sincerely) 
with  a  zeal  for  the  public  good  in 
defence  against  "  bloated  bondholders." 
And  ingeniously  does  Mr.  Parton  exhibit 
how  Jackson's  act  defeated  his  own  best 
ideas  of  financial  policy  : 

General  Jackson  desired  a  currency  of  gold 
and  silver.  Never  were  such  floods  of  paper 
money  emitted  as  during  the  continuance  of  his 
own  fiscal  system.  He  wished  to  reduce  the 
number  and  the  importance  of  banks,  bankers, 
brokers,  and  speculators.  The  years  succeeding 
the  transfer  of  the  deposits  were  the  golden 
biennium  of  just  those  classes.  In  a  word,  his 
system,  as  far  as  my  acquaintance  with  such 
matters  enables  me  to  judge,  worked  ill  at  every 
moment  of  its  operation,  and  upon  every  inter- 
est of  business  and  morality.  To  it,  more  than 
to  all  other  causes  combined,  we  owe  the  infla- 
tion of  1835  and  1836,  the  universal  ruin  of  1837, 
and  the  dreary  and  hopeless  depression  of  the 
five  years  following. 

Notwithstanding  all  this,  let  us,  as  im- 
partial students  of  our  annals,  make  an 
effort  to  be  just  to  Jackson.  We  shall 
find  our  author  aiding  us  most  effectively 
to  attain  that  laudable  end.  Among 
other  things,  he  cautions  us  as  follows 
(a  specimen,  by  the  way,  of  the  writer's 
vivacity  of  style)  : 

No  man  will  ever  be  quite  able  to  comprehend 
Andrew  Jackson  who  has  not  personally  known 
a  Scotch-Irishman.  More  than  he  was  anything 
else,  he  was  a  North-of-Irelander — a  tenacious, 
pugnacious  race  ;  honest,  yet  capable  of  dissim- 
ulation ;  often  angry,  but  most  prudent  when 
most  furious  ;  endowed  by  nature  with  the  gift 
of  extracting  from    every   affair  and  every   re- 


lation all  the  strife  it  can  be  made  to  yield  ;  at 
home  and  among  dependents,  all  tenderness  and 
generosity  ;  to  opponents,  violent,  ungenerous, 
prone  to  believe  the  worst  of  them  ;  a  race  that 
means  to  tell  the  truth,  but  when  excited  by 
anger  or  warped  by  prejudice,  incapable  of 
either  telling,  or  remembering,  or  knowing  the 
truth  ;  not  taking  kindly  to  culture,  but  able  to 
achieve  wonderful  things  without  it  :  a  strange 
blending  of  the  best  and  the  worst  qualities  of 
two  races.  Jackson  had  these  traits  in  an  exag- 
gerated degree  :  as  Irish  as  though  he  were  not 
Scotch  ;  as  Scotch  as  though  he  were  not  Irish. 

In  weighing  the  merits  of  this  book, 
we  are  to  remember,  however,  that  it 
does  not  belong  to  the  American  States- 
man Series,  where  the  political  merits 
and  shortcomings  are  more  properly  the 
theme  of  the  biography.  But  it  is  part 
of  the  Great  Co7mnanders  Series,  and 
mainly  as  a  military  man  is  Jackson  here 
to  be  placed  before  us.  Mr.  Parton  has 
duly  heeded  this  obligation,  although  he 
is  one  of  the  two  or  three  exceptions  of 
non-military  men  treating  of  these  lives 
of  generals  and  admirals.  The  larger 
proportion  of  the  volume  follows  Jack- 
son in  his  career  as  a  soldier,  and  the 
narration  of  campaigns,  minute  in  de- 
tails, vivid  and  picturesque  in  presenta- 
tion, constitutes  the  chief  fascination  of 
these  pages.  Jackson  does  come  out 
strongly  and  yet  justly  before  us  as  a 
consummate  commander,  daring,prompt, 
prudent,  vigilant,  overcoming  mountain- 
ous difficulties  with  patience,  persever- 
ance, but  iron  determination  ;  striking 
hard  when  the  moment  comes,  but 
warily  awaiting  its  coming,  and  leaving  no 
stone  unturned  to  be  ready  for  it.  We 
need  not  compare  him  with  Wellington,  or 
put  Grant  and  Sheridan  into  the  shade  by 
the  side  of  him,  as  some  seem  inclined  to 
do.    We  may  give  vast  credit  to  Jackson 


544 


RECENT    HISTORICAL   PUBLICATIONS 


as  general  without  vitiating  that  just  meed 
ot  praise  by  such  extravagance. 

In  view  of  all  that  Jackson  was  and 
did,  we  cannot  but  admire  the  fine  con- 
clusion of  this  book,  reading  like  the 
peroration  to  an  eloquent  discourse,  and 
especially  noteworthy  (as  we  intimated 
above)  as  the  last  paragraph  composed  by 
this  veteran  and  accomplished  author  : 

"Most  of  our  history  for  the  last  hun- 
dred years  will  not  be  remembered  for 
many  centuries  ;  but  perhaps  among  the 
few  things  oblivion  will  spare  may  be 
some  outline  of  the  story  of  Andrew 
Jackson  —  the  poor  Irish  immigrant's 
orphan  son  ;  who  defended  his  country 
at  New  Orleans,  and,  being  elected  Pres- 
ident therefor,  kept  that  country  in  an 
uproar  for  eight  years  ;  and,  after  being 
more  hated  and  more  loved  than  any 
man  of  his  day,  died  peacefully  at  his 
home  in  Tennessee,  and  was  borne  to 
his  grave,  followed  by  the  benedictions 
of  a  large  majority  of  his  fellow  citizens." 


A  Pathfinder  in  American  History, 
for  the  use  of  Teachers,  Normal 
Schools,  and  more  Mature  Pupils  in 
Grammar  Grades,  by  Wilbur  F. 
Gordy,  Principal  North  School,  Hart- 
ford, Connecticut  ;  and  Willis  I. 
Twitchell,  Principal  Arsenal  School, 
Hartford,  Connecticut.  Two  parts  in 
one    vol.     Boston  :     Lee    &    Shepard, 

1893- 


This  is  an  exceedingly  useful  little 
work,  the  result  of  great  industry  and  a 
keen  insight  into  the  needs  of  teachers 
and  pupils  regarding  the  subject  of  our 
national  history.  In  the  introduction 
the  authors  sound  a  note  of  warning 
based  on  the  overwhelming  flood  of 
foreign  immigration  endangering  our  re- 
publican institutions.  The  remedy — or 
at  least  a  very  important  one — is  to 
create  a  national  feeling  in  the  hearts 
of  the  children  of  this  country  by  in- 
fusing into  them  a  knowledge  of,  not 
only,  but  an  interest  in,  the  history  of 
our  republic.  To  do  this  the  teachers 
of  history  must  have  at  command  a 
thorough  knowledge  themselves,  and  be 
apt  in  awakening  interest  in  the  subject. 
This  book  is  intended  to  be  an  aid  to 
them  in  both  lines  of  instruction.  It  in- 
dicates methods  to  be  pursued  ;  books 
on  history  that  are  useful  and  readable, 
especially  for  the  young  of  various 
grades  in  the  schools  ;  gives  a  list  of 
patriotic  poems  ;  advises  instruction  in 
local  history,  if  the  locality  was  distin- 
guished for  happenings  of  importance  in 
any  of  our  wars  ;  suggests  programmes  for 
various  patriotic  holidays,  and  for  flag- 
raising  ;  denotes  standard  books  on  vari- 
ous departments  of  American  history  for 
older  scholars  and  teachers.  In  short,  it 
is  truly  what  it  calls  itself — a  Pathfinder, 
a  guide,  or  manual,  that  no  teacher  or  ad- 
vanced scholar  can  afford  to  do  without. 


GEOKGE   WASHINGTON. 

Fait  par  TFoudon,  citoyen  franqais 


MAGAZINE   OF   AMERICAN   HISTORY 


Vol.   XXX  JULY— AUGUST,   1893  Nos.  1-2 

THE    HOUDON    STATUE    OF    WASHINGTON 

By  N.  B.  Winston 

IN  June,  1784,  the  house  of  delegates  and  the  senate  of  the  state  of 
Virginia  adopted  the  following  resolution  :  "  That  the  executive  be 
requested  to  take  measures  for  procuring  a  statue  of  General  Washington, 
to  be  of  the  finest  marble  and  best  workmanship,  with  the  following  inscrip- 
tion on  its  pedestal,  viz.  : 

"  '  The  general  assembly  of  the  commonwealth  of  Virginia  have  caused 
this  statue  to  be  erected  as  a  monument  of  affection  and  gratitude  to 
George  Washington,  who,  uniting  to  the  endowments  of  the  hero  the 
virtues  of  the  patriot,  and  exerting  both  in  establishing  the  liberties  of  his 
country,  has  rendered  his  name  dear  to  his  fellow  citizens,  and  given  to  the 
world  an  immortal  example  of  true  glory.'  " 

At  the  time  of  the  adoption  of  this  resolution,  Washington,  the  com- 
mander-in-chief, had  passed  into  Washington,  the  quiet  country  gentleman. 
The  great  war  for  American  independence  had  been  fought  to  a  successful 
finish,  and  Washington,  having  led  his  country  to  a  position  of  security  and 
dignity,  had  been  allowed  to  retire  to  his  beloved  Mount  Vernon,  where 
he  looked  forward  to  a  happy  future  spent  "  in  cultivating  the  affections  of 
good  men,  and  in  the  practice  of  the  domestic  virtues."  Life  at  Mount 
Vernon  in  the  years  1784-85  was  for  Washington,  no  doubt,  an  attractive 
one.  The  place  had  suffered  greatly  from  neglect  during  the  long  absence 
of  its  owner  :  the  necessary  repairs,  clearing  of  overgrown  fields,  and  seed- 
ing for  new  crops  were  the  very  things  needed  for  the  exercise  of  the 
energy  of  the  man  who  had  been  so  long  in  daily  active  service.  At  this 
period  he  gave  special  attention  to  the  selection  and  transplanting  of  trees 
to  which  work  he  brought  a  thorough  knowledge  of  forestry,  which  is 
attested  by  the  endurance  and  beauty  of  many  trees,  planted  at  this  time, 
which  still  embellish  the  grounds  about  Mount  Vernon.  He  managed  his 
agricultural  interests  very  much  as  he  had  managed  military  affairs — a 
strict  order  and  vigilant  activity  were  maintained,  and  a  weekly  settlement 
with  his  agents  was  required.      However,  practical  matters  alone  did  not 


4  THE    HOUDON    STATUE    OF   WASHINGTON 

occupy  his  time — constant  demands  were  made  upon  the  hospitality  of 
Mount  Vernon,  whither  the  world-wide  fame  of  Washington  attracted 
crowds  of  visitors,  who  were  always  welcome  and  pleasantly  entertained. 
His  rural  home  then,  as  in  the  days  of  the  unknown  Virginia  planter,  was 
characterized  by  true  Arcadian  simplicity.  "  My  manner  of  living,"  he 
writes,  "  is  plain,  and  I  do  not  mean  to  be  put  out  of  it.  A  glass  of  wine 
and  a  bit  of  mutton  are  always  ready  ;  and  such  as  will  be  content  to  par- 
take of  them  are  always  welcome.  Those  who  expect  more  will  be  disap- 
pointed." In  the  background,  to  complete  the  picture  and  soften  its  tones, 
is  Mrs.  Washington,  dignified  and  matrordy,  the  goddess  of  the  knitting 
needle,  setting  a  worthy  example  of  industry  to  the  new  republic. 

While  Washington  was  leading  this  life  of  the  quiet  country  gentleman, 
the  resolution  of  the  assembly  of  Virginia  regarding  the  statue  had  been 
submitted  to  Jefferson  and  Franklin,  who  were  then  in  Paris,  they  having 
been  fixed  upon  as  qualified  to  secure  the  services  of  a  competent  artist 
and  arrange  with  him  the  plans  for  the  speedy  execution  of  the  work.  An 
agreement  having  been  reached,  Mr.  Jefferson  sent  the  following  letter  to 
Washington  : 

"  Paris,  July  10,  1785.  Monsieur  Houdon  would  much  sooner  have  had 
the  honor  of  attending  you  but  for  a  spell  of  sickness  which  long  induced 
us  to  despair  of  his  recovery,  and  from  which  he  is  but  recently  recovered. 
He  comes  now  for  the  purpose  of  lending  the  aid  of  his  art  to  transmit 
you  to  posterity.  He  is  without  rivalship  in  it,  being  employed  in  all 
parts  of  Europe  in  whatever  is  capital.  He  has  had  a  difficulty  to  with- 
draw himself  from  an  order  of  the  empress  of  Russia — a.  difficulty,  how- 
ever, that  arose  from  a  desire  to  show  her  respect,  but  which  never  gave 
him  a  moment's  hesitation  about  the  voyage,  which  he  considers  as  prom- 
ising the  brightest  chapter  of  his  history. 

"  I  have  spoken  of  him  as  an  artist  only,  but  I  can  assure  you,  also,  that 
as  a  man  he  is  disinterested,  generous,  candid,  and  panting  after  glory; 
in  every  circumstance  meriting  your  good  opinion.  He  will  have  need  to 
see  you  much  while  he  shall  have  the  honor  of  being  with  you,  which  you 
can  the  more  freely  admit  as  his  eminence  and  merit  give  him  admission 
into  genteel  societies  here." 

Two  days  later  Mr.  Jefferson  wrote  to  the  Virginia  delegates  in  con- 
gress : 

"  In  consequence  of  the  orders  of  the  legislative  and  executive  bodies 
of  Virginia,  I  have  engaged  Monsieur  Houdon  to  make  the  statue  of  Gen- 
eral Washington.  For  this  purpose  it  is  necessary  for  him  to  see  the 
general.      He  therefore  goes  with  Dr.  Franklin,  and  will  have  the  honor  of 


THE    HOUDON    STATUE   OF    WASHINGTON  5 

delivering  you  this  himself.  As  the  journey  is  at  the  expense  of  the  state, 
according  to  our  contract,  I  will  pray  you  to  favor  him  with  your  patron- 
age and  counsels,  and  to  protect  him  as  much  as  possible  from  those  impo- 
sitions to  which  strangers  are  but  too  much  exposed.  I  have  advised  him 
to  proceed  in  the  stages  to  the  general's.  I  have  also  agreed  if  he  could 
sec  Generals  Greene  and  Gates,  whose  busts  he  has  a  desire  to  execute, 
that  he  may  make  a  moderate  deviation  for  this  purpose  after  he  has  done 
with  General  Washington.  But  the  most  important  object  with  him  is  to 
be  employed  to  make  General  Washington's  equestrian  statue  for  congress. 
Nothing  but  the  expectations  of  this  could  have  engaged  him  to  have 
undertaken  this  voyage,  as  the  pedestrian  statue  for  Virginia  will  not  make 
it  worth  the  business  he  loses  by  absenting  himself.  I  was  therefore 
obliged  to  assure  him  of  my  recommendations  for  this  greater  work. 
Having  acted  in  this  for  the  state,  you  will,  I  hope,  think  yourselves  in 
some  measure  bound  to  patronize  and  urge  his  being  employed  by  con- 
gress. I  would  not  have  done  this  myself,  nor  asked  you  to  do  it,  did  I 
not  see  that  it  would  be  better  for  congress  to  put  this  business  into  his 
hands  than  into  those  of  any  other  person  living,  for  these  reasons:  1st, 
he  is  without  rivalship,  the  first  statuary  of  this  age  ;  as  a  proof  of  which 
he  receives  orders  from  every  other  country  for  things  intended  to  be 
capital ;  2d,  he  will  have  seen  General  Washington,  have  taken  his 
measure  in  every  part,  and  of  course  whatever  he  does  of  him  will  have  the 
merit  of  being  original,  from  which  other  workmen  can  only  furnish  copies ; 
3d,  he  is  in  possession  of  the  house,  the  furnaces,  and  all  other  apparatus 
provided  for  making  the  statue  of  Louis  XV.  If  any  other  workmen  be 
employed,  this  will  all  have  to  be  provided  anew,  and,  of  course,  added  to 
the  price  of  the  statue  ;  for  no  man  can  ever  expect  to  make  two  eques- 
trian statues.  The  addition  which  this  would  be  to  the  price,  will  much 
exceed  the  expectation  of  any  person  who  has  not  seen  that  apparatus. 
In  truth,  it  is  immense." 

By  the  order  of  Governor  Harrison  of  Virginia,  a  portrait  of  Washing- 
ton had  been  painted  by  Charles  Wilson  Peale,  and  sent  to  Paris  to  the 
address  of  Thomas  Jefferson.  Nevertheless,  Houdon  was  not  willing  to 
undertake  the  work  without  familiarizing  himself  with  the  subject,  and 
taking  a  cast  from  life.  Consequently  his  voyage  to  America  in  company 
with  Benjamin  Franklin,  who,  having  served  as  United  States  minister  to 
France,  had  resigned,  Jefferson  being  appointed  to  the  position.  Tt  was 
October  3,  1785,  when  Houdon  arrived  at  Mount  Vernon.  He  remained 
there  two  weeks,  during  which  time  he  took  a  cast  of  Washington's  face, 
head,  and  upper  part  of  the  body,  as  well  as  accurate  measurements  of  his 


6  THE    HOUDON    STATUE    OE   WASHINGTON 

person,  all  the  while  observing  attentively  the  movements,  attitudes,  and 
individual  characteristics  of  the  man. 

The  late  Judge  Francis  T.  Brooke,  president  of  the  court  of  appeals, 
and  a  friend  of  Washington,  was  present  when  Houdon  took  his  cast  of 
Washington,  and  he  is  authority  for  an  incident  of  interest  which  occurred 
at  the  time.  Just  as  the  artist  was  ready  to  engage  in  his  work,  the  an- 
nouncement of  a  visitor,  who  in  some  transaction  had  practiced  a  fraud 
upon  Washington,  brought  to  his  face  that  flash  of  fire  which  the  battle- 
field induces.  Houdon  said  "  that  he  should  have  liked  that  the  cast  could 
have  caught  that  heroic  look,"  which,  had  it  been  possible,  might  have 
given  to  later  generations  a  clearer  insight  into  the  force  and  will  of 
Washington,  the  great  soldier,  than  is  ever  to  be  obtained  from  a  contem- 
plation of  that  calm  dignity  which  we  are  accustomed  to  misconstrue  into 
coldness  and  dullness. 

This  interlude  in  the  life  of  the  French  sculptor  must  have  been  a  very 
delightful  one.  Mount  Vernon  is  an  ideal  country  home  at  all  times  ;  yet 
in  October,  when  the  Virginia  foliage  displays  a  combination  of  colors 
varied  and  brilliant,  which  even  inartistic  eyes  recognize  as  ravishing, 
it  is  a  place  to  inspire  poetic  enthusiasm.  That  his  entertainment  was  all 
one  could  desire  is  evident  from  a  letter  written  by  Washington  to  Frank- 
lin :  "  When  it  suits  Monsieur  Houdon  to  come  hither,  I  will  accommodate 
him  in  the  best  manner  I  am  able,  and  shall  endeavor  to  render  his  stay  as 
agreeable  as  I  can."  His  subject  also  must  have  been  the  realization  of  a 
cherished  artistic  ideal.  Over  six  feet  high,  powerfully  built,  of  wonderful 
muscular  strength,  possessing  a  fine  head,  a  strong  face,  with  blue  eyes  set 
wide  apart  in  deep  orbits,  a  square  jaw,  and  firm  set  mouth,  Washington 
was  a  man  of  commanding  presence,  of  unspeakable  dignity,  with  calm, 
simple,  stately  manners.  Houdon  said  that  "  he  had  no  conception  of  the 
majesty  and  grandeur  of  Washington's  form  and  features  until  he  studied 
him  as  a  subject  for  a  statue." 

Jean  Antoine  Houdon  was  the  first  portrait  sculptor  of  his  day.  His 
wonderful  knowledge  of  the  proportions  of  the  human  figure  is  displayed 
in  his  works  ;  his  skinless  figures  attesting  the  highest  skill  in  the  art  of 
delineation.  He  was  not  only  great  in  the  imitative  art,  but  was  an  ideal- 
ist of  fine  gifts.  The  public  gardens  of  Paris,  the  esplanades  and  avenues 
of  Versailles  are  adorned  with  many  art  treasures;  private  homes  and 
public  places  contain  faithful  effigies  of  prominent  people;  the  museums 
and  palaces  of  Europe  exhibit  faces  of  the  good  and  the  great — the  results 
"  of  his  subtle  chisel  and  discriminating  intellect."  Busts  of  Diderot 
and    D'Alembert,   Mirabeau   and    Buffon,  Gluck   and    Rousseau,   the  great 


THE    IIOUDON    STATU K    OF    WASHINGTON 


■<;■;  .ywm 


BY    HOl'I'iiN 


8  THE    HOUDON    STATUE    OF    WASHINGTON 

Catherine  of  Russia,  Turgot  and   Franklin,  and  many  other  distinguished 

persons  are  among  the  number. 

In  the  vestibule  of  the  Theatre  Franeais  is  a  statue  of  Voltaire,  "  in 
which,"  says  a  recent  writer  upon  this  subject,  "  the  flexible  and  lithe  form 
of  the  famous  satirist  seems  all  aglow  with  life,  and  the  features  of  whose 
cynical  face  are  instinct  with  those  powers  of  intellect  which  made  his 
brain  more  prolific  of  books  than  perhaps  any  other  writer  that  ever 
lived." 

In  the  church  of  Sta.  Maria  degli  Angeli  in  Rome  is  a  statue,  in  which 
the  lines  and  expression  of  the  face  are  so  lifelike  and  human  that  the 
observer  feels  himself  in  the  presence  of  a  living  being.  The  figure  is  that 
of  St.  Bruno,  the  one  who  founded  the  order  of  Carthusians,  and  who, 
constrained  by  his  great  sense  of  humility,  took  upon  himself  the  vow  of 
eternal  silence,  thus  resigning  himself  to  a  self-isolated,  self-abnegating 
life.  When  this  statue  was  placed  in  Sta.  Maria  crowds  of  devout  wor- 
shipers flocked  from  all  parts  of  Europe  to  behold  the  true  representation 
of  their  patron  saint.  Among  those  who  came  was  the  Pope,  who,  after 
some  moments  of  contemplation,  exclaimed  :  "  O  Bruno,  but  for  thy  vow 
thou  wouldst  speak  !  " 

It  was  Houdon  who  made  these  statues.  When  Houdon  was  engaged 
to  execute  the  statue  of  Washington  he  was  also  engaged  to  make  a  bust 
of  Lafayette  for  the  state  of  Virginia.  Afterward  it  was  decided  that 
this  bust  should  be  presented  to  the  city  of  Paris,  and  a  second  made  for 
the  capitol  at  Richmond.  On  the  completion  of  the  first  bust,  it  was 
presented  to  the  city  of  Paris,  September  28,  1786,  and  placed  in  the 
Hotel  de  Ville,  with  imposing  ceremonies.  This  act  of  Virginia  was 
deeply  appreciated  by  Lafayette,  as  will  be  seen  from  his  following  words  : 
'.'A  new  instance  of  the  goodness  of  the  state  of  Virginia  has  been  given 
me,  by  the  placing  of  my  bust  at  the  Hotel  de  Ville  of  this  city.  The 
situation  of  the  other  bust  will  be  the  more  pleasing  to  me,  as,  while  it 
places  me  within  the  capitol  of  the  state,  I  shall  be  eternally  by  the  side 
of,  and  paying  an  everlasting  homage  to,  the  statue  of  my  beloved  gen- 
eral." The  second  bust  was  placed  in  a  niche  in  the  rotunda  of  the 
capitol  at  Richmond,  facing  the  figure  of  Washington. 

Mr.  Jefferson's  letter  to  the  Virginia  delegates  shows  plainly  that 
Houdon  was  induced  to  make  the  pedestrian  statue  in  the  belief  that  he 
would  be  engaged  to  execute  the  equestrian.  The  order  for  the  equestrian 
statue  was  not  given  until  1849,  when  Houdon  was  dead,  it  then  being 
awarded  to  Thomas  Crawford,  an  American  sculptor  of  skill  and  eminence, 
the  father  of  the  present  novelist,  F.  Marion  Crawford.      It  is  to  be  deeply 


THE   HOUDON    STATUE   OF    WASHINGTON  9 

regretted  that  Houdon  suffered  pecuniary  loss,  as  well  as  disappointment, 
on  account  of  his  Washington  statue.  It  was  1792  before  he  received  the 
final  sum  due  him  ;  but  the  payment  being  made  in  assignats,  its  value  in 
silver  was  greatly  reduced.  This  statue  of  Washington  presents  the  figure 
erect,  the  head  uncovered,  the  sword  on  the  left,  the  cane  in  the  right 
hand,  the  fasces  and  plowshare  by  his  side — the  one  representing  power 
and  honor,  the  other  the  peaceful  arts.  The  dress  is  that  which  he  wore 
in  the  service  of  his  country,  the  posture  is  most  natural,  the  expression 
is  one  of  great  dignity  and  repose,  the  height  and  size  are  those  of  life. 
The  lengthy  inscription   upon  the  pedestal  causes  it  to  be  viewed  from  an 


GALLERY    OF   THE    ROTUNDA    IN    THE    CAPITOL    AT   RICHMOND. 


elevation  which  is  unfortunate;  when  seen  on  a  level,  the  lines  of  the  face 
are  delicate  and  strong,  and  the  eye  seems  almost  endowed  with  vitality. 
Houdon  attempted  to  have  the  inscription  altered,  knowing  that,  the 
statue  being  life-size,  much  of  the  effect  of  the  expression  and  manly 
beauty  of  the  original  must  be  lost  to  the  observer.  His  motive  seems 
not  to  have  been  comprehended,  and  the  inscription,  penned  by  Madison, 
was  allowed  to  stand. 

The  men  of  intellect  and  distinction,  who  were  familiar  with  Washing- 
ton, and  who  saw  the  Houdon  statue,  pronounced  it  the  most  faithful 
transmission  of  the  features  of  Washington  extant.  Gilbert  Stuart,  the 
painter  of  the  universally  accepted   Washington   likeness,  admitted   "  that 


lO  THE    HOUDON    STATUE   OF   WASHINGTON 

it  was  the  head  par  excellence."  Lafayette,  a  better  judge  perhaps  than 
any  other  man,  declared  it  "  a  fac-simile  of  Washington's  person."  Addi- 
tional testimony  of  the  truthful  resemblance  of  the  statue  was  given  on 
the  occasion  of  inaugurating  the  Washington  cabinet  of  medals,  in  Wash- 
ington city,  February  22,  i860.  After  a  most  serious  investigation  and 
comparison  of  "  all  the  paintings,  statues,  busts,  medals,  and  coins  bear- 
ing representations  of  Washington,"  the  commemorative  medal  was 
modeled  from  the  Houdon  bust,  and  adopted  as  the  standard  likeness.  A 
paper  of  much  interest,  recently  written  by  Dr.  Palmer  of  Virginia,  recalls 
an  interview  which  the  writer  had  in  Richmond  with  Rembrandt  Peale, 
about  the  year  1856.  In  his  boyhood,  Peale  had  become  familiar  with  the 
face  and  form  of  Washington.  While  the  latter  was  President,  the  for- 
mer's father,  Charles  Wilson  Peale,  resided  in  Philadelphia  within  a  few 
doors  of  Washington's  residence.  In  those  good  old  days,  when  simplicity 
of  manner  and  life  was  the  striking  characteristic  of  the  true  republican,  it 
was  the  habit  of  Washington  to  visit  the  city  market  every  morning, 
accompanied  by  a  servant  bearing  his  basket.  Mr.  Peale  performed  this 
domestic  duty  about  the  same  hour  of  the  morning,  and  the  boy  Rembrandt 
was  his  companion  and  basket-bearer.  The  boy  naturally  took  a  lively 
interest  in  the  great  man,  and  received  at  this  period  many  lasting  impres- 
sions of  him.  Later  Rembrandt  became  a  distinguished  painter,  and 
painted  Washington  from  life — thus  familiarizing  himself  more  thoroughly 
with  his  features.  When  Dr.  Palmer  saw  him  in  1856  he  was  eighty  years 
old,  and  very  feeble,  but  he  made  a  pilgrimage  to  the  capitol  to  look  once 
again  upon  the  Houdon  statue.  It  was  with  great  difficulty  that  he 
ascended  the  steps  leading  to  the  rotunda,  but,  as  soon  as  he  caught  a 
glimpse  of  the  figure  in  marble,  he  seemed  inspired  with  new  life.  "  With 
head  erect  and  beaming  eye,  he  gazed  intently  upon  the  stately  form,  at  the 
same  time  moving  slowly  around  it,  as  if  to  scrutinize  it  from  every  point 
of  view."  After  thus  contemplating  it,  he  muttered  in  soliloquy,  "  That's 
the  man,  that's  the  man  himself."  As  a  work  of  art  of  the  highest  merit, 
the  Houdon  statue  needs  no  further  justification.  To  emphasize  its  his- 
toric interest,  we  cannot  do  better  than  quote  the  summing  up  of  Lodge's 
Washington,  which  we  do  not  feel  to  be  an  exaggeration  : 

"  I  see  in  Washington  a  great  soldier,  who  fought  a  trying  war  to  a 
successful  end,  impossible  without  him  ;  a  great  statesman,  who  did  more 
than  all  other  men  to  lay  the  foundations  of  a  republic  which  has  endured 
in  prosperity  for  more  than  a  century.  I  find  in  him  a  marvelous  judg- 
ment which  was  never  at  fault,  a  penetrating  vision  which  beheld  the 
future  of  America   when   it  was  dim    to    other  eyes. 


THE   GENESIS    OF   A    UNIVERSITY 

THE     OHIO    UNIVERSITY,    ATHENS 

By  Willis  Boughton 

That  the  Ohio  university  is  the  oldest  collegiate  institution  northwest 
of  the  Ohio  river  is  an  historical  fact.  The  celebrated  ordinance  of  1787 
paved  the  way  for  the  colonization  of  the  Northwest  territory.  The  sale 
of  a  large  tract  of  land  to  the  Ohio  Company  of  Associates  naturally 
followed.  The  veterans  of  the  Revolution  were  anxiously  awaiting  an 
opportunity  to  take  possession  of  the  promised  bounty  lands.  Dr.  Manas- 
seh  Cutler  announcing  that  the  purchase  was  consummated,  colonists 
gathered  in  the  streets  of  Ipswich,  Massachusetts,  to  receive  his  blessing 
as  they  were  about  to  depart  for  their  future  homes.  When  General 
Rufus  Putnam,  with  the  first  New  England  emigrants  to  Ohio,  landed  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Muskingum  river,  he  carried  in  his  pocket  a  commis- 
sion from  the  national  government  to  establish  "  an  university  "  in  this 
wilderness.  The  contract  between  the  Associates  and  the  government 
contained  a  clause  reserving  two  townships  of  land  as  an  endowment  for 
an  institution  of  that  sort.  "  In  time,"  Dr.  Cutler  asserted,  "this  will  give 
our  university  an  annual  income  of  fifty  thousand  dollars  ;  "  but  unwise 
legislation  has  rendered  such  an  income  impossible.  If  Harvard  is  justi- 
fied in  fixing  as  its  birth  year  the  date  when  it  received  John  Harvard's 
library,  Ohio  university  can  claim  1787  as  its  natal  year. 

Little  progress  was  made  in  the  enterprise  until  after  the  Indian  war  ; 
but  as  early  as  1795,  the  townships  of  Athens  and  Alexander,  Athens 
county,  had  been  named  the  "  university  townships."  General  Putnam 
remained  the  man  in  authority  among  the  colonists.  As  surveyor  gene- 
ral, he  usually  led  all  reconnoitering  expeditions.  Upon  one  such  occa- 
sion, leaving  Marietta  in  company  with  Judge  Dudley  Woodbridge, 
Commodore  Abraham  Whipple,  and  two  or  three  others,  he  started  for 
Athens.  They  were  to  meet  others  at  Brown's  inn  on  Monday,  so  it  was 
necessary  to  start  on  Saturday.  Following  an  Indian  trail,  they  made  the 
caves  in  the  hills  between  the  thirteenth  and  fourteenth  ranges  by  even- 
ing, and  determined  to  rest  in  one  of  them  that  night.  Upon  exploring 
they  found  a  bear  and  her  cubs  had  previous  right  of  possession,  so  they 
spent  their  night  in  the  open  air.     They  would  not  travel  on  Sunday;  but 


THE    GENESIS    OF   A    UNIVERSITY 


learning  that  there  was  to  be  preaching  in  the  Gulcher  neighborhood 
about  four  miles  further  in  the  direction  of  Athens,  they  determined  to 
attend  the  services.  The  pulpit  was  the  broad  surface  of  a  stump,  and 
felled  trees  formed  the  seats.  The  preacher  was  a  Baptist,  and  the  ser- 
mon was  passable.  At  its  conclusion  a  baptismal  service  was  announced. 
Thereupon  the  little  party  drew  toward  the  banks  of  the  Hockhocking, 
the  preacher  leading  his  young  woman  convert.  As  they  were  about  to 
enter  the  stream,  Commodore  Whipple,  observing  that  they  had  not 
chosen  a  point  of  suitable  depth,  stepped  upon  a  fallen  log,  motioned  with 
his  cane,  and  cried  :  "  Shipmates,  bring  her  down  here  ;  if  she  don't  draw 


I  * 


S  B  0 


Sj      m       MB      m 


CENTER    BUI 


ERSITY.        ERECTED    IN     1817. 


more  than  two  and  a  half  feet  on  an  even  keel,  she'll  float  here."  His 
suggestion  was  adopted,  and  immersion  was  performed.  The  next  day 
they  proceeded  on  their  journey,  reaching  Athens  in  time  for  the  appoint- 
ed committee  meeting.1 

These  "  university  townships  "  lay  nearly  in  the  centre  of  a  tract  of 
land  thirty  miles  square  then  known  as  Middletown.  The  town  of  Athens 
was  platted  and  the  university  campus  laid  out  in  1799.      In  a  letter  dated 

1  Hildreth's  Early  Settlers. 


THE    GENESIS    OF   A    UNIVERSITY 


•3 


April  25,  1 80 1,  Judge  Ephraim  Cutler  states  that  this  entire  tract  con- 
tained only  nine  hundred  and  seventy-three  inhabitants,  mostly  on  the 
college  lands.  Still  the  country  was  scarcely  more  than  a  wilderness.  The 
campus  was  covered  with  yellow  poplar  trees  two  feet  in  diameter.  Flocks 
of  turkeys  gathered  in  the  adjoining  fields.  Not  only  did  Dr.  Perkins,  at 
whose  house  "the  first  trustee  meeting  was  held,  receive  bear  meat  as  pay 


THE    UNIVERSITY    CAMPUS. 


for    medical    attendance,    but    himself    met    bruin    leisurely    roaming    the 
campus.1 

Three  years  later,  even,  Athens  was  only  a  hamlet  consisting  of  per- 
haps ten  dwellings,  mostly  log  cabins.  Dr.  Eliphaz  Perkins  lived  grandly 
in  a  double  log  house  built  of  yellow  poplar  trees  neatly  squared.  It  was 
two  stories  high,  and  large  enough  to  shelter  the  entire  board  of  trustees. 
The  upper   story  contained  very  comfortable  sleeping  rooms  ;    the   lower 

1  MS.  letter,  Dr.  T.  H.  Pratt. 


14  THE    GENESIS    OF   A    UNIVERSITY 

consisted    of    two   large   rooms  separated   by  a  hall   in  which,  on   pleasant 
days,  the  dinner  table  was  spread.1 

The  unborn  university  had  been  early  consigned  to  the  care  of  the  ter- 
ritorial legislature.  In  1802  it  was  incorporated  under  the  name  of  the 
American  Western  university.  Immediately  upon  the  admission  of  Ohio 
as  a  state,  the  legislature  passed  an  act  establishing  a  university  in  the 
town  of  Athens.  The  corporate  name  was  changed  to  the  Ohio  univer- 
sity. The  corporation  was  to  consist  of  the  governor  of  the  state  and 
the  president  of  the  faculty,  for  the  time  being,  and  a  body  of  trustees, 
the  number  of  which  has  been  from  time  to  time  increased  until  the  max- 
imum limit  has  reached  twenty-one.  The  same  act  named  the  first  trus- 
tees, and  authorized  the  governor  to  call  the  first  meeting.  Thereupon 
the  trustees  were  sent  the  following  notification  : 2 

Chillicothe,  Ohio,  April  24.1/1,  1804. 
Sir  : 

By  an  act  passed  last  Session  of  the  Legislature  of  this  State,  entitled  "  an  act  estab- 
lishing an  University  in  the  town  of  Athens,"  it  is  expressed  that  it  shall  be  the  duty  of 
the  Governor  to  fix  the  time  for  holding  the  first  meeting  of  the  corporation,  which 
shall  be  in  the  town  of  Athens,  of  which  he  shall  give  notice  in  writing  to  each  member 
at  least  twenty  days  previous  to  such  meeting  ;  and  as  you  were  appointed  by  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  a  member  thereof,  you  will  be  pleased  to  take  notice  that  I  have  appointed 
Monday,  the  fourth  day  of  June  next,  for  the  first  meeting  of  the  Trustees  of  the  Ohio 
University  at  the  town  of  Athens. 

I  hope  the  time  fixed  on  will  be  convenient  for  your  attendance,  and  that  we  shall 
have  your  aid  in  the  establishment  of  an  institution  so  important  to  the  future  prosperity 
of  the  state. 

With  great  respect,  I  am,  sir, 

Your  Ob't.  Serv't, 
(Signed)  Edward  Tiffin. 

In  obedience  to  this  call,  on  the  first  Monday  in  June,  1804,  there 
assembled  in  Athens,  at  the  residence  of  Dr.  Eliphaz  Perkins,  the  following 
named  trustees  to  deliberate  upon  the  most  expedient  means  of  carrying 
into  effect  the  commands  of  the  legislature :  Governor  Edward  Tiffin, 
Judge  Elijah  Backus,  General  Rufus  Putnam,  Judge  Dudley  Woodbridge, 
Rev.  Daniel  Story,  Rev.  James  Kilbourne,  and  Samuel  Carpenter.  Some 
of  these  men  had  come  from  Chillicothe,  sixty  miles  distant.  Their  only 
route  was  over  the  old  mail  road  ;  their  only  method  of  travel  was  on 
horseback.     The  route  wound  along  through  the  most  accessible  and  most 

1  MS.  letter,  Dr.  J.  II.  Pratt. 

-  The  manuscript  copy  of  the  letter  sent  to  Judge  Elijah  liackus  is  in  the  possession  of  Mr. 
Beman  Gates,  Marietta,  Ohio. 


THE    GENESIS    OF   A    UNIVERSITY 


15 


easily  penetrated  parts;  at  times  a  wagon  road,  at  others,  only  an  Indian 
trail.  Occasionally  there  may  have  been  a  pioneer  hut  to  cheer  the  trav- 
eler ;  but  soon  he  would  enter  the  Deer  Creek  region  where  he  must 
follow  the  wild  windings  of  the  stream  among  high  and  precipitous  cliffs, 
the  haunts  of  the  bear,  the  wolf,  and  the  panther.  The  lone  traveler  ran 
no  moderate'risk  in  making  the  journey,  for  there  was  not  yet  a  settler  in 
what  is  now  Vinton  county.  It  was  over  this  route  that  his  Excellency, 
Governor  Tiffin,  must  have  journeyed.  Samuel  Carpenter  came  from 
Lancaster,  the  Rev.  James  Kilbourne  from  Worthington,  beyond  Colum- 


THE    CHAPEL,    OHIO    UNIVERSITY. 


bus,  and  the  remainder  from  Marietta.  How  incongruous  !  "These  men 
had  traveled  fifty  to  one  hundred  miles,  by  blind  paths  or  Indian  trails 
through  dense  forests  inhabited  only  by  wild  animals,  to  this  embryo 
village,  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  an  institution  of  learning."1 

It  may  be  well  to  glance  at  the  personnel  of  the  board  to  learn  what 
manner  of  men  these  were. 

Governor  Edward  Tiffin  was  born  in  England.  Coming  to  this  coun- 
try, he  graduated  from  the  university  of  Pennsylvania.  He  was  ordained 
a  deacon  by  Bishop  Asbury,  and  remained  a  local  preacher  in  the  Metho- 
dist   Episcopal   church   throughout    his    subsequent   career.     In    1796    he 

3  Walker,   Hist.   Athens   Co. 


[6 


THE    GENESIS    OF   A    UNIVERSITY 


manumitted  his  slaves  and  removed  from  Virginia  to  Ohio.  Upon  the 
organization  of  the  territorial  legislature,  he  was  chosen  speaker.  He  was 
president  of  the  first  constitutional  convention,  and  under  the  new  consti- 
tution, was  elected  first  governor  of  Ohio.  Subsequently  he  was  elected 
to  the  United  States  senate,  and  President  Madison  called  him  to  organ- 
ize the  land  office.  Though  a  strong  man,  he  is  censured  for  having 
proposed  a  policy  that  eventually  robbed  the  Ohio  university  of  a  large 
part  oi  its  heritage. 

General  Putnam  is  too  well  known  as  a  champion  of  the  institution  to 

need  especial  mention  here.  Judge 
Elijah  Backus  was  a  graduate  of  Yale. 
Removing  from  Connecticut  to  Mari- 
etta in  1800,  he  was  appointed  by 
President  Jefferson  receiver  of  public 
moneys  for  the  Northwest  territory. 
He  established  and  edited  the  first 
w\    PSl  democratic   paper   in   the    northwest. 

In  1803  he  was  elected  to  the  state 
senate.  Judge  Dudley  Woodbridge 
was  also  a  graduate  of  Yale.  De- 
scended from  a  line  of  Puritan  ances- 
tors, he  maintained  their  characteris- 
tics throughout  life.  He  was  elected 
Judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas, 
and  in  many  ways  proved  himself  a 
public  spirited  citizen.  His  son, 
grandson,  and  great-grandson  also 
have  in  turn  been  trustees  of  the 
Ohio  university,  the  last  named  be- 
ing a  member  of  the  present  board.1 
The  Rev.  Daniel  Story  was  a  gradu- 
ate of  Dartmouth.  He  came  to  Ohio 
in  1789  and  literally  sacrificed  his  life 
to  the  cause  of  his  Master.  He  was  the  pioneer  preacher  of  the  north- 
west, dying  from  over-exertion  in  1804.  The  Rev.  James  Kilbourne,  a 
Protestant  Episcopal  preacher,  was  the  first  settler  of  Worth ington,  Ohio. 
His  chief  occupation  was  that  of  surveyor.  He  entered  politics  and 
became  a  congressman.  Dr.  Eliphaz  Perkins,  though  not  a  trustee  until 
1806,  was  appointed  first  treasurer  of  the  university.  He  was  a  graduate 
1  MS.  letter  from  G.  M.  Woodbridge,  Marietta. 


REV.     KOHERT    G.    WILSON,    D.D.,     FIRST    PRESIDENT    OK 
OHIO    UNIVERSITY. 

[Taken  from  an  old  painting.} 


THE   GENESIS   OF   A    UNIVERSITY  IJ 

of  Yale  and  a  prominent  physician  of  the  northwest.  In  thus  recalling 
the  principal  events  in  the  lives  of  these  men,  we  note  as  an  important 
fact  that  five  of  the  most  influential  were  graduates  of  eastern  colleges. 

The  work  of  the  trustees  in  these  early  times  was  largely  confined  to 
the  devising  of  plans  whereby  the  land  endowment  of  the  institution  might 
be  made  to  yield  .a  revenue.  The  long  intervals  between  the  sessions  of 
the  board  were  spent  in  surveying  and  leasing  lands  and  in  collecting  rents. 
The  trials  of  this  period  have  become  history.  There  were  squatters  in 
those  days,  and  they  had  to  be  ejected  or  forced  to  take  leases.  Dr. 
Manasseh  Cutler  had  planned  liberally  to  endow  a  university.  The  legis- 
lature had  assumed  the  responsibility  of  guardianship  over  this  endowment. 
The  first  action  provided  for  leasing  on  express  condition  that  the  lands 
should  be  revalued  at  the  expiration  of  thirty-five,  sixty,  and  ninety  years. 
Governor  Tiffin,  it  is  claimed,  advised  the  issue  of  permanent  leases  free 
from  the  revaluation  clause.  Subsequent  legislation  sustained  the  lessees 
in  their  appeals  for  non-revaluation.  Thus  an  endowment  that  ought  to 
be  returning  an  income  of  nearly-  seventy  thousand  dollars  renders  only 
about  one-tenth  of  that  amount.  For  such  a  state  of  affairs,  the  former 
guardians  of  the  university  deserve  censure.  Even  this  rent,  though 
only  six  per  cent,  upon  a  low  valuation  of  the  land,  was  difficult  to  collect. 
Money  finally  became  so  scarce  that  it  could  not  be  obtained  in  sufficient 
amounts  to  pay  the  rental.  Finally  (in  1809)  a  committee  was  appointed 
to  receive  merchantable  hemp,  beef,  and  pork,  to  market  it,  and  to  turn 
the  proceeds  into  the  treasury.  Then  might  the  farmers  be  seen  bringing 
in  the  produce.  As  there  were  no  scales  in  the  town,  a  committee  of 
citizens  was  appointed  to  adjust  differences  between  the  lessee  and  the 
treasurer,  should  they  not  agree  about  the  weight  of  the  merchandise. 

Still  affairs  moved  along,  and  at  a  meeting  of  the  board  in  1806,  it 
was  determined  that  the  time  had  come  to  prepare  for  building.  Before 
the  close  of  the  year  plans  were  accepted,  and  contracts  were  let.  Early 
in  1807,  building  commenced,  and  in  the  spring  of  1808  it  was  advertised 
that  the  institution  would  be  ready  for  the  reception  of  students.  Upon 
the  first  day  three  young  men  applied  for  admission.  Among  them,  was 
Brewster  Higley,  a  grand-uncle  of  two  of  the  present  instructors.  The 
Rev.  Jacob  Lindley,  a  graduate  of  Dartmouth  college,  was  elected  pre- 
ceptor. Eighteen  years  after  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims,  Harvard  college 
was  founded  ;  twenty  years  after  the  arrival  of  their  descendants  in  the 
Northwest  territory,  the  Ohio  university  was  ready  for  the  reception  of 
students.  But  it  was  not  then  called  a  university,  it  was  styled,  what 
indeed  it  was,  an  academy. 

Vol.  XXX. -No.  1-2.-2 


18  THE    GENESIS    OF   A    UNIVERSITY 

This  academy  furnished  main-  a  worthy  young  man  exceptional  educa- 
tional opportunities.  It  had  its  trials,  of  course.  It  was  difficult  to  collect 
rents.  But  the  greatest  discouragement  was  lack  of  interest  on  the  part 
oi  the  trustees.  The  board  was  continually  changing.  Some  permitted 
themselves  to  be  appointed,  but  would  not  attend  the  stated  meetings. 
Some  of  the  appointees  were  uneducated  and  not  in  sympathy.  More 
than  once  it  devolved  upon  the  patriotic  to  demand  the  retirement  of 
dead  members  that  live  men  might  be  placed  upon  the  board.  So  in  the 
course  of  the  first  decade  of  the  academy's  existence,  it  received  the  benefit 
of  the  wise  counsel  of  many  able  men.  Those  already  mentioned  stood 
firm  until  removed  by  death.  Then  there  came  such  worthy  men  as 
Judge  Silvanus  Ames,  the  father  of  the  late  Bishop  E.  R.  Ames,  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church;  Henry  Bartlett,  for  thirty-two  years  secre- 
tary, whose  perfect  penmanship  renders  his  writing  even  at  this  date 
almost  as  easy  to  read  as  print;  Dr.  Leonard  Jewett,  a  graduate  of  the 
Boston  Medical  college,  grandfather  of  the  present  secretary,  Major  L. 
M.  Jewett;  Judge  Elijah  Hatch,  for  nine  terms  a  state  representative;  the 
Hon.  Charles  R.  Sherman,  father  of  Senator  John  Sherman  and  the  late 
General  W.  T.  Sherman  ;  and  Governor  Thomas  Worthington,  Dr.  S.  P. 
Hildreth,  Judge  Ephraim  Cutler,  Rev.  James  Hoge,  Hon.  Thomas  Ewing 
and  Hon.  Calvary  Morris,  all  even  better  known  in  history. 

The  academy  had  opened,  and  so  it  was  advertised,  from  session  to 
session,  in  the  leading  papers  of  the  state.  Globes,  books  and  apparatus 
were  purchased,  and  the  attendance  was  very  gratifying.  Though  the 
institution  was  termed  an  academy,  its  guardians  never  lost  sight  of 
the  idea  that  it  was  destined  to  be  a  university.  In  1810  the  laws  of  the 
college  of  New  Jersey  (Princeton)  were  adopted  as  the  governing  code, 
and  a  course  of  study  was  formulated,  upon  the  completion  of  which  the 
student  was  to  receive  the  degree  of  bachelor  of  arts.  The  curriculum 
thus  adopted  would  compare  with  those  of  the  best  eastern  colleges.  In 
those  days,  the  trustees  could  and  did  meet  for  deliberation  at  five  o'clock 
in  the  morning.  Should  any  members  be  absent,  they  were  on  certain 
occasions  sent  for  in  the  most  peremptory  manner.  The  students  were 
required  to  assemble  at  sunrise  for  morning  prayers. 

In  1 8 12,  the  board  had  been  re-invigorated  by  new  men,  and  felt 
peculiarly  energetic.  It  was  therefore  determined  to  erect  a  college 
edifice.  At  the  end  of  five  years  what  was  then  considered  the  finest 
building  in  the  northwest  was  ready  for  use.  It  was  a  three-story  brick, 
substantially  made,  and  fairly  well  equipped  with  library  and  apparatus. 

Still  in   181  5  before  the  completion  of  this  college  edifice  it  was  ascer- 


THE   GENESIS   OE   A    UNIVERSITY  1 9 

taincd  that  John  Hunter  and  Thomas  Ewing  had  completed  the  course 
and  were  entitled  to  the  degree.  The  former  was  appointed  to  pronounce 
the  salutatory,  and  the  latter  the  valedictory.  The  degrees  were  conferred. 
Hunter  did  not  live  long;  Ewing  fifteen  years  later  was  in  the  United 
States  senate.  These  were  the  first  to  receive  degrees  from  an  institution 
in  the  northwest. 

Until  1812  the  preceptor  was  the  entire  faculty.  He  was  then  fur- 
nished an  assistant,  and  in  1818,  Joseph  Dana,  a  graduate  of  Dartmouth, 
was  appointed  to  teach  languages.  After  a  year  or  two  he  was  made  a 
professor.  Three  years  later,  Rev.  James  Irvine,  a  graduate  of  Union 
college,  was  elected  professor  of  mathematics.  Mr.  Lindley,  a  graduate 
of  Princeton,  taught  rhetoric  and  philosophy.  The  college  had  become 
differentiated  from  the  academy,  and  the  latter  had  a  specially  employed 
principal.  There  was  in  addition  a  librarian.  At  this  point  it  is  gratify- 
ing to  recall  what  Dr.  I.  W.  Andrews  once  remarked  about  infant  colleges: 
When  Yale  was  ninety-five  years  old  its  faculty  consisted  of  a  president, 
one  professor,  and  three  tutors.  Harvard,  when  a  century  and  a  half  old, 
had  only  one  professor  in  the  collegiate  department.  Williams  college 
began  its  work  with  a  president  and  one  tutor.  While  we  would  not 
scorn  small  beginnings  we  would  add  that,  when  eighteen  years  old,  the 
Ohio  university  had  a  faculty  consisting  of  four  full  professors  and  two 
assistants. 

The  Rev.  Jacob  Lindley  had  superintended  the  growth  of  the  institu- 
tion from  its  earliest  active  days  until  it  could  be  ranked  among  the  col- 
leges of  the  land.  He  had  never  wearied  nor  grown  faint-hearted.  From 
the  first  he  had  planned   for  collegiate  work.      In    1822  he  began  to  realize 

that  it  was 

"  Time  to  grow  old, 
To  take  in  sail." 

He  therefore  asked  to  be  relieved  from  the  burdens  of  superintendency. 
He  had  been  appointed  preceptor  of  the  academy.  The  trustees  had  long 
since  begun  to  style  him  president.  They  were  now  aware  of  the  fact  that 
there  had  never  been  a  president,  and  it  was  determined  to  choose  one. 
Professor  James  Irvine  was  unanimously  elected  to  the  position.  He 
accepted,  and  arrangements  were  making  for  a  public  inauguration.  Be- 
fore they  could  be  consummated,  he  asked  leave  of  absence  to  travel  for 
his  health.  He  went  east.  Not  returning  after  the  expiration  of  a  reason- 
able period,  the  trustees  declared  the  presidency  vacant  and  proceeded  to 
find  the  most  competent  man  to  fill  the  position.  They  found  this  man 
in    Rev.  Dr.  Robert   G.  Wilson,   a   Presbyterian    clergyman   of  Chillicothe, 


THE    GENESIS    OF   A    UNIVERSITY 

Ohio.      The  committee   that   made   such   a  wise   choice   consisted  of  Rev. 
Jacob  Lindley,  Rev.  Dr.  Hoge,  and  Judge  Ephraim  Cutler. 

Dr.  Wilson  was  born  in  North  Carolina,  December  30,  1768.  His  boy- 
hood was  spent  in  the  neighborhood  of  John  C.  Calhoun's  home.  His 
schooling  was  received  at  the  academy  where  Andrew  Jackson  was  edu- 
cated. At  Dickinson  college,  he  was  a  classmate  of  James  Buchanan. 
He  received  his  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  from  Princeton  university. 
In  1824  he  was  installed  president  of  the  Ohio  university. 

The  inauguration  took  place  on  the  college  green  just  in  front  of  Pro- 
fessor Dana's  house.  A  very  pretty  bower  of-  green  leaves  had  been 
erected  in  which  to  hold  the  exercises.  In  one  end  of  the  bower  was  a 
high  seat  ;  and  after  the  ceremonies  were  completed,  he  was  escorted 
thither  by  Governor  Jeremiah  Morrow  on  the  one  side  and  Judge  Ephraim 
Cutler  on  the  other.1  The  latter,  then  a  member  of  the  legislature,  made 
the  installation  speech,  closing  with  the  words:  "The  trustees  have  now, 
for  the  first  time,  the  opportunity  of  delivering  over  the  keys  and  charter 
to  one  in  whom  they  and  the  public  have  the  highest  confidence.  That 
the  merciful  God,  who  has  hitherto  been  pleased  to  smile  on  the  efforts 
to  disseminate  light  and  knowledge,  may  aid  and  support  in  the  arduous 
duties  this  day  assigned  you,  will  be  the  fervent  prayer  of  the  trustees."2 

The  Ohio  University  not  only  was  the  first  institution  of  its  kind  in  the 
northwest,  but  it  long  maintained  supremacy  over  the  colleges  founded  at 
a  later  date.  Its  graduates  went  forth  to  occupy  the  best  positions  that 
the  new  west  could  offer,  Thomas  Ewing,  the  first  to  receive  a  diploma, 
leading  also  in  honors.  It  held  such  rank  as  to  justify  the  trustees  in  em- 
bodying in  their  minutes  occasional  bursts  of  self-laudation.  Just  before 
the  call  of  Dr.  Wilson  to  the  presidency,  we  find  the  following  statement 
of  the  condition  of  the  institution  :  "  It  is  a  subject  of  peculiar  gratification 
that  the  standing  of  this  institution  is  rapidly  rising  in  the  public  mind. 
While  there  are  many  other  institutions  in  the  state,  facts  warrant  the  con- 
clusion that  the  Ohio  university  has  the  precedence  in  the  confidence  of 
the  public."  3  That  it  continued  to  hold  such  a  position  is  evident  from 
a  single  illustration.  Daniel  Reed  graduated  from  the  university  the  com- 
mencement after  Dr.  Wilson  assumed  the  duties  of  president.  His  parents 
lived  on  a  farm  near  Urbana,  Ohio,  a  distance  of  nearly  one  hundred  and 
fifty  miles.  They  had  a  large  family  of  boys  and  one  daughter.  It  was 
determined  to  give  the  boys  the  best  educational  advantages  that  the  west 
afforded,  so  the  Ohio   university  was  selected.     There  were  in    succession 

1  MS.  letter  from  Dr.  II.  B.  Shipman,  grandson  of  Henry  Bartlett.  2  Life,  p.  179. 

"Trustees'  Minutes,  April  17,  1S23,  p.  130. 


THE   GENESIS   OF    V    UNIVERSITY  21 

seven  boys  to  educate.  In  the  spring  their  help  was  needed  at  home  to 
plow  and  to  plant,  and  in  the  fall,  to  gather  in.  It  was  necessary  for  them 
to  journey  back  and  forth  at  these  seasons.  As  there  were  no  public  con- 
veyances, the  father  had  to  make  the  journey  with  a  large  two-horse  car- 
riage. It  took  three  days  to  make  the  trip  each  way,  and  Air.  Reed  made 
it  one  hundred  and  twenty  times.  Did  it  pay?  Daniel,  the  oldest  boy, 
became  a  college  president  ;  three  became  lawyers,  and  one  of  these  a 
judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Ohio;  two  became  doctors;  and  the 
seventh  was  shot  while  commanding  a  vessel  in  the  attempt  to  run  the 
blockade  between  New  Orleans  and  Baton  Rouge  in  the  civil  war.1 

The  institution  was  still  no  more  than  a  college,  but  its  guardians  were 
mindful  of  the  fact  that  they  were  intrusted  with  the  responsibility  of 
making  it  a  university.  In  1823,  the  trustees  resolved  to  establish  a  med- 
ical school,  but  the  resolution  was  not  carried  into  effect.  Such  a  depart- 
ment must  have  been  made  self-supporting,  for  the  legislature  seems  to 
have  forgotten  its  trust ;  willing  to  hamper  the  institution  with  all  manner 
of  laws,  it  was  not  willing  to  give  more  substantial  aid.  Dr.  Wilson's 
administration  continued  fifteen  years.  The  presidency  then  passed  in 
succession  into  the  hands  of  Rev.  Dr.  William  H.  McGuffey,  Rev.  Dr. 
Alfred  Ryors,  Rev.  Dr.  Solomon  Howard,  and  Rev.  Dr.  William  H.  Scott. 
During  all  this  period  there  seems  to  have  been  a  collusion  between  the 
legislature  and  the  lessees  of  the  college  lands  to  rob  the  university. 
Almost  the  entire  period  of  Dr.  Scott's  administration  was  spent  in  litiga- 
tion that  resulted  in  reclaiming  a  part  of  the  institution's  lawful  income. 
Great  credit  is  due  this  loyal  son  of  the  Ohio  university  for  his  fearless- 
ness and  firmness  in  championing  her  interests.  He  left  it  finally  in  what, 
it  is  affirmed,  he  thought  was  a  moribund  condition.  But  he  had  planted 
in  it  new  life.  Then  succeeded  the  administration  of  Dr.  Charles  W.  Super, 
a  highly  cultured  gentleman.  He  saw  a  future  for  the  institution.  First 
establishing  himself  in  the  favor  of  the  legislature  and  the  patrons  of  the 
university,  he  adjusted  its  finances  in  such  a  way  as  to  render  its  support 
secure.  In  this  work  he  has  been  strongly  supported  by  such  trustees  as 
the  Hon.  E.  H.  Moore,  Major  L.  M.  Jewett,  and  Hon.  George  W.  Boyce. 
The  legislature  finally  has  come  to  his  aid  with  yearly  appropriations.  As 
a  result,  the  institution  holds  a  position  akin  to  that  which  its  founders 
designed  for  it.  It  is  a  university  in  a  sense  similar  to  that  in  which 
many  American  institutions  are  universities  ;  in  arts  and  in  some  branches 
of  science,  it  is  doing  post-graduate  work  of  a  university  character. 

1  MS.  letter,  Mrs.  E.  G.  McFerson. 


THE    GENESIS    OF   A    UNIVERSITY 

In  1868,  the  institution  became  co-educational.  We  may  be  justified 
in  closing  this  paper  with  an  episode  of  pre-co-educational  times. 

On  May  8.  182;,  Dr.  Wilson  writes  the  Hon.  Dudley  Woodbridge, 
trustee,  as  follows  :  "  I  inform  you  with  pleasure  that  the  Faculty  have 
engaged  William  Wall,  Esq.,  temporary  instructor  in  the  mathematical 
department  of  this  institution.  He  is  a  West  Point  student,  and,  accord- 
ing to  the  testimony  of  his  acquaintances,  eminently  qualified  for  the 
duties  of  the  station.  He  arrived  to-day."1  The  father  of  the  Reeds, 
referred  to  above,  had  moved  to  Athens.  The  daughter  of  the  family, 
Mrs.  E.  G.  McFerson,  continues  the  episode  in  almost  the  following  lan- 
guage : 

Quite  an  event  in  the  college  was  the  election  of  a  West  Point  man  as 
professor  of  mathematics.  He  was  stern,  had  no  patience  with  dull  stu- 
dents, and  had  supreme  contempt  for  the  capabilities  of  women,  especially 
to  grapple  with  mathematics.  Just  then  it  chanced  that  I,  a  girl  of 
fifteen,  was  studying  geometry  with  one  of  my  brothers,  my  text-book 
being  old  Euclid.  When  I  had  completed  the  first  book,  sixty-nine 
propositions,  my  brother  invited  Professor  Wall  to  come  to  the  house  and 
review  me.  This  he  did.  I  recited  to  him  the  whole  book,  standing  at 
the  board  two  or  three  hours.  He  stopped  me  once  to  ask  a  question, 
and  then  said,  "  Go  on,  sis,"  but  recalling  himself  apologized  on  the  ground 
that  he  had  never  before  heard  a  lady  recite.  He  told  his  class  the 
next  time  he  met  them  that  I,  a  girl,  had  done  what  none  of  them  could 
do.  After  this  he  proposed  that  I  should  study  algebra  with  him.  The 
granddaughters  of  Henry  Bartlett,  now  Mrs.  Bosworth  and  Mrs.  Gates, 
joined  me,  and  we  recited  to  him  several  months.  As  there  was  no  charge 
for  instruction,  and  as  in  those  days  there  were  not  so  many  beautiful 
gifts  as  now,  we  were  in  a  quandary  as  to  what  we  could  do  to  repay  him. 
Finally  we  concluded  each  to  make  him  a  shirt.  This  we  did,  feeling  sure 
that  it  would  please  the  wife,  whether  or  not  it  did  the  professor.2  Now 
the  proportion  of  lady  students  is  as  one  to  three. 

Ohio  University,  March  17,  1893. 

]  MS.  letter.  '-'  MS.  letter. 


THE    OLD    ROUND    TOP1 
By  S.  L.  Frey 

There  are  few  counties  in  the  state  of  New  York  that  contain  so  many 
old  eighteenth  century  buildings  as  Montgomery  ;  and  each  of  them  is 
as  interesting  as  the  "  House  of  the  Seven  Gables." 

Full  of  recollections,  traditions,  and  memories,  they  stand  as  witnesses 
of  a  past  age,  a  different  state  of  society,  and  almost  another  civilization  ; 
for  a  hundred  years  make  a  great  change  in  the  language  of  a  people,  in 
their  fashions,  manners,  and  customs,  and  in  their  habits  of  thought  ;  their 
modes  of  communication  change,  and  even  their  ethics  and  religion  are 
not  the  same.  And  so  it  is  interesting  to  the  student  of  history  to  gather 
up  the  few  loose  threads  that  remain  of  the  warp  and  woof,  and  try  to 
reweave  the  story  of  these  old  houses  and  of  the  generation  that  built 
them.  The  materials  are  far  too  scant  to  make  it  possible  to  give  a  con- 
sistent and  continuous  history  of  any  one  of  them,  for  the  records  are 
few,  the  traditions  uncertain,  and  the  number  is  limited  who  care  much 
about  the  days  of  old. 

The  building  long  known  as  the  "  Round  Top"  is  a  well-known  feature 
in  the  landscape  a  short  distance  east  of  Canajoharie.  It  is  a  low,  round- 
roofed  stone  house,  standing  under  the  bluff,  its  color  so  toned  down  by 
age  that  it  seems  to  belong  there  as  much  as  the  cliff  behind  it  covered 
with  gray  lichens. 

It  is  now  owned  by  the  West  Shore  Railroad,  who  have  shown  that 
they  have  some  appreciation  for  the  eternal  fitness  of  things  by  allowing 
it  to  remain  undisturbed.  It  is  even  surmised  that  they  swerved  a  few 
feet  from  the  line  of  the  survey  in  order  to  prevent  the  destruction  of  the 
old  building,  a  slight  proof  that  a  corporation  may  have  a  soul  after  all. 

When  a  new  country  is  discovered  the  traders  are  the  men  seen  in  the 
fore-front,  eagerly  pressing  forward  to  see  what  gains  may  be  found, 
regardless  of  toil  and  danger,  and  opening  up  the  wilderness  to  less  adven- 

1  The  above  was  written  several  years  ago,  since  which  time  the  Round  Top  has  passed 
through  various  vicissitudes.  No  interest  being  taken  in  it  by  any  one,  it  rapidly  went  to  decay. 
Boys  raided  it  ;  it  became  the  resort  of  tramps  ;  Italian  laborers  camped  in  it  ;  the  doors  were  gone  ; 
the  windows  broken  ;  until  finally  a  fire  burned  up  all  of  it  that  would  burn,  and  now  nothing 
remains  but  the  walls. 

It  seems  to  be  a  pity,  for  the  time  may  come  when  such  memorials  of  the  past  will  be 
regarded  with  more  interest  than  they  are  at  present. 


24  THE    OLD    ROUND    TOP 

turous  mortals.  This  was  so  in  the  state  of  New  York,  especially  along 
the  Mohawk  river,  which  is  the  chief  route  between  the  east  and  the 
west,  free  from  the  discouraging  impediments  and  barriers  of  tiresome 
grades  and  forbidding  mountains.  As  soon  as  the  French  and  the  Dutch — 
trying  to  reach  China  by  way  of  the  St.  Lawrence  and  the  Hudson — had 
discovered  the  great  Iroquois  confederacy,  the  traders  began  to  carry  on 
a  lucrative  traffic  up  the  Mohawk  and  in  the  distant  regions  beyond.  This 
trade  was  very  extensive  and  is  an  interesting  subject  for  study. 

The  trade  so  begun  continued  growing  in  proportion  and  conse- 
quence until,  in  1750  or  thereabouts,  we  find  permanent  merchants,  with 
stations  extending  far  into  the  wilderness,  to  Oswego,  Niagara,  and 
Detroit.  The  Mohawk  was  alive  with  bateaus,  bringing  with  great  labor 
up  the  stream  all  kinds  of  European  goods,  and  returning  laden  with  furs 
and  whatever  crude  products  an  almost  unbroken  wilderness  could  pro- 
duce. Some  of  these  merchants,  falling  upon  the  evil  days  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary struggle,  met  with  loss  and  destruction  of  property ;  the  aggregate 
amount  upon  the  books  of  one  of  them,  against  prominent  Tory  families, 
being  ten  thousand  dollars  when  the  war  began. 

After  the  war  closed  and  a  few  years  of  peace  had  brought  a  little 
quiet  and  prosperity,  the  traders  once  more  began  their  operations  on  the 
Mohawk,  and  pushed  them  forward  with  more  energy  and  enterprise  than 
ever  before. 

Montgomery  county  at  this  time  was  of  vast  extent,  including  the 
whole  of  the  state  of  New  York  west  of  Schenectady.  Its  resources  were 
almost  unknown  ;  the  thin  fringe  of  settlements  along  the  Mohawk  had 
been  desolated  ;  but  the  people  had  a  wonderful  recuperative  power,  and  as 
emigrants  from  the  eastern  states  began  to  flock  in,  the  trade  increased 
as  "Westward  ho!"  became  the  cry,  and  the  Genesee  country  and  Ohio 
opened  new  fields  for  agriculture  and  commerce. 

It  was  at  this  time  that  the  Round  Top  was  built  by  Jeremiah  Van 
Rensselaer  and  Archibald  Kane,  and  belonging  as  they  did  to  families  of 
great  prominence  in  state  and  national  affairs,  it  is  of  interest  to  inquire 
into  the  circumstance  that  led  them  into  the  Mohawk  valley.  I  quote 
from  the  Pioneers  of  Utica  : 

"  A  few  years  before  the  breaking  out  of  the  Revolutionary  war  there 
was  living  in  Dutchess  county,  within  the  compass  of  a  dozen  miles,  a  pol 
ished  and  delightful  family  connection.  Its  head  and  the  venerable  patri- 
arch of  the  parish  was  Rev.  Elisha  Kent,  a  Presbyterian  minister  ;  he  was 
educated  at  Yale  college,  and  had  been  settled  here  since  about  1740. 
Near  him  lived  his  son,  Hon.  Moss   Kent,  the  father  of  Chancellor  Kent, 


THE    OLD    ROUND    TOP  25 

and  not  far  distant  his  four  sons-in-law  ;  three  of  these  were  thrifty  country 
traders,  and  one  a  Scotch  officer  of  the  Forty-second  Highlanders  living  on 
his  half  pay.  Among  the  former  were  John  Kane,  father  of  the  Kanes  of 
whom  we  are  to  treat,  and  Charles  Cullen,  whose  daughter  became  after- 
ward the  wife  of  James  Van  Rensselaer.  They  were  both  natives  of  Ire- 
land, and  both  had  been  brought  up  as  merchants. 

Chancellor  Kent,  writing  about  those  pleasant  days,  said  :  '  Here  on  a 
line  of  twelve  miles  lived  Uncle  Cullen,  on  Croton  river,  where  he  had 
a  very  pleasant,  and  for  that  day  elegant,  house  and  store  ;  next,  Grand- 
father Kent  on  a  fine  farm  with  house  and  orchard  situated  on  high 
ground  ;  next,  Uncle  Morrison,  a  Scotch  merchant  ;  next,  Uncle  Grant ;  and 
next  Uncle  Kane,  a  prosperous  merchant  in  Pauling  precinct  near  Quaker 
hill. 

"  From  1760  to  1776  they  were  living  most  respectable  and  happy  as  a 
family  circle,  but  alas!  the  American  war  came  on  and  dispersed  them. 
All  of  them — my  grandfather  excepted,  who  died  in  1776 — were  ship- 
wrecked in  their  business  and  fortunes  by  the  tempest  of  the  Revolution. 

"  The  Kents  and  the  Cullens  took  sides  with  the  colonies.  Grant, 
recalled  to  service,  fell  at  the  storming  of  Fort  Montgomery.  Mr.  Kane 
adhered  to  the  crown,  and  forfeited  his  possessions,  for  which  he  was  in 
part  reimbursed  by  the  British  government.  After  the  war  he  removed  to 
the  province  of  New  Brunswick,  from  whence  he  returned  to  New  York 
city.  His  sons  embarked  in  commerce.  John  Kane,  the  eldest,  estab- 
lished an  extensive  business  in  New  York.  His  brother  James  located  in 
Albany  ;  Charles  in  Schenectady  ;  while  Archibald,  associating  himself  with 
Jeremiah  Van  Rensselaer,  who  had  married  his  sister,  opened  a  branch 
of  the  house  at  Canajoharie.  Another  brother  of  this  adventurous  and 
thriving  family  was  Elisha  Kane,  who  married  Alida  Van  Rensselaer  and 
settled  in  Philadelphia.  He  was  the  father  of  John  K.  Kane,  and  grand- 
father of  Dr.  Kane,  the  Arctic  explorer.  Still  another  brother  was  Elias, 
who  was  a  merchant  in  Whitesboro'  as  early  as  1792,  and  was  the  father 
of  Elias  Kent  Kane,  of  Illinois. 

"Having  traced  one  member  of  the  firm  until  they  were  united  in  busi- 
ness in  Canajoharie,  let  us  now  see  who  was  his  partner. 

"Jeremiah  Van  Rensselaer,  jr.,  was  descended  from  the  Greenbush 
branch  of  the  noted  proprietary  family  of  Rensselaerwyck  ;  his  father,  the 
grandson  of  the  fourth  patroon,  was  General  Robert  Van  Rensselaer,  of 
Claverick,  who  fought  in  the  Revolution,  and  afterward  filled  many  public 
offices.  He  was  well  known  throughout  the  Mohawk  valley  as  the  man 
who   failed   to  support   the   brave   Colonel   Brown  at   the  battle  of  Stone 


26  THE    OLD    ROUND    TOP 

Arabia,  and  who  was  held  by  public  opinion  responsible  for  much  of  the 
destruction  caused  by  the  memorable  raid  of  Sir  John  Johnson  and  his 
Indian  allies. 

"  Jeremiah,  when  a  boy,  lived  for  a  time  with  Major-General  Philip 
Schuyler,  who  was  the  husband  of  his  father's  sister.  General  Schuyler 
was  an  adept  in  the  exact  sciences,  and  wished  to  train  him  as  an  engineer, 
but  the  youth  found  the  study  of  figures  distasteful,  and  one  day  proved  so 
indifferent  that  the  general  became  vexed  and  called  him  a  blockhead  ; 
this  so  enraged  the  high-spirited  nephew  that  he  at  once  left  the  house 
and  returned  to  his  father.  Afterwards,  uniting  with  Archibald  Kane,  he 
settled  at  Canajoharie.  Here  they  soon  commanded  a  trade  that  was  the 
largest  in  the  interior  of  the  state.  Their  house  and  store  was  known  as 
Arch   Hall." 

This  is  the  Round  Top  of  to-day,  the  long,  low,  forsaken,  round-topped 
stone  building  that  watches  the  trains  whisk  past  on  the  West  Shore  and 
Central  railroads — the  Arch  Hall  where  there  was  so  much  old-time 
grandeur,  and  where  such  an  extensive  trade  was  carried  on.  The  build- 
ing now  standing  is  but  a  part  of  the  establishment  of  Arch  Hall.  In  its 
palmy  days  there  were  large  and  commodious  stores  and  warehouses  ;  a 
canal  led  to  the  river,  through  which  the  bateau-loads  of  goods  could  be 
brought,  and  where  the  furs  and  produce  to  be  sent  down  the  river  were 
loaded. 

The  place  was  famous  throughout  the  state,  and  many  incidents  and 
anecdotes  are  even  yet  remembered  of  occurrences  that  took  place  there. 
It  was  the  scene  of  the  famous  Yankee  pass  story,  a  tale  rendered  thread- 
bare by  repetition,  but  which  may  be  told  again  in  this  connection.  Al- 
though it  has  been  looked  upon  as  a  hoax,  the  following  is  a  version  as 
told  by  one  of  that  generation  who  vouched  for  its  truth : 

A  certain  Dutch  justice  of  the  peace  kept  a  tavern  in  the  upper  part  of 
the  valley,  and  one  Sunday,  seeing  two  footmen  pass  his  place,  he  thought 
to  turn  an  honest  penny  by  stopping  them  and  enforcing  the  Sunday  law. 
He  hailed  the  men  and  said:  "I  am  a  squire,  and  it  is  against  te  law  to 
trabble  on  te  Sunday."  The  men  told  him  they  were  obliged  to  travel, 
and  rather  than  not  to  proceed  on  their  journey  they  would  pay  the  fine. 
"  Well,"  says  the  squire,  "  if  you  gif  me  six  shillings  you  can  go  on."  One 
of  the  men,  who  was  a  Yankee,  said  they  were  willing  to  pay  it  if  the  justice 
would  give  them  a  pass  so  that  they  would  not  be  stopped  again.  That 
the  squire  was  willing  to  do,  and  "  if  the  traveler  would  chust  write  the 
pass,"  he  would  sign  it.  So  the  Yankee  wrote  an  order  on  the  Kanes  of 
Arch    Hall    for  fifty   dollars,  and    the   justice    put    his   name   to    it.     The 


THE   OLD    ROUND    TOP  27 

document  thus  duly  signed  by  the  justice,  who  was  a  man  of  wealth  and 
well  known,  was  paid  on  presentation  a  few  days  after,  and  the  unscrupu- 
lous travelers  went  on  their  way  rejoicing.  When  settling  time  came,  the 
squire  called  at  Kane's  for  his  account ;  but  he  refused  to  pay  the  item  of 
fifty  dollars,  saying  he  had  never  given  such  an  order.  "  But  is  not  that 
your  signature?"  Yes,  it  looked  like  it,  sure  enough.  "  Put  I  gif  no  such 
order!  "  But  after  scrutinizing  the  document  for  a  long  time,  a  grim  smile 
was  seen  to  steal  over  his  face,  and  he  said  :  "  Oh  !  now  I  knows  all  apout 
it  ;  it  is  dat  tarn  Yankee  pass." 

The  story  of  the  pound  of  tea,  as  told  by  Lyman  C.  Draper,  secretary  of 
the  Wisconsin  State  Historical  Society,  is  perhaps  more  reliable.  It  was 
told  to  Mr.  Draper  by  W.  W.  Tredway,  an  old  resident  of  Madison,  as 
follows: 

"  In  the  summer  of  1825,  soon  after  the  completion  of  the  Erie  canal,  a 
passenger  boat  of  which  I  was  master  was  passing  an  old,  dilapidated  build- 
ing known  as  Kane's  store.  Among  my  passengers  was  Elias  Kane,  a  very 
intelligent  old  gentleman,  the  father  of  Hon.  Elias  Kent  Kane,  of  Illinois, 
who  in  his  youth,  some  forty  years  earlier,  had  been  employed  there  as  a 
clerk  for  his  elder  brother,  and  who  entertained  us  most  agreeably  by  relat- 
ing incidents  occurring  about  the  period  of  the  Revolutionary  war  and  sub- 
sequently. He  remarked  that  soon  after  the  war  a  stranger  came  into  the 
store  and  informed  them  that  he  had  embarked  with  his  goods  on  a  Dur- 
ham boat  at  Schenectady  bound  for  the  Oneida  Indian  country,  and  that 
he  had  just  then  tied  up  for  the  night  in  the  river  near  by.  The  stranger 
was  Hugh  White,  of  Connecticut,  better  known  as  Judge  White,  who  gave 
name  to  Whitestown  and  Whitesboro,  where  he  died  many  years  later. 
Several  months  had  passed,  when  a  messenger  on  horseback  appeared  at 
the  store,  bearing  a  letter  from  Mr.  White  to  the  Kane  brothers,  informing 
them  that  General  Washington  accompanied  by  General  Lafayette  was 
soon  expected  on  his  way  to  Fort  Stanwix  to  attend  a  council  of  the  Six 
Nations,  and  that  he  expected  to  entertain  the  distinguished  visitors,  in 
order  to  do  which,  tea  was  a  requisite.  He  therefore  ordered  a  pound  of 
tea,  with  the  privilege  of  returning  so  much  of  it  as  should  remain  unused. 
Though  Washington  was  prevented  from  making  his  expected  visit,  La- 
fayette with  his  suite  made  their  appearance  in  October,  1784,  and  shared 
Judge  White's  hospitalities  and  participated  in  the  celebrated  treaty  which 
resulted  in  the  full  submission  of  the  Six  Nations  to  the  power  of  the 
United  States.  A  few  weeks  after  Mr.  Kane's  statement,  the  great  and 
good  Lafayette,  the  nation's  guest,  with  his  son,  George  W\,  made  the  tour  of 
the   western   states,  passing   from   Utica   east   on   one    of  our  Erie  canal 


28  THE    OLD    ROUND    TOP 

packet  boats,  thus  affording  me  an  opportunity,  which  I  gladly  embraced, 
of  clasping  the  hand  of  the  noble  old  patriot,  and  of  presenting  to  him  by 
name  my  twenty-five  or  thirty  passengers.  Possibly  I  at  the  same  time 
inquired  mentally  whether  he  remembered  having  drank  tea  in  Judge 
White's  log-cabin  some  forty  years  previously." 

In  collecting  the  few  facts  still  remembered  relating  to  the  Round  Top, 
it  is  difficult  to  determine  the  exact  year  that  the  Kanes  came  into  the 
Mohawk  valley,  different  accounts  placing  it  from  1784  to  1795.  There  is 
reason  to  think  that  they  were  here  as  early  as  the  first  date  ;  that  they 
first  opened  their  store  in  another  old  building  near  by,  which  they  occu- 
pied for  several  years,  and  that  the  Round  Top  was  built  where  it  is,  be- 
cause the  place  is  in  close  proximity  to  the  river,  which  was  and  had  been 
for  many  years  the  principal  thoroughfare  for  the  transportation  of  goods 
both  up  and  down  the  valley.  Besides,  there  was  a  ferry  at  this  point, 
which  made  their  store  accessible  from  Stone  Arabia  and  other  points  on 
the  other  side  of  the  river,  and  being  located  on  rising  ground,  although 
very  near  the  bank  of  the  river,  they  were  beyond  the  reach  of  the  annual 
spring  freshets  that  inundated  all  the  low  land. 

At  this  time  the  intervale  lands  were  the  great  wheat  fields  of  the 
state,  and  the  surplus  that  went  to  market  was  taken  down  the  river  to 
Schenectady  in  bateaux  and  Durham  boats.  The  former  being  a  flat- 
bottomed,  clumsy  sort  of  a  scow,  floating  down-stream  with  ease,  but  being 
poled  up  with  much  labor,  had  been  supplemented  by  the  Durham  boats, 
which  were  sharp-pointed,  having  a  keel  and  capable  of  carrying  fifty  bar- 
rels of  flour,  and  were  so  called  because  they  were  made  in  Durham 
Township,  Bucks  County,  Pennsylvania. 

This  mode  of  transportation  continued  until  the  Mohawk  turnpike  was 
built,  when,  having  a  smooth,  hard  road,  all  produce  was  taken  direct  to 
Albany,  the  wheat  chiefly  by  sleighs  in  the  winter. 

The  Kanes  were  large  dealers  in  wheat,  and  from  an  old  bill  made  at 
Arch  Hall  in  1795  it  appears  the  price  at  that  time  was  twenty  shillings 
per  bushel.  It  may  be  of  interest  to  quote  the  prices  of  a  few  other 
things  from  the  same  bill:  Tea,  3/6  per  pound  ;  sugar,  1/ ;  allspice,  2/; 
linen,  3/9  per  yard;  a  whitewash  brush,  3/;  a  spelling-book,  I  4;  rum, 
14/  per  gallon  ;  port  wine,  12/  per  gallon  ;  twilled  thickset  linen,  7/6  per 
yard. 

The  bill  is  on  the  old  stamped  paper,  the  impress  being  a  queen 
seated  on  a  throne,  with  the  words  "  Pro  Patria  "  above,  and  the  name  of 
the  maker  below — G.  I.  Olthaar. 

As  it  is  receipted  James  and  Archibald   Kane  per  Cullen,  the  business 


THE    OLD    ROUND    TOP  2(j 

probably  was  carried  on  in  that  firm  name,  although  it  seemed  to  be  vari- 
ously known  as  Kane  and  Van  Rensselaer,  and  John  Kane  and  Brothers. 

It  was  said  of  the  Mohawk  Dutchmen  of  that  day  that  they  were  more 
fond  of  their  horses  than  of  their  wives.  This  was  American  exaggeration 
no  doubt  ;  but  still  the  valley  was  celebrated  for  its  fine  horses,  and 
Archibald  Ka-ne,  although  not  a  native,  owned  some  very  fine  ones,  and 
drove  tandem  in  great  style.  The  dress  and  equipage  being  then  much 
more  picturesque  than  now,  the  manners,  customs,  and  fashions  of  the 
centennial  days  not  yet  having  been  superseded  by  our  modern  ways, 
made  fine  horses  more  of  a  necessity  than  they  are  now.  Horseback 
riding  was  universal.  Slavery  had  not  yet  been  abolished,  and  every 
gentleman  had  his  black  servant. 

Thus  it  was  that  Arch  Hall  saw  many  a  grand  gathering  of  the  noted 
men  of  the  whole  surrounding  country — the  lawyers,  the  doctors,  the 
great  land  owners,  the  veterans  of  the  war,  and  travelers  from  all  parts. 

Here  came  once  the  poet  Moore,  and  looking  down  the  beautiful 
valley  wrote  the  lines  : 

"  From  rise  of  morn  till  set  of  sun 
I've  seen  the  mighty  Mohawk  run  " — 

a  description  full  of  poetic  license,  unless  at  such  time  when  the  spring 
floods  came  pouring  down.  Moore  stayed  in  the  vicinity  several  days,  as 
he  found  many  congenial  spirits,  who  gathered  nightly  at  Arch  Hall,  and 
we  can  imagine  the  singing,  the  story-telling,  and  the  laughter  that  made 
the  round  roof  ring.  A  fine  copy  of  Rake  Anacreon  was  long  retained  by 
one  of  the  old  families  of  the  neighborhood  as  a  souvenir  of  this  visit, 
bearing  on  the  fly-leaf  the  poet's  autograph — Tom.  Moore.  Doubtless  it 
was  his  own  translation  of  the  odes,  which  was  about  the  first  literary 
work  he  did.  He  had  received  a  government  appointment  in  Bermuda, 
but  tiring  of  it,  he  was  now  taking  that  journey  through  America  which  so 
changed  his  views  in  regard  to  democracy  and  republics. 

It  was  an  age  of  license,  when  gambling  and  horse-racing  were  the 
amusements  of  a  people  who  had  just  come  through  a  seven  years'  war 
with  all  its  fierce  battles  and  savage  massacres.  There  was  plenty  of  hard 
drinking,  and  many  a  high  carouse  took  place  under  the  leaden  roof  of 
Arch  Hall.  Play  often  ran  high,  and  deep  drinking  brought  on  quarrels, 
which  usually  were  peaceably  settled  ;  but  on  one  occasion,  when  there  was 
a  great  gathering  of  the  clans,  a  quarrel  of  a  more  serious  nature  arose  be- 
tween Archibald  Kane,  a  Mr.  Roseboom,  Henry  Frey  Cox,  and  others,  and 
a  duel  was  the  result.     This   took  place  on  April  18,  1801,  in  a  small  pine 


30  THE    OLD    ROUND   TOP 

grove  on  the  hill  just  west  of  the  Round  Top,  the  principals  being  Kane 
and  Roseboom  :  the  seconds  H.  F.  Cox  and  Dr.  Douglas,  and  the  surgeons 
Dr.  Joshua  Webster  and  Dr.  Joseph  White  ;  all  of  whom  were  among 
the  most  prominent  men  of  the  valley. 

The  twenty  paces  were  marked  off,  and  at  the  signal  to  fire  Roseboom 
did  so,  his  ball  taking  effect  in  his  antagonist's  arm,  and  making  a  bad 
flesh  wound.  Kane  had  previously  lost  his  other  arm  by  the  explosion  of 
a  fowling-piece,  and  was  therefore  now  helpless  ;  and  as  their  wounded 
honor  was  healed,  they  shook  hands  and  adjourned  to  the  Kane  house  for 
another  game  of  cards. 

In  Thurlow  Weed's  autobiography,  speaking  of  stage-coach  traveling, 
he  gives  an  incident  as  related  by  one  of  his  fellow-passengers  as  they 
were  passing  the  Round  Top,  and  as  it  seems  to  relate  to  a  second  duel 
fought  in  the  same  place,  and  does  not  seem  to  have  been  mentioned  by 
any  local  historian,  it  may  be  of  interest  here. 

Mr.  Weed  says:  "Some  gentlemen  who  had  been  invited  to  dine  at 
Arch  Hall  amused  themselves  after  dinner  with  cards.  In  the  course  of 
the  evening  a  dispute  arose  between  Oliver  Kane  and  James  Wadsworth, 
of  Geneseo,  a  gentleman  of  high  intelligence,  great  wealth,  and  enlight- 
ened philanthropy,  the  latter  years  of  whose  life  were  distinguished  for 
zeal  and  liberality  in  the  cause  of  normal  schools  and  school  district  libra- 
ries. The  quarrel  resulted  in  a  challenge,  and  the  parties  met  before  sun- 
rise the  next  morning,  under  a  tall  pine-tree  on  the  bluff  behind  the  store, 
and  exchanged  shots.  Mr.  Kane  received  a  slight  wound.  More  than 
thirty  years  afterward  I  was  walking  with  Mr.  Wadsworth  and  his  son,  the 
late  General  J.  S.  Wadsworth,  on  Broadway,  when  we  met  Mr.  Oliver 
Kane,  with  whom  young  Mr.  W.  exchanged  salutations;  and  observing 
that  his  father  passed  making  'no  sign,'  he  said,  'Don't  you  know  Mr. 
Kane?'  'I  met  him  once,'  was  the  laconic  reply.  Supposing  that  James 
had  not  heard  of  the  duel,  when  we  were  alone  I  mentioned  it  to  him,  to 
which  he  replied,  laughing,  '  I  know  all  about  it,  but  I  wanted  to  draw 
the  governor  out.'  I  had  endeavored  several  years  earlier  to  induce  Mr. 
Wadsworth  to  accept  a  nomination  for  governor,  and  thereafter  James  S. 
was  accustomed  to  speak  to  and  of  him  as  governor." 

This  duel  took  place,  as  Mr.  Weed  says,  in  1808. 

The  trade  carried  on  at  the  Round  Top  by  the  Kanes,  although  large 
and  lucrative  for  a  time,  was,  soon  after  the  opening  of  the  century,  greatly 
affected  by  the  settlement  of  Utica.  At  this  point  and  at  Whitesboro' 
merchants  had  settled,  and  soon  drew  the  trade  of  all  the  western  coun- 
try.    They  then  opened  a  store  themselves  in  Utica,  and  gradually  closed 


THE   OLD    ROUND    TOP  31 

up  their  business  at  Arch  Hall.  It  permanently  ceased  there  about  18 15, 
and  the  large  amount  of  real  estate  owned  by  them  in  various  parts  of 
Montgomery  County  was  disposed  of  by  James  Kane,  of  Albany.  It  took 
a  number  of  years  to  do  this,  as  is  shown  by  many  letters  of  Kane  to  his 
lawyer.  In  one  of  these  letters  Kane  speaks  of  Canajoharie  as  "  Roofs 
Village"  as  late  as  1828,  showing  that  there  had  been  an  uncertainty  as  to 
the  name,  both  names  being  used  ever  since  the  Revolution. 

After  the  business  was  closed  at  the  Round  Top,  Archibald  Kane 
went  to  Hayti,  where  he  married  and  engaged  in  business,  and  where  he 
died  a  few  years  afterward. 

Such  are  the  meagre  annals  of  this  once  celebrated  house  and  this 
wealthy  and  powerful  family.  A  hundred  years  is  not  a  very  long  period 
of  time,  but  it  is  long  enough,  in  the  case  of  most  houses  and  families,  to 
turn  their  memory  to  dust. 

"I  have  seen  the  walls  of  Balclutha,  but  they  were  desolate:  the  fire 
had  resounded  in  the  halls:  and  the  voice  of  the  people  is  heard  no  more." 


A  TANGLE    IN    AMERICAN    CHRONOLOGY   STRAIGHTENED 

By  F.  MacBennett 

LTntil  of  late  years  the  date  of  Juan  Ponce  de  Leon's  landfall  in  Florida 
was  universally  regarded  as  March  27,  1 5 12,  the  historians  Oviedo  and 
Herrera  having  so  interpreted  the  original  documents  placed  at  their  dis- 
posal. The  account  by  the  latter  writer  is  the  only  detailed  one  thus  far 
known  of  this  voyage  of  discovery  ;  and  it  gives  the  days  of  the  weeks, 
dates  of  the  months,  courses  sailed,  etc.,  together  with  the  events  of  the 
voyage  from  the  start  on  March  3  from  the  island  of  San  Juan,  now  Porto 
Rico,  to  the  return  in  the  second  week  of  the  following  October.  Accord- 
ing to  this  narrative,  on  Easter  Sunday,  March  27,  the  discoverer  first 
saw  the  land  to  which  he  afterward  gave  the  name  of  Florida  because  of 
the  two  circumstances,  that  it  was  like  a  garden  and  that  the  day  was  the 
festival  commonly  called  in  Spain  the  "  Pasch  of  Flowers,"  namely,  Easter 
Sunday.  Herrera  grouped  the  account  of  this  voyage,  however,  with  the 
events  of  the  year  15 12.  Yet  as  long  ago  as  1587  Garcilaso  de  la  Vega,  a 
contemporary  of  Herrera,  wrote  that  the  year  was  15 13,  in  which  year 
Easter  Sunday  fell  on  March  27. 1  This  statement  remained  unheeded 
until,  about  thirty-five  years  ago,  Oscar  Peschel  directed  attention  to  it.2 
Since  then  histories,  encyclopaedias,  school-books,  and  works  of  reference 
generally,  even  different  editions  of  the  same  work,  have  been  quite  con- 
fusing as  between  the  two  years  15 12  and  15 13.  Not  only  this,  but  for  a 
long  time  the  general  understanding  was  that  the  feast  indicated  by  Pascua 
de  Flores  was  Palm  Sunday — a  mistake  due  to  an  erroneous  translation 
which  confounded  the  Spanish  term  with  the  French  Pdqitcs  Fleuries,  both 
being  literal  equivalents,  but  referring  in  the  former  tongue  to  Easter  and 
in  the  latter  to  the  Sunday  preceding.3  Among  critical  students  of  his- 
tory, however,  the  correct  date  has  been  for  several  years  past  settled  and 
accepted  as  Easter  Sunday,  March  27,  15 13. 

Mr.  Henry  Harrisse,  in  his  recent  work  on  the  Discovery  of  North 
America?  states  that  before  accepting  the  year   15 13  as  the  correct  date, 

1  Garcilaso  de  la  Vega  :  La  Florida  del  Inca,  1.  I.,  c.  II.,  p.  3.     Madrid,  1723. 

2  Peschel:   Geschichte  des  Zeitalters  der  Entdecknngen^\>.  521,11.     Stuttgart,  185S. 

3  This  error  seems  to  have  originated  with  Charlevoix  :  "  II  appercut  le  Continent,  ou  ayant 
aborde,  non  pas  le  jour,  comme  quelques  uns  l'ont  cru,  mais  dans  la  semaine  de  Paques  Fleuries." 
etc.     Histoire  de  V Isle  Espagnole  on  de  Saint-Domingae,  t.  2,1.  v.  p.  125.      Amsterdam,  1733. 

4  p.  149.      London  and  Paris,  1892. 


A   TANGLE   IN   AMERICAN    CHRONOLOGY    STRAIGHTENED  33 

and  the  consequences  thereof,  he  must  call  the  attention  of  his  readers 
"  to  a  document  which,  as  it  now  stands,  certainly  leads  to  a  different  con- 
clusion." The  document  referred  to  begins  as  follows:  ''The  king.  The 
agreement  which  by  our  command  was  made  with  you,  Juan  Ponce  de 
Leon,  to  proceed  to  settle  the  island  of  Beniny  and  the  island  of  Florida 
which  at  our  order  you  discovered,"  etc.,  and  bears  date:  "  Done  at  Val- 
ladolid  on  the  twenty-sixth  of  September  of  the  year  one  thousand  five 
hundred  and  twelve."  *  In  view  of  this  date  Mr.  Harrisse  says  it  is  evi- 
dent that  when  it  was  written  Juan  Ponce  de  Leon  had  already  accom- 
plished the  discovery  of  Florida.  This  might  be  true  and  yet  the  date  of 
the  paper  be  false.  He  points  out,  however,  that  it  is  materially  impos- 
sible to  reconcile  15 12  with  the  narrative  of  the  voyage,  whereas  15 13 
agrees  throughout  with  the  historian's  account  ;  and  he  gives  Oscar  Peschel 
the  credit  of  having  been  the  first  to  note  the  discrepancy  in  this  respect. 
Yet,  as  stated  above,  Garcilaso  de  la  Vega  had  directed  attention  to  the 
fact  that  Easter,  the  day  of  the  landfall,  was  March  27  in  the  year  1513  ; 
and  Peschel  duly  gave  him  credit  for  the  observation.  Mr.  Harrisse  then 
relates  that  "  after  Ponce  de  Leon  had  accomplished  his  discovery  he 
petitioned  Ferdinand  of  Aragon  for  leave  to  settle  the  country.  This  was 
granted  him,  and  we  possess  a  document  to  that  effect,"  namely,  the  docu- 
ment just  referred  to. 

The  date  15 12  may  be  one  of  the  "  errors  and  contradictions"  into 
which  the  worthy  Herrera  sometimes  fell,  or  the  result  of  that  artifice  and 
duplicity  which  at  that  period  "  greatly  impaired  the  credit  of  those  official 
documents  which  we  are  accustomed  to  regard  as  the  surest  foundations 
of  history."2  This  will  appear  on  following  up  the  chain  of  facts  which 
will  be  here  presented  to  the  reader.  The  first  fact  is  that  the  king  was 
not  at  Valladolid  at  any  time  during  the  month  of  September,  15 12,  as  is 
clearly  established  by  his  itinerary:  "Year  15 12.  The  king  was  in  Bur- 
gos until  the  month  of  August,  when  he  left  for  Logrono,  bent  on  the 
capture  of  the  kingdom  of  Navarre,  .  .  .  and  afterward  returned  to 
Burgos  on  Christmas  Eve,  and  started  at  once  for  Valladolid.  .  .  .  The 
king  left  Logrono  and  went  to  Burgos  and  Valladolid,  and  there  remained 
until  the  end  of  said  year."3  And  all  the  documents  that  we  find  signed 
by  the  king  in  the  month  of  September,  15 12,  are  dated  at  Logrono.  It 
was  from  that  place  that  Ferdinand  carried  on  his  correspondence  with 
Lord  Willoughby  and  Sebastian  Cabot  in  September  and  October,  15 12, 

1  Coleccion  de  documentos  ineditos,  etc.     {America  y  Oceania),  t.  xxii.,pp.  33-37.     Madrid,  1374 

2  Quintana  :  Pizarro,  II.,  190,  App.  7.     Prescott  :  Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  vol.  iii.,p.  105,11. 

3  Coleccion,  etc.,  t.  xviii.,  p.  324,  et  seq. 

Vol.  XXX.— No.  1-2.— 3 


34  A    TANGLE    IN    AMERICAN    CHRONOLOGY    STRAIGHTENED 

in  his  effort  to  secure  Cabot's  services  as  navigator  and  discoverer,  and  to 
induce  him  to  reside  in  Spain.1  There  are  letters  from  the  Portuguese 
ambassador  near  the  Spanish  king,  showing  that  Ferdinand  was  at  Lo- 
grofio  at  the  period  in  question.  And  the  history  of  the  war  in  Navarre 
records  that  "  during  the  whole  time  the  king  was  at  Logrono,  straining 
every  effort  in  behalf  of  his  people  then  in  Navarre."2  The  war  ended 
early  in  December,  and  the  king,  as  stated  above,  returned  to  Burgos  on 
Christmas  Eve.  The  second  fact  is,  that  the  account  of  Juan  Ponce  de 
Leon's  voyage  shows  that  he  started  from  the  island  of  San  Juan  on  March 
3,  and  did  not  return  with  the  news  of  his  discovery  until  the  second  week 
in  October  following.3  Clearly,  then,  no  knowledge  of  his  success  could 
have  reached  Spain  by  September  26  of  that  same  year;  and  it  was  im- 
possible for  the  result  of  his  voyage  to  become  known  even  in  the  island 
of  San  Juan  before  his  return,  for  Oviedo  states  that  "  the  captain,  Juan 
Ponce,  with  his  crews  and  caravels,  had  a  hard  time,  and  went  about  lost 
among  those  islands  for  over  six  months  in  search  of  this  fountain."4 
Furthermore,  there  is  evidence  that  Juan  Ponce  de  Leon  was  in  the  island 
of  San  Juan  during  the  year  15 12.  The  king's  letters  to  Ceron  and  Diaz 
of  August  12  and  December  10  of  that  year  establish  the  fact  that  he  was 
there  occupied  in  far  different  business  from  that  of  discovery  ;  and  the 
king's  letter  to  Juan  Ponce  de  Leon  himself  on  December  10,  15 12,  proves 
the  same  thing.5  So  does  the  record  of  his  trial  in  that  year  for  malver- 
sation ;  and  from  this  it  appears  that  he  was  present  in  court  during  the 
first  days  of  October,  1512.6  So  that  this  patent  to  settle  the  newly  dis- 
covered land  cannot  have  been  issued  in  the  same  year  with  the  original 
one  authorizing  the  voyage  of  discovery,  which  bears  date  Burgos,  Feb- 
ruary 23,  1 5 12.  And  to  pretend  that  a  charter  could  be  issued  at  Burgos 
on  February  23,  and  sent  from  Spain  by  way  of  the  headquarters  in  the 
Indies,  at  Santo  Domingo,  to  the  island  of  San  Juan,  in  time  for  an  expe- 
dition to  set  sail  March  3,  remain  over  six  months  lost  and  unheard  from 
until  the  second  week  in  October,  and  yet  a  knowledge  of  its  doings  be- 
come known  in  Spain  so  as  to  admit  of  the  issue  of  another  patent,  based 
on  its  results,  on  September  26,  15 12,  is  unquestionably  absurd.     The  year, 

1  Harrisse  :  Jean  et  Sebastien  Cabot,  App.  xv.-xviii.      Paris,  1882. 

!J  Bernaldez  :   Los  Reyes  Calo'licos,  vol.  ii.,  p.  401. 

:iHerrera  :  Historia  General,  etc.,  t.  I  ,  Dec.  I.,  1.  ix.-xi.,  p.  311,  et  seq.      Madrid,  1601. 
"  Anduvieron  el  capitan  Juan  Ponce  y  su  gente  y  caravelas  perdidos  y  con  mucho  trabajo  mas 
de  seis  meses  por  entre  aquellas  islas  a  buscar  esta  fuente. "     Historia  General,  etc.,  t.  I  ,  1.  xvi., 
c.  xi.      Madrid,  185 1. 

:'  Winsor  :   Narrative  and  Critical  History  of  America,  vol.  ii.,  p.  232. 

6  Coleccion,  etc.,  t.  xxxiv.,  p.  456,  et  scq. 


A   TANGLE    IN    AMERICAN   CHRONOLOGY   STRAIGHTENED  35 

then,  of  this  second  document  must  have  been  some  one  subsequent  to 
that  of  the  original  patent  dated  February  23,  1512. 

Now,  Oviedo  gives  a  clue  to  the  correct  year  of  the  expedition.  He 
says  that  "  whilst  the  captain  Juan  Ponce  was  away  on  his  discovery,  the 
admiral  Don  Diego  Columbus,  on  account  of  complaints  made  to  him 
about  Juan  Ceron  and  Miguel  Diaz,  deprived  them  of  the  governorship  of 
San  Juan,  and  put  in  their  stead  the  Comendador  Rodrigo  de  Moscoso ; 
and  he  remained  but  a  short  time  in  charge,  as  many  complaints  were 
made  of  him  also,  although  he  was  a  good  man,  on  which  account  the 
admiral  determined  to  go  to  that  island  of  San  Juan,"  etc.1  The  same 
visit  of  the  admiral  is  referred  to  by  Las  Casas,  who  specifies  no  date.^ 
But  Herrera  mentions  it  with  the  events  which  he  groups  at  the  begin- 
ning of  1514.3  After  a  bitter  strife  between  the  parties  the  king,  under 
date  of  Seville,  June  15,  1511,  had  ordered  Juan  Ponce  de  Leon,  then 
governor,  to  restore  their  authority  to  Ceron  and  Diaz,  they  to  be  under 
the  immediate  jurisdiction  of  the  admiral  thenceforth.4  These  are  the 
officials  referred  to  above  as  having  been  removed  whilst  Juan  Ponce  de 
Leon  was  off  on  his  voyage  of  discovery.  And,  as  shown  above,  they 
were  still  in  authority  at  the  close  of  15 12,  for  the  king  addressed  them 
in  their  official  capacity  in  regard  to  Juan  Ponce  de  Leon  on  December 
10  of  that  year.  Their  removal  and  the  admiral's  trip  to  the  island  of 
San  Juan  must  have  been,  then,  subsequent  to  this  last  date. 

There  is  a  letter  from  Ferdinand  to  the  officials  at  Santo  Domingo, 
dated  July  4,  15 13,  in  which  he  states  that  he  was  "  rejoiced  at  the  depart- 
ure of  Juan  Ponce  de  Leon  for  Bimini,"  and  instructing  them  "  to  be  care- 
ful to  provide  for  him,  and  advise  me  of  all."  5  These  facts  show  that 
the  expedition  was  undertaken  between  December  10,  15 12,  and  July  4, 
1 5 13  ;  and  as  the  days  of  the  weeks  and  even  the  religious  festivals  men- 
tioned in  the  discoverer's  log  (with  one  slight  exception)  agree  perfectly 
with  the  calendar  of  15 13 — and  with  no  other  year  thereabouts — we  must 
conclude  that  that  is  the  correct  date  of  the  discovery.  The  fact  also  is 
significant  that  Juan   Ponce  de  Leon  does  not   reappear   in    any  of  the 

1  "En  tanto  que  el  capitan  Juan  Ponce  andaba  en  su  descubrimiento  el  almirante  don  Diego 
Colom,  por  quexas  que  le  dieron  de  Johan  Ceron  e  Miguel  Diaz  les  quito  el  cargo  de  la  gobernacion 
de  San  Johan,"  etc.      Ubi  supra. 

2  Historiade  las  Indias,  1.  II.,  c.  55  ;  in  the  Coleccion,  etc.,  t.  lxiv.,  p.  284. 

3  Historia  General,  t.  I.,  1.  x.,  c.  10,  p.  356.  This  shows  that  he  knew  it  to  be  later  than  1512 
and  nearer  to  1514 — probably  in  the  summer  or  fall  of  1513. 

4  Coleccion,  etc.,  t    xxxii.,  p.  164. 

5"Alegrome  de  la  ida  de  Xoan  Ponce  de  Leon  a  Bimini.  Tened  cuidado  de  proveerle  i 
avisadme  de  todo."     Winsor,  vol.  ii.,  p.  284. 


30  A    TANGLE    IN    AMERICAN    CHRONOLOGY   STRAIGHTENED 

records  until  15 14.  when,  as  Herrera  relates  (under  the  now  clearly  impossi- 
ble date  of  15 12)  he  was  at  court,  and  "  passing  for  a  person  of  considera- 
tion," he  was  ordered  by  the  king  to  consult  with  the  royal  officials  and 
others  of  experience  as  to  the  most  efficient  measures  to  protect  the  island 
of  San  Juan  from  the  incursions  of  the  Carib  Indians.  As  news  had  just 
then  been  received  that  the  island  would  have  to  be  abandoned  unless 
some  protection  were  provided,  the  result  of  these  deliberations  was  that 
a  fleet  should  be  fitted  out  at  Seville  to  attack  the  Caribs  in  their  own 
islands,  and  that  Juan  Ponce  de  Leon  should  take  command  of  it.  As  an 
inducement  and  encouragement  he  was  given  the  command  in  the  island 
of  San  Juan,  with  the  additional  rights  and  privileges  of  Repartidor  of  all 
the  Indians,  etc.,  and  he  was  to  proceed  to  Seville  so  as  to  be  ready  to  take 
advantage  of  the  favorable  winds  of  January,  151 5.1  His  first  duty  was 
to  curb  and  chastise  the  Caribs,  after  which  he  was  authorized  to  take  his 
fleet  and  whatever  other  company  he  might  choose,  and  go  to  occupy  the 
lands  he  had  already  discovered.  The  patent  which  has  been  made  to 
bear  date  September  26,  15 12,  clearly  applies  to  the  expedition  now  in 
question.  But  that  this  is  a  false  date  appears  again  from  the  very  first 
paragraph,  where  the  king  declares  that,  as  in  the  original  grant,  he  had 
been  allowed  three  years  from  the  date  of  its  receipt  for  the  settlement 
of  whatever  lands  he  might  discover,  provided  he  should  set  out  to  make 
such  discovery  within  the  first  year;  and  he  adds  :  "  As  up  to  the  present 
time  you  have  been  occupied  with  matters  connected  with  our  service  and 
have  not  had  time  to  give  your  mind  to  it  [that  is,  the  settlement  of  the 
lands  already  discovered  under  that  first  charter],  it  is  my  pleasure  and 
good  will  that  the  three  years  commence  to  run  and  be  reckoned  from 
the  day  that  you  embark  for  the  said  islands."  This  would  be  rather 
absurd  language  to  use  on  September  26,  15 12 — not  quite  seven  months 
after  the  date  of  the  original  patent  for  the  discovery  had  been  signed, 
and  scarcely  more  than  four  months  after  its  receipt  by  the  beneficiary, 
and  that  too  in  relation  to  lands  whose  discovery  could  not  as  yet  be 
known.2  The  fact  is  apparent,  and  it  is  admitted  by  Herrera,3  that 
as  the  three  years  approached  their  term  Juan  Ponce  de  Leon  went  to 
Spain  in  order  to  secure  an  extension,  which  was  granted  on  condition 
that  he  would  first  take  the  fleet  to  be  then   fitted  out  at  Seville  and  sub- 

1  Dec.  I.,  1.  x.,  c.  xvi. 

3  A  simple  reckoning  of  the  time  that  would  be  left  for  the  king's  service,  or  for  making  prep- 
arations to  settle   his   new  find,  after  deducting  that  which  must  necessarily  have   been    consumed 
in  the  communications  to  and  from  Spain,  and  in   the   search  for   the  ''Fountain  of  Youth,"'  will 
make  this  quite  plain. 
loc.  cit. 


A   TANGLE   IN   AMERICAN   CHRONOLOGY    STRAIGHTENED  U 

due  the  Carib  Indians.  On  account  of  his  influential  friends  at  court  he 
was  not  pressed  for  the  immediate  settlement  of  his  new  lands,  and  he 
remained  some  months  in  Castile,  until  the  alarming  news  from  the  Caribs 
prompted  the  king  to  urge  his  departure  by  January,  1515.1 

Any  one  who  has  compared  the  several  editions  of  important  docu- 
ments of  that- period  will  have  found  many  and  far  more  serious  discrep- 
ancies than  the  one  here  brought  to  light.  Whether  they  arc  due  to 
oversights  in  the  editing  or  to  other  causes,  only  a  careful  scrutiny  of 
the  originals,  in  view  of  the  well-known  or  well-established  facts  of  each 
case,  will  show.2  Juan  Ponce  de  Leon,  then,  received  his  first  patent, 
dated  Burgos,  February  23,  15 12,  sometime  in  the  spring  of  that  year,  but 
spent  the  balance  of  the  year  in  the  king's  service  and  in  defending  a 
suit  that  had  been  brought  against  himself  under  a  royal  commission 
bearing  the  same  date.  The  charge  was  that  he  had  not  made  a  true 
accounting  of  the  proceeds  from  the  royal  mines.  The  suit  ended  with  a 
verdict  against  him  early  in  October,  15 12,  and  he  had  to  pay  a  heavy  sum 
into  the  treasury,  but  he  appealed  the  case.  As  the  first  year  of  his  char- 
ter was  fast  wearing  away,  he  equipped  his  vessels  and  sailed  on  his  search 
for  the  "  Fountain  of  Youth,"  March  3,  15 13,  and  returned  October  14, 
15 13,  with  the  news  of  his  success  in  discovering  a  new  island.  He  then 
went  to  Spain  and  secured  a  second  concession  and  an  extension  of  his 
privileges,  partly  through  his  influential  friends  at  court  and  partly  by  con- 
senting to  lead  a  fleet  to  curb  and  chastise  the  Caribs  ;  and  this  charter  is 
the  document  in  question,  which  has  been  made  to  bear  the  false  date  of 
"  Valladolid,  September  26,  15 12,"  its  true  one  being  "  Valladolid,  Sep- 
tember 26,  1 5 14." 

1  "  Favorecia  a  Juan  Ponce  Pero  Nunez  de  Guzman,  aio  del  Infante  D.  Fernando,  en  cuya 
casa  se  crio,  y  por  esto  no  se  le  dio  priesa  para  que  executase  luego  su  comision,  i  asi  se  detuvo 
algunos  meses  en  Castilla."     Dec.  I.,  1.  ix.,  c.  xiii. 

This  is  placed  towards  the  end  of  the  record  of  1512;  but,  as  shown  already,  Juan  Ponce  de 
Leon  was  at  that  period  in  the  island  of  San  Juan,  and  still  the  paragraph  in  which  the  above 
statement  occurs  admits  that  the  favors  thus  obtained  were  granted  while  he  was  at  court,  but 
this  is  known  to  have  been  only  in  the  year  1514. 

-  "  Los  archivos  han  padecido  mucho  por  la  ignorancia,  malicia,  embidia,  ambicion,  lascivia, 
robo,  vanidad,  pobreza,  tiempo,  potillo,  incendio  y  guerra  .  .  .  y  a  Dios  gracias  se  han  tornado 
eficaces  providencias  para  el  posible  remedio,"  etc.  Berni  i  Catala  :  Creadon,  Antiqnedad  i 
Privilegios  de  Castilla,  p.  3,  §  I.     Valencia,  1769. 

In  the  original  patent  for  Juan  Ponce's  discovery,  dated  Burgos,  February  23,  1512 
{Coleccion,  etc.,  t.  xxii.,  p.  29),  there  is  this  discrepancy:  "Item  que  vos  hare  merced,  y  por  la 
presente  vos  lahago.  por  tiempo  de  doce  afios,  contados,"  etc.  Just  below  this  statement,  on  the 
same  page  of  the  same  document,  the  time  here  referred  to  as  "  twelve  years  "  is  spoken  of  as 
"  dichos  diez  afios,"  "  said  ten  years."  The  evidences  of  more  than  one  hand  in  the  draughting 
of  single  papers  in  the  state  department  at  that  time  are  abundant  throughout  the  Coleccion  de 
doewnentos,  etc. 


A     BATTLE-FIELD      THAT     IS      SELDOM     VISITED— KING'S 

MOUNTAIN 

By   Robert   Shackleton,   Jr. 

The  battle-field  of  King's  Mountain  is  still  in  the  midst  of  a  wild  soli- 
tude, and  from  the  ridge  where  the  struggle  took  place  there  is  a  wide- 
spreading  view  of  mile  after  mile  of  sombre  forest.  The  extent  of  the 
prospect  amazed  us.  So  very  gradual  was  the  ascent,  following  the  wind- 
ing road  as  it  led  through  the  dusky  woods,  that  even  when  the  summit 
was  attained  it  was  impossible  to  believe  that  we  were  at  any  considerable 
height.  Nor  were  we.  Yet  the  conformation  of  the  land  is  so  peculiar 
that  the  eye  may  sweep  over  a  broadly  extensive  expanse  to  where  a 
delicate,  faint  blue  line  of  lofty  mountains,  misty  and  grand,  stretches 
along  the  horizon. 

The  darkly  solemn  green  of  the  forest  environment,  and  the  hazy  pur- 
ple, and  the  quivering  lights  and  shadows  where  the  wind  toys  with  the 
sunshine,  form  a  striking  scene,  and  have  an  effect  as  of  hidden  mystery. 
One  wonders  what  is  concealed  amid  those  dense  woods,  where  the  sun's 
rays  seek  to  pierce  in  vain,  and,  thus  wondering,  realizes  with  what  fore- 
boding disquietude  the  British  commander  must  have  gazed  at  the  gloomy 
forest  and  speculated  as  to  the  extent  of  the  danger  that  the  shadows  con- 
cealed. 

And  then  the  danger  suddenly  disclosed  itself,  for  out  of  the  sombre 

depths  came  bands  of  fearless  riflemen,  burning  with  patriotic  fervor  and 

bitter  hate. 

"  Campbell  was  there — " 

so  runs  an  old  song  written  shortly  after  the  battle — 

"  And  Shelby,  and  Cleveland,  and  Colonel  Sevier, 
Taking  the  lead  of  their  bold  mountaineers, 
Brave  Indian  fighters,  devoid  of  all  fears. 

Like  eagles  a-hungry  in  search  of  their  prey, 
We  chas'd  the  old  fox  for  the  best  part  of  the  day. 
At  length  on  King's  Mountain  the  old  rogue  we  found, 
And  we,  like  bold  heroes,  his  camp  did  surround." 

King's  mountain  is  not  a  solitary  height,  but,  instead,  is  a  range,  or 
succession  of  ridges,  some  sixteen  miles  in  length.     The  head  of  the  range 


A   BATTLE-FIELD    THAT   IS   SELDOM    VISITED— KING'S    MOUNTAIN      39 

is  in  North  Carolina,  although  only  a  few  miles  over  the  border  from  its 
sister  state  to  the  southward,  and  is  an  abrupt  peak,  rising  boldly  to  quite 
an  altitude.  The  greater  part  of  the  range,  however,  is  in  South  Carolina, 
and  that  portion  where  the  battle  was  fought  is  quite  near  the  state  line. 

After  the  disastrous  defeat  of  the  American  forces  at  Camden,  it  seemed 
as  if  there  could  no  longer  be  any  organized  resistance  to  British  authority 
in  the  southern  colonies,  and  so  Lord  Charles  Cornwallis,  in  command  of 
the  British  army,  marched  deliberately  northward,  at  the  same  time  detach- 
ing Major  Ferguson,  with  a  strong  force,  toward  the  west,  to  crush  any 
lingering  traces  of  disaffection  and  enroll  loyalists  under  the  banner  of 
the  king. 

Patrick  Ferguson  was  a  notable  man.  He  had  seen  service  in  Flanders. 
He  had  fought  in  Germany.  He  had  taken  part  in  a  war  with  insurgent 
Caribs.  He  had  invented  a  new  and  wonderful  rifle.  He  had  attained 
such  skill  in  the  use  of  his  weapon  as  to  attract  the  attention  of  high  func- 
tionaries and  of  King  George  himself. 

Sent  to  America,  he  did  good  service  at  the  battle  of  Brandywine,  and 
just  before  the  opening  of  that  battle  had  refrained  from  shooting  a  Con- 
tinental officer  of  high  rank  who  had  come  within  easy  range  of  his  rifle. 
Ferguson  was  afterward  told,  and  always  firmly  believed,  that  the  man 
whose  life  he  undoubtedly  spared  was  George  Washington,  and  while 
there  is  some  reason  to  believe  that  this  was  possibly  a  mistake,  it  seems 
certain  that  it  was  either  Washington  or  Count  Pulaski. 

Ferguson  was  brave.  He  was  active.  He  was  impetuous.  Ruthless 
though  his  acts  frequently  were,  he  never  descended  to  baseness  in  his 
cruelty,  and  he  always  kept  before  him  a  rough  but  firm  conception  of 
what  were  the  limits  to  which  a  soldier  could  honorably  proceed. 

On  his  expedition  into  the  western  portion  of  the  Carolinas  he  was 
accompanied  by  a  body  of  experienced  regulars,  and  his  strength  was 
greatly  augmented  by  large  numbers  of  loyalists  who  hastened  to  join 
him. 

The  loyalists  were  doubtless,  in  general,  as  good  soldiers  and  as  good 
men  as  were  such  of  their  neighbors  as  upheld  the  cause  of  the  Revolution, 
yet  they  were  objects  of  the  fiercest  hatred.  Nor  was  the  hatred  alto- 
gether undeserved,  for  there  could  with  justice  be  charged  upon  them 
many  a  wild  scene  of  violence  and  many  a  ferocious  act. 

Yet  the  Revolutionists  were  equally  chargeable  with  similar  enormities. 
In  the  southern  colonies,  in  fact,  there  had  been  developed  a  deadly  inter- 
necine struggle.  Terrible  outrages  and  fearful  reprisals  had  alternated 
with  each  other,  and  when,  at  length,  the  overwhelming  defeat  at  Camden 


40       A    BATTLE-FIELD     THAT    IS    SELDOM    VISITED — KING'S    MOUNTAIN 

had  caused  the  disappearance  of  organized  resistance  on  the  part  of  the 
Americans,  the  arrogance  and  cruelties  of  the  Tories  increased. 

Ferguson  himself,  scrupulous  though  he  was  in  regard  to  some  extremes, 
was  sternly  severe  in  his  treatment  of  rebels,  and  upon  him  and  his  fol- 
lowers, as  they  marched  through  the  sparsely  settled  regions  of  the  west, 
fell  the  anger  of  the  furiously  enraged  people.  All  the  outrages  of  the 
Tories  were  charged  upon  him,  but  he  went  contemptuously  on  his  de- 
structive way. 

And  suddenly  there  came  amazing  tidings  !  As  marvelously  as  if  the 
wilderness  had  been  sown  with  the  fabled  dragons'  teeth,  an  army  had 
sprung  into  existence,  and,  grimly  bent  upon  his  destruction,  was  in  fierce 
pursuit.  From  pleasant  valleys  where  even  now,  after  the  lapse  of  more 
than  a  century,  there  are  isolated  log-huts  and  the  primitive  simplicity  of 
the  backwoods,  brave  men  rallied  to  the  gathering  places,  while  others 
came  from  beyond  the  mountains  whose  magnificent  summits  rise  glori- 
ously against  the  sky.  They  came  from  the  banks  of  streams  of  whose 
existence  the  astounded  British  had  never  heard.  They  came  from  settle- 
ments whose  very  names  were  unknown. 

Scouts  and  faithful  loyalists  brought  intelligence  of  the  gathering  of 
the  "  Back  Water"  men,  as  they  were  called,  and  Ferguson  could  not  but 
realize  his  danger.  He  issued  an  urgent  address  to  the  people,  calling 
upon  them  to  rally  to  his  standard. 

"  Unless  you  wish  to  be  eat  up  by  an  inundation  of  barbarians,  who 
have  begun  by  murdering  an  unarmed  son  before  the  aged  father,  and 
afterward  lopped  off  his  arms,  and  who  by  their  shocking  cruelties  and 
irregularities  give  the  best  proof  of  their  cowardice  and  want  of  discipline  ; 
I  say,  if  you  wish  to  be  pinioned,  robbed,  and  murdered,  and  see  your 
wives  and  daughters,  in  four  days,  abused  by  the  dregs  of  mankind — in 
short,  if  you  wish  or  deserve  to  live  and  bear  the  name  of  men,  grasp 
your  arms  in  a  moment  and  run  to  camp." 

Seriously  alarmed,  he  began  a  retreat,  and  adroitly  endeavored  to  turn 
the  pursuers  off  his  track.  He  sent  news  to  Cornwallis  that  he  was  hard 
pressed.  He  stated  that  with  a  re-enforcement  of  several  hundred  troops 
he  would  be  able  to  beat  the  rebels  back. 

Cornwallis  had  taken  post  at  Charlotte,  in  the  southern  part  of  North 
Carolina,  and  Ferguson  sent  him  word  that  he  was  proceeding  thitherward 
by  a  road  leading  by  way  of  the  Cherokee  Ford  on  Broad  River. 

It  was  the  evening  of  October  6,  1780,  that  he  reached  the  spot  that 
was  fated  to  witness  his  overthrow,  and  there  he  made  a  camp  for  the 
night.     The  next  morning  he  did   not    hasten    on   his  way.      He   fully  ex- 


A    IJATTLE-FIELD   THAT   IS   SELDOM    VISITED — KING'S    MOUNTAIN       41 

pected  that  re-enforcements  would  arrive.  He  had  retreated  so  far  that  he 
was  but  thirty-five  miles  from  Cornwallis.  He  did  not  know  that  Corn- 
wallis  was  urging  upon  Tarleton  to  hasten  to  his  relief,  but  that  Tarleton, 
pleading  illness,  but  probably  actuated  by  jealousy,  was  unwilling  to  go. 

Ferguson's  military  pride  forbade  him  to  farther  retreat.  The  thought 
of  flying,  crest-fallen,  into  Charlotte,  before  a  nondescript  army  of  back- 
woodsmen, was  unbearable.  He  heard,  in  imagination,  the  scarcely  con- 
cealed taunts  and  sneers  of  the  officers  of  the  main  army,  and  was  stung 
to  adopt  the  perilous  decision  to  remain  on  King's  Mountain. 

The  pursuing  riflemen  were  rough  and  picturesque.  They  were  Indian 
fighters.  They  were  hunters.  Their  wilderness  life  had  made  them  brave 
and  bold.  As  they  galloped  onward  through  the  narrow  roads  of  the 
forest  they  thought  not  of  possible  defeat — their  only  fear  was  that  Fer- 
guson might  escape  them. 

They  wore  coonskin  caps.  Their  shirts  were  of  homespun  or  deer's 
hide.  Their  clothing,  Indian  fashion,  was  elaborately  fringed.  Indian 
fashion,  too,  many  of  them  bore  tomahawks  in  their  belts  besides  their 
keen-bladed  knives.  Slung  across  each  saddle,  in  front  of  the  rider,  was 
a  long  rifle,  the  favorite  and  deadly  weapon  of  the  frontier. 

Who  was  to  be  deemed  the  leader  of  the  strangely  assembled  force  was 
an  important  question.  Each  band  of  backwoods  militia  was  under  its 
own  colonel,  and  each  colonel  considered  himself  quite  as  fit  as  any  of  the 
others  to  take  command.  To  reconcile  such  opinions — so  alike  in  char- 
acter yet  so  divergent  in  result — it  was  at  first  decided  that  the  various 
colonels  should  assume  command  on  successive  days,  subject  to  the  con- 
trol of  all  the  colonels  as  a  body.  It  was  soon  seen,  however,  that  such  a 
course  was  unsatisfactory,  and  it  was  decided  to  constitute  Colonel  Camp- 
bell the  leader — not  that  he  was  the  best  among  them,  but  because 
there  were  reasons  why  his  advancement  would  be  looked  upon  with  less  of 
jealousy  than  would  the  advancement  of  any  of  the  others.  It  was  in  the 
afternoon  of  October  7th  that  the  American  army  reached  the  spot  where 
Ferguson  had  encamped. 

The  British  force  consisted  of  some  eight  hundred  men.  That  of  the 
Americans  has  been  variously  estimated,  but  it  is  probable  that  it  did  not 
greatly  exceed  one  thousand.  Yet,  although  thus  only  about  equal  in 
numbers,  the  Americans  decided  to  surround  their  adversaries. 

The  highest  part  of  the  spur  is  near  where  it  leaves  the  main  line  of  the 
mountain,  and  from  there  it  trends  gradually  downward  toward  its  point. 
It  averages  some  eighty  feet  in  height.  In  width  it  varies  from  one  hundred 
to  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet.     It  is  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  long. 


4^         A    BATTLE-FIELD    THAT    IS    SELDOM    VISITED — KINGS    MOUNTAIN 

This  ridge  the  Americans  decided  to  surround. 

Their  adversaries  were  in  a  selected  position — a  position  from  which 
Ferguson  emphatically  declared  that  it  was  impossible  to  drive  him  ;  yet 
the  riflemen  saw  at  once  the  way  in  which  the  position  could  best  be 
assailed. 

Ferguson,  perhaps,  expected  that  should  they  venture  to  attack  him 
they  would  charge  upon  the  ridge  from  the  adjoining  high  ground,  along 
a  comparatively  level  approach  ;  and  had  they  done  this  he  would  have 
been  well  prepared  to  repulse  them.  The  level  approach  was  narrow,  and 
even  a  small  body  of  steady  troops  could  have  there  kept  the  militia  at 
bay.  The  American  officers,  however,  well  understood  this,  and  therefore 
it  was  that,  to  Ferguson's  amazement,  they  spread  their  men  along  each 
side  of  the  ridge  and  opposite  the  point  as  well. 

Most  of  the  riflemen  dismounted,  and,  tying  their  horses  in  the  woods, 
prepared  for  the  assault.  Then,  before  the  fight  began,  each  colonel  ex- 
horted his  men  to  do  their  utmost.  From  time  to  time,  too,  in  the  course 
of  the  battle,  they  briefly  called  out  encouraging  words.  Many  of  their 
terse  and  stirring  utterances  have  been  preserved,  and  from  these  samples 
it  must  be  admitted  that  the  army  so  often  referred  to  that  swore  so 
terribly  in  Flanders  had  a  strong  rival  at  King's  Mountain. 

The  riflemen  had  learned  the  art  of  war  in  a  peculiar  school,  the 
Indians  having  been  their  teachers.  When  they  advanced  to  the  attack 
against  Ferguson  they  made  the  forest  resound  with  the  awful  war-whoop 
of  the  savages,  and,  instead  of  pressing  at  once  right  up  the  ridge,  as  most 
soldiers  would  have  done,  they  fought  to  quite  an  extent  in  Indian  fashion, 
from  behind  logs  and  trees,  picking  off  their  enemies  with  fatal  precision, 
and  working  forward  as  rapidly  as  they  could. 

It  was  well  understood  that  they  would  be  unable  to  withstand  a 
bayonet  charge,  and  so  the  orders  were  to  retreat  down  the  hill  whenever 
they  should  be  thus  attacked,  but  to  retreat  only  so  far  as  the  charging 
party  pursued,  and  then  to  promptly  turn  and  follow  the  British  soldiers 
back.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  anticipation  and  cool  consideration  of  this 
phase  of  the  battle,  disastrous  rout  and  panic  would  probably  have  resulted. 
As  it  was,  however,  such  part  of  the  line  as  was  charged  always  retreated 
in  an  orderly  manner,  as  arranged  for,  while  their  companions  along  the 
other  portions  of  the  ridge  redoubled  their  firing.  No  charging  party 
dared  to  go  far,  for  had  they  done  so  their  own  retreat  would  have  been 
hopelessly  cut  off. 

With  the  riflemen  surrounding  the  ridge  the  British  were  almost  help- 
less.    Their  familiar  tactics  were  of  no  avail.     The  Americans  were  elusive, 


A   BATTLE-FIELD   THAT   IS    SELDOM    VISITED — KING'S    MOUNTAIN        43 

omnipresent,  unconquerable.  And,  too,  there  was  but  slight  danger  of 
the  attacking  parties  shooting  into  each  other,  although  advancing  from 
different  sides  toward  a  common  centre,  for  their  firing  was  all  upward. 
It  was,  moreover,  practically  impossible  for  Ferguson  to  send  re-enforce- 
ments from  one  part  of  the  ridge  to  another,  because  the  Americans, 
attacking  from  all  directions  without  intermission,  kept  every  portion  of 
the  British  forces  busily  engaged. 

Many  anecdotes  of  the  battle  have  been  preserved.  One,  which  well 
shows  the  awfulness  of  the  war  in  its  arrayal  of  even  members  of  the  same 
family  against  each  other,  tells  of  two  brothers  who,  in  the  heat  of  the 
action,  were  seen  to  level  their  rifles  at  each  other.  Both  fired — and  both 
fell. 

Another  story  is  of  a  man,  one  of  the  backwoods  force,  who,  as  his 
friends  well  knew,  was  constitutionally  timorous,  and  wont  to  flee  when- 
ever danger  threatened.  He  had  often  struggled  against  the  cowardly 
impulse,  and  on  this  expedition  was  one  of  the  foremost  in  the  pursuit, 
determined  to  once  for  all  conquer  his  timidity.  Before  the  battle  began, 
his  friends,  fearing  that  he  would  again  disgrace  himself,  urged  him  to  keep 
well  in  the  rear. 

"  No  !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  I  am  determined  to  stand  my  ground  to-day, 
live  or  die  !  " 

But  in  spite  of  all  his  valorous  intentions  he  could  not  overcome  his 
pusillanimity.     At  the  very  first  fire  he  turned  and  fled  ! 

After  the  battle,  cast  down  with  humiliation,  he  lugubriously  explained 
that  he  was  altogether  unconscious  of  what  he  was  doing  until  he  had  gone 
about  a  hundred  and  fifty  yards,  and  that  then,  realizing  that  he  was  actu- 
ally running  away,  he  tried  to  stop,  but  "  his  confounded  legs  would  carry 
him  off!" 

The  entire  battle  lasted  for  but  about  an  hour.  Ferguson,  after  cour- 
ageously doing  all  that  a  brave  man  could,  was  mortally  wounded,  being  hit 
by  some  six  or  more  bullets,  and  when  he  fell  his  men  at  once  surrendered. 

But  the  white  flags  that  they  displayed  at  different  portions  of  the 
ridge  were  at  first  disregarded.  So  violent  was  the  hatred  that  had  been 
aroused  that  their  conquerors  would  not  at  once  cease  from  slaughtering 
them.  And  when  at  length  the  firing  was  over  and  the  dejected  prison- 
ers had  yielded  up  their  arms,  numbers  of  the  Americans,  both  officers 
and  men,  flocked  with  savage  joy  to  witness  the  final  moments  of  the 
dying  Ferguson.  Nor  were  they  content  with  this,  for  the  body,  after  his 
death,  was  hacked  and  maltreated  by  men  whom  the  fierceness  of  the  war 
had  made  into  veritable  savages. 


44         A    BATTLE-FIELD    THAT    IS    SELDOM    VISITED — KINGS    MOUNTAIN 

The  American  loss  was  about  one  hundred  in  killed  and  wounded. 
That  of  the  British  was,  in  killed  and  wounded,  about  double  that  num- 
ber, while  the  remaining  six  hundred  yielded  themselves  as  prisoners. 

A  week  after  the  battle,  as  the  army  drew  back  toward  the  westward, 
it  was  formally  decided  to  put  some  of  the  prisoners  to  death  in  retaliation 
for  cruelties  practiced  by  the  other  side,  and  nine  men  were  accordingly 
hanged,  six  of  them  being  officers. 

This  act  was  determined  upon  by  a  court-martial  composed  of  officers 
of  the  American  force,  and  was  a  cool  ana  deliberate  proceeding;  it  had 
not  the  excuse  of  being  done  immediately  after  the  battle,  and  before  the 
heat  of  conflict  had  subsided. 

It  has  indeed  been  frequently  stated  that  the  men  were  put  to  death 
at  the  battle-field,  and  tradition  long  pointed  out  a  particular  tree  as  the 
one  upon  which  the  executions  took  place.  When  we  were  there  the 
legend  was  repeated  to  us,  although  the  particular  tree  was  supposed  to 
have  disappeared.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  however,  the  men  were  executed 
at  a  place  shown  on  old  maps  as  "  Bickerstaff  s,"  quite  a  distance  west  of 
King's  Mountain,  and  not  far  from  the  present  town  of  Rutherfordton. 

Two  or  three  days  before  these  formal  executions  Campbell  had  issued 
a  General  Order  which  all  too  plainly  shows  the  kind  of  treatment  that  the 
prisoners  received. 

"  I  must,"  he  said,  "  request  the  officers  to  endeavor  to  restrain  the  dis- 
orderly manner  of  slaughtering  and  disturbing  the  prisoners." 

His  complaint,  it  will  be  noticed,  was  that  the  slaughtering  was  "  dis- 
orderly." At  Bickerstaffs,  a  few  days  later,  it  was  perhaps  orderly  enough 
to  please  him. 

All  of  the  prisoners  suffered  extreme  hardships  on  the  march,  being 
treated  with  ceaseless  cruelty  and  insult,  and  when,  one  day,  they  were 
taken  to  hear  a  sermon  preached,  it  is  not  surprising  that  the  truths  of  the 
gospel,  presented  under  such  circumstances,  affected  them  but  little,  or 
that  one  of  the  officers  angrily  wrote  in  his  diary  that  the  sermon  was 
"  stuffed  as  full  of  republicanism  as  the  rebel  camp  is  of  horse  thieves." 

What  finally  became  of  the  prisoners  is  quite  diverting.  The  victors 
did  not  know  what  to  do  with  them,  and  the  subject  was  one  of  grave 
and  serious  discussion.  One  place  after  another,  and  one  plan  after 
another  were  proposed,  until  finally,  after  it  was  even  suggested  that  the 
captives  all  be  sent  to  General  Washington,  to  be  by  him  incorporated 
into  the  regular  Continental  army,  Congress  took  the  matter  in  charge  and 
formally  passed  solemn   resolutions. 

And  then  it  was  discovered  that  the  prisoners  had   disappeared  ! 


A   BATTLE-FIELD   THAT   IS   SELDOM    VISITED— KING'S    MOUNTAIN        45 

Some  were  dead ;  some  had  been  paroled  ;  many  had  escaped  ;  of  many 
others  no  account  whatever  could  be  given.  A  letter  written  in  January 
of  1 78 1  states  that  at  that  time  there  were  but  sixty  of  the  captured  men 
remaining. 

Yet,  although  thus  much  of  the  fruits  of  victory  was  so  carelessly  lost, 
the  battle  was- of  far-reaching  effect.  Not  only  was  Cornwallis  so  alarmed 
as  to  give  up,  for  that  year,  his  projects  of  invasion,  and  to  retreat  in  pre- 
cipitate haste  to  Charleston,  but,  more  than  this,  the  victory  so  restored 
the  crushed  feelings  of  the  Americans  as  to  make  the  battle  of  King's 
Mountain  an  important  turning  point  in  the  war. 

At  the  foot  of  the  point  of  the  battle  ridge  there  still  stands  a  rude 
stone  monument,  bearing  the  name  of  Ferguson  and  that  of  an  American 
officer  also  killed  in  the  battle,  and  it  has  been  believed  that  under  that 
stone  the  body  of  the  British  leader  was  buried.  An  old  resident  of  the 
neighborhood,  however,  living  some  miles  from  the  ridge,  said  to  us  that  he 
had  been  told,  years  since,  by  an  old  man  who  when  a  boy  "  toted  water 
to  the  wounded  after  the  battle,"  that  Ferguson  had  been  buried  (very 
shallow,  so  that  some  of  his  clothing  showed,  but  with  a  log  rolled  over 
him  to  keep  off  wild  animals)  at  a  point  on  the  side  of  the  ridge  and  quite  a 
distance  from  this  monument.  Our  informant  said  that  he  afterward  dug 
at  the  spot  pointed  out  by  the  old  man,  and  that,  in  the  pipe-clayish  soil, 
he  found  the  imprint  of  the  shape  of  a  man's  body.  A  few  bones  were 
there  ;  a  rusty  pocket-knife  ;  a  screw  used  on  flint-lock  guns;  and  a  cravat 
chain.  The  rusted  knife  he  still  retains,  and  it  was  with  much  of  interest 
that  we  examined  it. 

A  rhododendron-bush  grows  by  the  side  of  the  grave.  An  oak-tree 
stands  at  the  head.     Ascraggly  growth  of  sour- wood  and  pine  is  all  about. 

The  summit  of  the  ridge  is  stony  and  rough  and  covered  with  a 
stunted  growth  of  trees.  A  squared  wooden  post,  some  nine  feet  high, 
marks  the  spot  where  Ferguson  is  supposed  to  have  been  killed,  while  on 
the  highest  point  of  the  ridge  stands  a  granite  monument,  twenty-eight 
feet  in  height,  unveiled  in  1880,  on  the  occasion  of  the  centennial  anni- 
versary of  the  battle. 

This  monument,  standing  so  prominently  on  the  ridge,  may  be  seen 
from  the  distant  passing  trains  of  the  Richmond  and  Danville  railroad. 
The  station  at  which  visitors  to  the  battle-ground  should  alight  is  the 
village  known  as  King's  Mountain,  seven  or  eight  miles  distant  from  the 
place  where  the  battle  was  fought. 

Of  late  years  the  locality  has  been  overlooked  and  but  rarely  visited. 
"  Do  many  people  come  here?  '  we  asked. 


46       A    BATTLE-FIELD    THAT    IS    SELDOM    VISITED — KING'S    MOUNTAIN 

There  was  puzzled  doubt,  and  then  the  reply  : 

"  Xo,  very  seldom.  I  tliink,  though,  that  there  was  an  old  man  came 
here  a  year  ago." 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Hambright,  who  took  an  active  part  in  the  battle, 
and  who,  though  badly  wounded,  refused  to  retire,  and  fought  bravely  on 
while  his  boot  filled  with  blood,  built  a  house  about  a  mile  from  the  battle- 
field immediately  after  the  close  of  the  war.  It  was  built,  so  it  is  said,  in 
the  space  of  twenty  days,  through  the  assistance  of  distant  neighbors  who 
came  from  miles  around  to  do  their  share. 

It  was  made  of  pine-wood — logs,  beams,  and  all — and  still  stands  in 
good  preservation.  It  is  at  present  occupied  by  the  grandson  of  the  man 
who  constructed  it. 

The  great  fireplace,  which  once  stretched  its  capacious  width  across 
the  side  of  the  main  room,  has  been  bricked  in  and  made  smaller,  but  the 
present  owner,  standing  in  front  of  it,  said  to  us  with  reflective  retrospec- 
tion : 

"  I  have  raised  eight  children,  and  they  could  all  have  sat  on  a  log  in 
that  fireplace  in  a  row." 

Among  the  distant  mountains  whose  splendid  summits  tower  so 
proudly  upwards — among  those  far-off  peaks  which  show  so  beautifully 
from  the  ridge  where  the  battle  was  fought — still  live  a  backwoods 
people. 

For  the  civilization  of  to-day  has  scarcely  touched  those  lofty  heights ; 
it  has  scarcely  entered  into  those  peaceful  valleys ;  save  to  soften  the 
fierce  cruelty  of  the  past.  The  mountain  dwellers,  straight-limbed,  supple, 
keen  of  eye,  open  of  heart,  still  live  in  plain  log-cabins,  still  wear  home- 
spun, still  are  unaffected  and  brave. 

We  have  visited  at  their  homes ;  we  have  listened  to  the  musical  whir 
of  their  spinning-wheels  ;  we  have  sat  in  front  of  their  blazing  fires  of  log; 
and  we  have  thought  that  we  could  well  understand  what  manner  of  men 
those  were,  who,  without  hope  of  pay,  hastened  forth  from  the  wilderness 
to  the  battle  of  King's  Mountain. 


MARY     WASHINGTON 

By  Horace  Edwin  Hayden 

To  an  American  there  is  a  sacredness  about  this  name  which  surrounds 
that  of  no  other  woman  of  this  continent.  Mary  Ball,  as  the  mother  of 
Washington,  will  always  hold  a  prominent  place  in  the  annals  of  American 
motherhood.  What  little  is  known  of  her  character  and  appearance  is 
learned  almost  entirely  from  The  Recollections  and  Private  Memoirs  of 
Washington,  by  his  adopted  son,  George  Washington  Parke  Custis. 
What  he  relates  concerning  her  indicates  the  source  of  that  marvelous 
equipoise  of  character  which  made  her  distinguished  son  the  hero  of  his 
century,  and  the  Father  of  his  Country.  With  but  scant  material  to 
draw  from,  Mr.  Custis  gives  us  a  most  pleasing  picture  of  this  noble 
Virginia  matron.  But  the  moderation  which  marks  his  statements  is  in 
striking  contrast  with  the  style  of  other  and  later  writers.  He  records 
nothing  but  facts  as  he  learned  them  from  contemporaries.  Other  writers, 
Lossing,  Walter,  Mrs.  Kirkland,  Mrs.  Conklin,  and  now  Mrs.  Terhune 
(Marion  Harland),  have  all  woven  so  much  fiction  into  the  life  of  the 
mother  of  Washington,  and  the  history  of  her  family,  that  it  is  time  for 
some  one  to  rescue  her  from  her  friends.  One  exception  must  be  made, 
of  Mr.  Moncure  D.  Conway's  interesting  volume,  Washington  and  Mount 
Vernon.  He  has  closely  followed  Mr.  Custis  in  his  wise  discrimination, 
and  being  a  kinsman  of  Mary  Ball,  has  given  research  to  his  deductions. 
The  others  have  simply  written,  as  it  were,  "  at  second-hand."  Mrs.  Ter- 
hune's  Story  of  Mary  Washington,  Boston,  1892,  noticed  in  the  Magazine 
of  American  History,  December,  1892,  is  published  under  the  auspices 
of  "  The  National  Mary  Washington  Memorial  Association."  It  comes 
before  the  public,  therefore,  with  some  show  of  authority.  The  very 
name  of  "  Marion  Harland  "  as  its  author,  a  name  that  is  as  a  house- 
hold word  in  the  United  States,  should  be  a  guarantee  of  its  accuracy. 
And  yet,  it  is  largely  a  pleasing  fiction  with  an  historical  title. 

Mary  Washington  was  the  granddaughter  of  Colonel  William  Ball,  of 
Millenbeck,  Lancaster  county,  Virginia.  This  William  Ball  was  not  a  royal- 
ist officer  who  fled  to  Virginia,  but  a  merchant,  who  had  probably  learned 
his  business,  as  was  the  popular  custom,  in  one  of  the  guilds  of  London, 
or  some  other  city  in  England.  He  appeared  in  Virginia  records  in  1661, 
as  "  William    Ball,  Merchant."     He   continued   at  this   business   until  his 


48  MARY    WASHINGTON 

death  in  1680.  as  his  will,  dated  October  15,  1680,  probated  Lancaster 
count)-.  November,  16S0,  shows.  At  that  time  a  large  part  of  his  estate 
consisted,  as  his  will  states,  "  Cheifly  in  Marchantdiseing  goods  and 
Debts."  His  first  grant  of  land  was  in  1663,  of  three  hundred  acres,  once 
owned  by  David  Fox,  father  of  David — not  Daniel,  as  Meade  and  Marion 
Harland  give  it — who  became  his  son-in-law.  His  will  conveyed  to  his 
wife  and  children  nineteen  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land.  About  1667 
William  Ball  was  commissioned  major  in  the  militia  of  the  county,  and 
appeared  in  county  records  as  "  Major  William  Ball."  Later  on  he  was 
promoted  to  a  colonelcy,  and  in  March,  1675-6,  the  Virginia  Assembly 
empowered  "  Colonel  William  Ball  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  John  Carter, 
or  either  of  them,  in  the  County  of  Lancaster,"  to  impress  men  and  horses, 
etc.,  for  the  defense  of  the  county  against  the  Indians.   (Hening's  Statutes, 

11..  239.) 

Colonel  Ball  came  to  Virginia,  probably,  without  his  family,  as  his  wife 
Hannah  did  not  come  to  the  colony  until  1667,  when  she  appeared  with 
her  son  and  daughters,  with  other  persons,  in  all  about  thirty,  for  whose 
transportation  Colonel  Ball  received  a  grant  of  sixteen  hundred  acres  of 
land.  The  son  referred  to  was  probably  his  youngest  son,  Joseph,  his 
eldest  son,  William,  having  doubtless  come  to  Virginia  with  his  father, 
in  1657. 

Colonel  Ball  was  a  man  of  good  family  in  England,  entitled  to  bear 
his  coat-of-arms,  which  none  could  use  without  right  in  a  royal  colony. 
These  arms  have  been  so  vaguely  described  by  Meade,  Lossing,  Marion 
Harland,  and  others,  that  it  will  be  well  to  identify  them  here.  They  ap- 
pear in  Burke's  Armory  as  they  are  painted  on  the  old  parchment  still 
preserved  by  Colonel  Ball's  descendant,  James  Flexmer  Ball  of  Ditchley, 
and  as  given  in  my  volume  of  Jrirgi?iia  Genealogies,  p.  50,  thus :  Arms, 
"Argent,  a  U071  passant  sable,  on  a  chief  of  the  second  three  1  millets  of  the 
first."  Crest,  "Out  of  the  clouds  proper,  a  denii-lion  rampant  sable,  pozvdered 
with  estoiles  argent,  holding  a  globe,  or"  In  the  last  few  months  the  will  of 
Hannah  Ball,  June  25,  1695,  was  discovered  in  Lancaster  county,  with  two 
bonds  of  her  grandchildren,  1712,  bearing  on  the  seals  these  arms  :  "A 
bend  between  two  lions  rampant,  each  holding  a  globe  in  the  dexter  paw." 
Crest,  "A  lion  rampant  with  dexter  paw  extended  holding  a  globe."  (See 
William  and  Mary,  Quarterly,  January,  1893,  p.  119.)  These  arms  do  not 
appear  in  Burke. 

Colonel  William  Ball  had  four  children  by  his  wife,  Hannah  Atherold, 
viz.:  1.  Richard,  who  died  young;  2.  William,  who  was  the  surveyor  of 
Northumberland    county,  Virginia,    1724.      Commissioned   captain   before 


MARY    WASHINGTON  49 

1740,  and  colonel  in  1741 .  He  died  in  1744,  having  had  fourteen  children, 
all  of  whom  but  one  matured  ;  3.  Joseph,  of  whom  presently  ;  4.  Hannah, 
born  March  12,  1650,  married  July  22,  1670,  Captain  David  Fox  (not 
Daniel,  as  Meade  and  Marion  Harland  give  it). 

3.  Colonel  Joseph  Ball,  the  second  son  of  Colonel  William  Ball,  was 
born  in  England,  May  25,  1649,  died  in  Virginia,  June,  171 1.  Married 
first,  in  England,  Elizabeth  Romney,  descended  from  Sir  William  Romney, 
Knight,  and  Lord  Mayor  of  London.  He  married,  second,  1707-8,  Mrs. 
Mary  Johnson,  widow,  of  Lancaster  county,  Virginia,  said  by  her  grand- 
niece,  Mrs.  Shearman,  to  have  been  an  Englishwoman.  Colonel  Ball  did 
not  assume  his  title  of  "  Colonel,"  as  Marion  Harland  says,  nor  did  he  wear 
it  to  distinguish  himself  from  a  cousin  of  the  same  name  in  another 
county.  He  had  no  cousin  named  Ball  in  the  entire  colony,  nor  any 
relatives  of  his  own  name  except  his  nephew,  Captain  Joseph  Ball,  who 
never  rose  to  the  title  of  colonel,  and  his  own  son  Joseph.  Titles  could 
not  well  be  assumed  in  a  royal  colony,  where  they  were  always  conferred 
by  royal  commission  through  the  colonial  governor,  the  commander-in- 
chief  of  the  colony.  Joseph  Ball  is  styled  "  Lieutenant-Colonel  "  in  the 
county  records,  1704.  The  loss  of  records  makes  it  impossible  to  give  the 
exact  date  of  his  commission. 

Colonel  Joseph  Ball  was  a  man  of  equal  prominence  with  his  father  in 
the  Northern  Neck  of  Virginia,  a  vestryman,  military  officer,  and  large 
landowner.  He  had  five  children  by  his  first  wife,  whose  name,  Elizabeth 
Romney,  is  preserved  in  almost  every  generation  of  her  descendants,  and 
who  died  before  1703.  These  five  are  all  named  in  his  will,  and  were  all 
married  when  he  made  his  will  in  171 1.  They  were  :  1.  Hannah,  wife 
of  Raleigh  Travers,  whose  supposed  relationship  to  Sir  Walter  Raleigh 
extended  no  further  than  bearing  his  name.  2.  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Rev. 
John  Carnegie.  3.  Esther,  wife  of  Raleigh  Chinn,  another  Raleigh,  named 
probably  from  Raleigh  Downman  of  Virginia,  1653,  brother  of  Margaret, 
who  married  Colonel  Joseph  Ball's  brother  William.  This  Raleigh  Down- 
man  was  son  of  Raleigh  Downman,  and  had  for  his  wife  the  daughter  of 
Raleigh  Travers  of  Virginia,  1653.  It  is  not  known  that  any  of  these 
Raleighs  had  any  connection  with  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  beyond  the  name. 
I  have  exhausted  every  Virginia  record  and  English  published  record,  to 
find  such  connection.  4.  Anne,  wife  of  Colonel  Edwin  Conway,  a  promi- 
nent planter  and  officer  of  Lancaster  county,  Virginia,  ancestor  of  Mr. 
Moncure  D.  Conway.  5.  Joseph  Ball,  barrister,  of  London,  born  in  Vir- 
ginia, March  11,  1689,  died  in  London,  1760,  whom  Marion  Harland  con- 
founds with  his  father,  Colonel  Joseph  Ball. 

Vol.  XXX.-No.  1-2.-4 


50  MARY   WASHINGTON 

Colonel  Joseph  Ball's  first  wife,  Elizabeth,  died  before  1703,  at  which 
time  all  of  her  children  were  married  except  Anne,  married  1704,  and 
Joseph,  1709.  Colonel  Ball  married  secondly,  in  seventeen  hundred  and  seven 
(1707)  the  widow  Mary  Johnson,  whose  only  child  by  her  former  marriage, 
Elizabeth  Johnson,  was  a  legatee  of  Colonel  Ball,  who,  in  his  will,  devised 
her  a  life  interest  in  one  hundred  acres  of  land. 

The  only  child  of  Colonel  Ball  by  this  marriage  was  Mary,  the  mother  of 
Washington.  There  is  no  parish  register  or  marriage  bond  to  prove  the 
date  of  this  marriage,  but  as  all  the  biographers  of  Mary  Washington  give 
the  year  of  her  birth  as  1706,  it  is  well  to  show  on  what  grounds  the  mar- 
riage is  placed  in  1707.  Marion  Harland,  in  The  Story  of  Mary  Washing- 
ton, says  : 

"  The  owner  of  Epping  Forest  was  then  plain  Mr.,  or,  at  most,  Major,  on 
the  last  autumnal  day  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1706,  when  his  youngest 
child,  Mary,  was  born.  There  were  other  children  in  the  home,  Joseph  and 
Hannah  by  a  former  marriage,  and  the  sister  Susie  of  whom  we  hear  in 
Mary's  letter,  and  who  was  probably  her  own  mother's  child." 

Thus  Colonel  Ball  is  said  to  have  had  two  children  by  his  second  mar- 
riage prior  to  the  year  1707,  when  that  marriage  took  place,  for  the  year 
of  that  marriage  is  settled  beyond  dispute.  When  about  to  marry  Mrs. 
Johnson,  Colonel  Ball  executed  a  deed  to  his  son  Joseph,  and  his  daughters 
Hannah  Travers,  Anne  Conway,  and  Esther  Chinn,  dated  February  7,  1707, 
conveying  to  his  son  nine  hundred  and  twenty-one  acres  of  land,  to  revert 
to  his  three  daughters  if  Joseph  should  leave  no  issue,  and  to  his  daughters 
certain  slaves,  etc.  In  this  deed,  which  he  recites  in  his  will,  which  see 
below,  he  records  the  fact  that  at  that  date,  February  7,  1707,  he  "  had  no 
wife"  Now  Mary  Washington,  his  only  child  by  this  second  marriage, 
died  August  25,  1789,  aged  eighty-two.  If  this  means,  as  it  usually  does, 
that  she  was  in  her  eighty-second  year,  having  passed  her  eighty-first  birth- 
day, she  was  born  as  late  as  August  25,  1708,  New  Style,  over  eighteen 
months  after  the  deed  of  1707,  when  her  father  was  still  unmarried.  Thus, 
instead  of  being  six  years  old  when  her  father  died,  she  was  not  over  three. 
Hence  she  was  a  widow  at  thirty-five  instead  of  thirty-seven,  as  stated 
in  The  Century,  April,  1892,  and  by  Marion  Harland.  Again,  Colonel 
Joseph  Ball's  will  does  not  state  that  at  the  time  of  making  it  he  was 
"  lying  upon  the  bed  in  his  lodging  chamber,"  as  is  stated  by  the  last  two 
writers.  They  have  evidently  again  confounded  Joseph  Ball  of  London 
with  his  father.     Colonel  Ball's  will,  dated  June  25,  171 1,  begins  thus: 

In  the  name  of  God  Amen.  I  Jos  Ball  of  the  County  of  Lancasr  and  p'ish  of  St. 
Mary's  Wt  Chappell  in  the  Colony  of  Virga  Gent  Being  sick  and  weak  of  Body  but  Praised 


MARY    WASHINGTON  5  I 

be  to  Almighty  God  in  sound  and  p'fect  memory  doe  make  this  my  Last  will  and  Testamt 
in  manner  and  form  following  that  is  to  say,  first  and  Principally  I  commend  my  soul  to 
Almighty  God  my  maker  steadfastly  Believing  that  Through  the  merits  of  my  Saviour 
and  Redeemer  Jesus  Christ  I  shall  Receive  full  Pardon  and  forgiveness  of  all  my  sins  by  a 
true  and  sincere  Repentance  for  the  same  and  my  body  I  commit  to  the  Earth  from 
whence  it  was  first  taken  to  be  Decently  Intered  according  to  the  Discretion  of  my  Exectr 
hereafter  named  *&  for  my  worldly  estate  wch  God  in  his  mercy  hath  Bestowed  upon  me 
I  give  and  dispose  as  followeth  viz  :  Imp'ris  it  is  my  will  and  Pleasure  that  my  Debts  and 
funerall  Rights  be  first  fully  paid  and  satisfied. 

Item,  for  as  much  as  on  the  Eleventh  day  of  febre  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  Thou- 
sand seven  hundred  and  seven  I  acknowledged  a  Deed  of  Gift  of  Divers  goods  and  chattels 
to  my  son  Joe  Ball  my  daughter  Hannah  Travers  my  daughter  Anne  Conway  and  my 
daughter  Esther  Chimi  wch  deed  is  upon  the  Records  of  this  County,  Amongst  other 
things  there  In  Contained  I  give  to  my  son  Joe  Ball  a  negro  wo  :  named  Murcah  and  her 
Increase.  I  do  therefore  hereby  declare  that  it  then  was  my  full  Intent  and  meaning  & 
still  is  my  will  and  Pleasure  That  thereby  be  meant  the  future  increase  only  of  ye  sd. 
Murcah  to  be  to  my  sd  son  and  no  other  children  born  of  her  body  wch  by  ye  sd.  deed  I 
have  given  to  Mrs  Anne  Conway  and  Mrs  Esther  Chinn,  etc.  etc. 

This  will,  which  is  very  lengthy  and  full  of  details,  naming  every  slave, 
does  not  mention  any  daughter  Susan  or  Susie  Ball,  nor  is  there  any 
reference  to  such  a  person  in  any  Ball  paper  or  document  known  to  the 
writer,  who  has  fully  examined  all  that  are  in  the  hands  of  the  Ball  family, 
with  the  letter-book  of  Joseph  Ball  and  the  county  records  of  the  North- 
ern Neck  of  Virginia.  The  letters  given  in  The  Century,  and  in  The  Story 
of  Mary  Washington,  relating  to  Mary  Ball's  childhood,  must  be  fictitious. 
Only  three  or  four  letters  from  her  pen  are  known  to  exist.  The  others 
attributed  to  her  are  like  the  claim  of  descent  made  for  her  distinguished 
son  from  William  de  Hertburn — without  evidence,  unproven  !  Equally 
unproven  is  the  supposed  visit  of  Mary  Ball  to  England.  There  is  no  evi- 
dence that  she  ever  visited  her  half-brother  Joseph  in  London,  and  the 
Cookham  marriage  to  Augustine  Washington  needs  no  evidence  to  dis- 
prove it  beyond  the  absence  of  all  evidence  for  it,  and  the  fact  that  the 
family  Bible  record  of  Augustine  Washington,  as  given  in  facsimile  in 
The  Century  for  April,  1892,  is  entirely  silent  on  the  subject.  That  record 
is  conclusive  that  all  it  contains  occurred  in  Virginia.  It  is  true  that 
Washingtons  and  Balls  lived  in  Berkshire,  England,  but  the  locality  whence 
the  Virginia  Washingtons  came  has  been  settled  finally  by  Colonel  Chester 
and  Mr.  Waters,  the  two  eminent  genealogists.  And  the  letter-book  of 
Mary  Ball's  half-brother,  Joseph,  the  barrister,  of  "  Stratford  by  Bow,"  still 
owned  by  his  descendants,  contains  copies  of  his  letters  from  1743,  in  one 
of  which  he  writes  that  he  had  not  then  been  able  to  find  any  trace  of  his 
family  in  England.     Such  speculations  and   theories   as  fill    The  Century 


;:  MARY    WASHINGTON 

article,  and  The  Story  of  Mary  Washington,  destroy  faith  in  historical 
writers.  The  Cookham  marriage  and  the  so-called  portrait  of  Mary 
Washington  have  not  one  scintilla  of  evidence  to  stand  upon.  The  tradi- 
tion among  the  Pennsylvania  Balls  and  the  New  England  Balls,  of  rela- 
tionship to  Washington,  is  based  largely  on  "  family  likeness."  William 
Ball,  the  iron  manufacturer  of  Falmouth,  Virginia,  said  that  he  visited 
Mount  Vernon,  and  his  likeness  to  the  Ball  portraits  was  so  striking  as  to 
draw  the  notice  of  Washington.  And  yet  the  relationship,  if  any,  belongs 
to  the  remote  ages  of  the  sixteenth  century. 

Joseph  Ball,  barrister,  the  half-brother  of  Mary  Washington,  has  also 
suffered  at  the  hands  of  the  biographers  of  Mrs.  Washington.  It  was  he 
and  not  his  father  who  built  the  gallery  in  White  Chapel,  1740.  It  is 
eminently  unfair  to  traduce  his  character  for  the  purpose  of  establishing 
a  fictitious  theory  about  his  nephew's  commission. 

To  call  him  "  pragmatical  "  and  "  a  conservative  cockney,"  to  speak 
of  his  letter  to  his  sister  as  "  bristling  with  British  prejudice  and  almost 
brutal  frankness,"  is  simply  unpardonable.  Worse  still,  to  base  this  esti- 
mate of  his  character  on  garbled  copies  of  two  letters  from  him  to  his  sister, 
Mrs.  Washington,  and  his  nephew  George,  given  by  Marion  Harland  on 
pages  79  and  97.  These  garbled  copies  are  quoted  from  Bishop  Meade's 
pages,  who  would  surely  have  given  them  in  full  could  he  have  anticipated 
the  uses  to  which  they  would  be  put.  They  were  not  preserved  by  the 
Washingtons,  for  the  originals  are  not  extant.  Bishop  Meade  took  them 
from  the  copies  made  in  his  letter-book  by  Joseph  Ball,  from  which  copies 
they  are  here  given  entire,  verbatim,  literatim,  et  punctuatim.  One  must 
be  very  full  of  prejudice  akin  to  u  British  "  to  see  the  terrible  "  bugaboo  " 
in  the  writer  of  them  that  he  is  pictured  in  The  Century,  and  The  Story  of 
Mary  Washington ; 

Stratford  by  Bow,  19th  May,   1747. 
Sister, 

I  ree'd  yo'rs  of  the  13th  of  December  last  by  Mr.  James  Dun  :  and  am  Glad  to  hear 
of  your  and  Childrens,  and  sister  Pearson's,  and  Cousin  Daniel's  Health,  though  I  don't 
know  whether  you  mean  Mr.  Daniel  or  his  wife  ;  and  I  wonder  you  don't  mention  Rawleigh 
Travers  :  I  suppose  he  is  dead  though  I  never  heard  of  it. 

I  think  you  are  in  the  Right  to  Leave  the  House  where  you  are  and  to  go  upon  your 
own  Land  ;  but  as  for  timber,  I  have  scarce  enough  for  my  own  Plantation  ;  so  can  spare  you 
none  of  that  ;  but  as  for  stone,  you  may  take  what  you  please  to  build  you  a  House. 

When  Peace  comes  (which  I  hope  will  be  within  a  year)  I  will  send  Cousin  Betty  a  small 
token  to  Remember  me. 

I  understand  that  you  are  advis'd  and  have  some  Thoughts  of  putting  your  son  George 
to  sea.  I  think  he  had  better  be  put  a  prentice  to  a  Tinker,  for  a  Common  Sailor  before  the 
mast,  has  by  no  means  the  Common  Liberty  of  the  Subject :  for  they  will  press  him  from  a 


MARY    WASHINGTON  53 

ship  where  he  has  50  shillings  a  month  and  make  him  take  Three  and  twenty,  and  Cut  and 
slash  him  and  use  him  like  a  negro,  or  rather  like  a  Dog.  And  as  to  any  Considerable  Pre- 
ferment in  the  Navy,  it  is  not  to  be  expected  there  are  so  many  always  Gaping  for  it  here  who 
have  Interest,  and  he  has  none.  And  if  he  should  get  to  be  Master  of  a  Virginia  ship  (which 
will  be  very  difficult  to  do)  a  Planter  that  has  Three  or  four  hundred  Acres  of  Land  and  Three 
or  four  Slaves,  if  he  be  Industrious,  may  Live  more  Comfortably  and  Leave  his  family  in  bet- 
ter Bread  than  sueh  a  master  of  a  ship  can  and  if  the  Planter  can  get  ever  so  little  beforehand 
let  him  begin  to  Chinch,  that  is  buy  Goods  for  Tobacco  and  sell  them  again  for  Tobacco.  (I 
never  knew  them  men  Miss  while  they  went  on  so)  but  he  must  never  pretend  to  buy  for  money 
and  Sell  for  Tobacco.  I  never  knew  any  of  them  but  what  lost  more  than  they  got ;  neither 
must  he  send  his  Tobacco  to  England  to  be  sold  here,  and  Goods  sent  him,  if  he  does  he  will 
soon  get  in  the  Merchants  Debt  and  never  get  out  again.  He  must  not  be  too  hasty  to  be 
Rich,  but  go  on  Gently  and  with  Patience,  as  things  will  naturally  go.  This  Method ,  without 
aiming  at  being  a  fine  Gentleman  before  his  time,  will  Carry  a  man  more  Comfortably  and 
surely  through  the  world  than  going  to  sea,  unless  it  be  a  Great  Chance  indeed.  I  pray  God 
keep  you  and  yours.  My  Wife  and  Daughter  Join  with  me  in  Love  &  Respect  to  you  and 
yours  and  the  rest  of  our  Relations.  Your  loving  brother 

J(oseph)  B(all) 

When  you  write  again 

Direct  to  me  at  Stratford  by  Bow  nigh  London. 

To  Mrs.  Mary  Washington 

Nigh  the  ffalls  Rappahannock  River,  Virginia 

To  his  nephew,   George  Washington,  he  thus  wrote  after  Braddock's 
defeat : 

Stratford,  5th  of  September  1755 

Good  Cousin,  It  is  a  sensible  pleasure  to  me  to  hear  that  you  have  behaved  yourself  with 
Such  a  Martial  spirit  in  all  your  Engagements  with  the  French  Nigh  Ohio.  Go  on  as  you 
have  begun,  and  God  prosper  you.  We  have  heard  of  General  Braddock's  Defeat.  Every- 
body blames  his  Rash  Conduct.  Everybody  Commends  the  Courage  of  the  Virginians  and 
Carolina  men  which  is  very  agreeable  to  me.  I  desire  you,  as  you  may  have  opportunity,  to 
give  me  a  short  account  how  you  proceed.  I  am  your  Mother's  Brother,  I  hope  you  Can't 
deny  my  request.  There  is  little  News  here,  one  of  our  Men  of  War  has  lately  taken  in  our 
Channel  a  French  Ship  of  16  Guns,  2  Brigs  &  a  schooner  bound  for  Martinico,  and  brought 
them  in;  and  that  there  were  11  more  in  the  Fleet;  after  which  another  man  of  war  is  gone 
out  in  Chase.  What  will  be  done  with  them  4  that  are  taken,  I  can't  tell.  There  is  no  war 
Declared  yet  other  by  the  French  on  us  though  it  is  expected  there  soon  will. 

The  King  is  not  Returned  from  Hanover  yet  but  is  lookt  for  very  soon,  the  yochts  are 
gone  for  him.     I  heartily  wish  you  success  and  am 

Your  loving  uncle  Joseph  Ball. 

Please  direct  to  me  at 

Stratford  by  Bow  nigh  London 

To  Major  George  Washington 

at  the  Falls  of  Rappahannock  or  Elsewhere  in  Virginia.     By  favour  of  Mr  Butler. 

Joseph  Ball,  the  writer  of  the  above  letters,  studied  law  at  Gray's  Inn, 
London.     In  Foster's  records  of  Gray's  Inn  he  appears  thus,  "  Ball  Joseph 


54  MARY    WASHINGTON 

oi  Rappahannock,  Virginia,  gen  21  Oct.  1720.  f  1414.  Called  to  the  bar 
10.  Feb  1725.  Bencher  31.  Jan  1743."  He  was  in  Virginia,  171 1,  as  his 
father's  executor.  He  returned  to  England  before  1716,  as  his  children 
were  all  born  there,  1717-1720.  He  was  in  Virginia  again,  1729,  possibly 
until  1740.  He  was  a  vestryman  of  Saint  Mary's  Parish,  Lancaster 
count\\  1759.  His  family  Bible,  with  his  marriage,  birth  of  his  children, 
etc.,  is  extant.  He  died,  Westham,  Essex  county,  England,  January  10, 
1760.      His  record  in  full  appears  in  my  Virginia  Genealogies,  pp.  76-80. 

After  noting  the  above  errors  about  Washington's  mother  and  her  family 
put  into  cold  type  by  the  writers  of  The  Century  article  (1892),  and  The 
Story  of  Mary  Washington,  it  is  surely  amusing  to  learn  from  the  first 
that  the  famous  "  hatchet  "  story  is  "  mythical,"  and  equally  so  to  read 
the  following  from  the  pages  of  the  latter,  which,  to  say  the  least,  is  in 
very  questionable  taste  : 

"That  man  or  woman  should  not  be  allowed  to  go  at  large  who  dares, 
in  the  age  that  now  is  and  to  come,  to  tell  in  cold-blooded  seriousness  the 
story  of  the  hatchet  and  the  cherry-tree. 

"  The  memory  of  father  and  son  is  best  honored  by  ignoring  in  toto 
the  petty  transaction  in  lumber  that  has  made  both  ridiculous,  and  turned 
the  stomach  of  thousands  of  embryo  citizens  of  our  republic  against  truth- 
telling." 

These  are  not  generous  words  from  Marion  Harland.  There  are 
thousands  of  American  citizens  of  respectable  breeding  whose  childhood 
experience  contains  just  such  facts  as  that  of  the  "  hatchet  "  story  ;  and  if 
a  woman,  because  she  was  never  a  boy,  and  was  not  touched  with  a  boy's 
experience,  can  find  nothing  of  the  kind  in  her  own  early  life,  let  her  at 
least  leave  those  who  can  to  the  liberty  of  believing  that  Washington's 
boyhood  was  not  different  from  that  of  others  of  his  sex.  The  "  hatchet  " 
story,  until  there  appears  one  particle  of  evidence  against  it,  stands  on  a 
firmer  basis  than  many  of  the  myths  in  The  Story  of  Mary  Washington. 

Wilkes  Barre,  Pennsylvania. 


THE    STRUGGLE    OF    FRANCE   AND    ENGLAND    FOR 
POSSESSION    OF    NORTH    AMERICA 

By  Joseph  B.  Ross 

That  period  of  American  history  generally  denominated  the  struggle 
of  France  and  England  for  the  possession  of  North  America,  was  the 
formative  epoch  of  the  New  World.  Insignificant  though  the  engage- 
ments may  have  been,  and  little  as  did  they  affect  the  contemporary  Old 
World,  they  germinated  nearly  all  those  great  principles  which  culminated 
in  the  Revolution  and  in  the  formation  of  the  republic.  After  a  critical 
study,  it  has  been  a  matter  of  surprise  to  me,  that  so  little  space  is  given 
it  in  any  of  our  school  histories.  Were  the  average  student  asked  to 
name  three  events  of  the  century  between  1689  and  1763,  he  would  prob- 
ably instance  the  deportation  of  the  Acadians,  Washington's  presence  at 
the  battle  of  Fort  Duquesne,  and  the  dying  scenes  of  Wolfe  and  Montcalm. 
The  pervasive  idea  is  that  the  English  have  ever  been  distinguished  for 
their  avaricious  and  domineering  propensities,  and  France  for  those  noble 
qualities  which  would  have  given  us  liberty  for  the  asking,  and  thus  have 
avoided  the  Revolution. 

A  great  statesman  has  said  that  the  faults  of  any  nation  are  trans- 
planted and  particularly  fostered  in  her  colonies.  This  statement  is 
especially  true  with  regard  to  New  France,  and  the  English  colonies 
founded  by  royalty.  It  is  in  the  founding  of  the  colonies  that  we  read  the 
result  of  the  after  conflicts.  No  matter  how  prosperity  may  have  tended 
for  a  time,  the  colonies  of  New  France  were  doomed  from  the  first.  In 
this  great  struggle,  we  have  for  opposing  forces  independence  and  depen- 
dence, spiritual  freedom  and  spiritual  serfdom,  education  and  ignorance, 
divine  fealty  and  priestcraft.  And  in  the  onward  march  of  civilization, 
who  but  would  prophesy  the  final  overthrow  of  intolerance  and  bigotry, 
and  the  enthronement  of  liberty  of  thought  and  religious  freedom  ? 

History  does  not  concern  itself  so  much  with  the  details  of  incidents, 
or  the  lives  of  great  men  who  have  lived  ;  it  concerns  these  only  so  far  as 
they  may  have  influenced  the  dominant  feelings  of  their  times.  That  in  a 
certain  battle,  a  hundred  or  a  thousand  were  slain,  is  not  of  practical  value 
to  us,  but  if  that  engagement  were  a  crisis  in  national  affairs,  it  would  be  of 
vast  consideration.  That  a  few  Greeks  met  a  horde  of  Persians  on  the 
field  of  Marathon  would  scarcely  be  chronicled,  were  it  not  that  that  battle 


;o  THE    STRUGGLE    FOR   POSSESSION    OF   NORTH    AMERICA 

decided  that  oriental  thought  and  mysticism  could  not  influence  western 
thought  and  life.  Waterloo  would  almost  be  forgotten  had  it  been 
the  dalliance  of  rival  monarchs,  but  it  was  the  reiteration  by  modern 
Europe  that  absolutism  cannot  be;  that  man  will  forever  resent  uncondi- 
tional submission  to  his  fellowman.  That,  at  Duquesne,  Quebec,  orTicon- 
deroga,  a  few  French,  English,  and  Indians  fought,  is  of  little  interest ; 
but  when  we  see  in  those  engagements,  the  germination  of  forces  which 
have  molded  the  destiny  of  the  nation,  we  recognize  the  importance  of  a 
clear  understanding  of  all  that  was  at  stake. 

To  rightly  understand  the  question,  and  also  the  merits  of  the  two 
colonies,  it  will  be  well  to  review  their  settlement.  The  reign  of  Louis 
XIII.  of  France  was  particularly  distinguished  by  that  brilliant  statesman, 
Richelieu.  A  priest  by  profession,  he  early  interested  himself  in  the 
affairs  of  government.  He  believed  in  an  absolute  church  and  an  abso- 
lute state.  The  former  existed  and  he  was  a  prominent  member  of  it ; 
the  latter  it  became  his  work  to  bring  into  existence.  So  nobles,  parlia- 
ment, and  bourgeoisie  were  put  down  ;  no  one  had  a  voice  but  the  puppet 
king,  and  any  who  resisted  were  punished  with  exile  or  death.  When 
the  idea  of  colonization  came  into  his  mind,  Richelieu  determined  that 
the  colonies  should  represent  the  mother  country.  What  he  attempted  at 
home  was  hindered  by  preconceived  notions  on  the  part  of  nobles  and 
people.  But  in  the  New  World  the  ideal  state  of  affairs  might  easily  be 
introduced,  because  none  others  would  have  prestige.  Nor  did  he  forget 
his  church.  The  population  of  New  France  should  be  reared  in  venera- 
tion of  that  ancient  institution,  and  they  should  be  so  educated  that  they 
would  not  give  up  its  hoary  dogmas  for  the  militant  beliefs  of  enthusiasts. 
Acting  along  these  lines,  he  intrusted  the  new  state  to  men  inculcated 
with  his  peculiar  doctrines.  The  New  France  was  a  feudal  monarchy, 
ramified  by  an  intolerant  church.  The  governor,  together  with  the  inten- 
dant  and  court,  constituted  the  supreme  tribunal;  from  its  decisions  there 
was  no  appeal.  No  care  being  taken  to  secure  good  men  as  well  as 
believers  in  absolutism,  the  state  was  taxed  exorbitantly,  and  the  expenses 
nearly  doubled  every  year.  M.  Doreil,  writing  the*  Minister  of  Finance, 
made  this  statement  :  "  Rapacity,  folly,  intrigue,  falsehood,  will  soon  ruin 
this  colony  which  has  cost  the  King  so  dear."  The  mother  country  was 
in  no  wise  slack  about  rendering  aid,  but  it  was  all  disposed  of  by  her 
unscrupulous  agents. 

The  purposes  of  the  colony  were  not  agricultural  or  manufacturing,  but 
for  the  most  part  trading  and  fishing.  The  fur  traders  established  stations 
all  through  the  west.     Hundreds  of  miles  they  penetrated  the  wilderness; 


THE   STRUGGLE   FOR    POSSESSION    OF   NORTH    AMERICA  $7 

many  of  them  married  savage  wives  and  lived  lawlessly.  The  commerce 
produced  by  fur  trading  was  immense.  All  for  a  time  lived  luxuriously. 
The  demand  in  Europe  for  the  rich  furs,  and  their  plentifulness  in  America, 
made  it  a  source  of  abundant  wealth  with  comparatively  little  labor. 

The  great  factor,  however,  in  the  life  of  New  France,  was  the  mission- 
ary zeal  of  its  religious  teachers.  These  were  the  Jesuits,  and  nowhere  did 
they  more  fully  exemplify  their  singular  tenets,  than  in  the  western  wilder- 
nesses. It  was  to  them  France  owed  the  perpetuity  of  her  institutions  ;  and 
they  brought  the  whole  country  into  close  and  friendly  relations  with  the 
fur  traders.  We  read  of  Eliot's  devotion  to  the  Indians  as  something  to 
especially  distinguish  him,  yet  hundreds  of  Jesuits  did  as  much  or  more  than 
he,  and  asked  no  laurels  for  their  work.  They  labored  heedless  of  severe 
weather  and  dire  persecutions,  going  from  house  to  house  among  the  des- 
titute and  plague  stricken;  nursing  the  sick,  giving  assistance  to  all  who 
were  in  need,  and  striving,  withal,  to  convert  to  their  belief  all  with  whom 
they  met.  One  cannot  but  feel  that  such  efforts  deserve  success.  Their 
single-hearted  devotion,  had  it  been  well  directed,  what  could  it  not  have 
accomplished  !  But  by  making  Canada  a  holy  of  holies  of  exclusive 
catholicity,  France  robbed  herself  of  a  transatlantic  empire. 

The  Jesuits  had  a  free  field.  While  Huguenots  would  have  gone  joy- 
fully to  the  New  World  and  have  founded  an  empire  loyal  to  the  state, 
though  emancipated  from  churchly  domination,  they  were  not  allowed, 
but,  instead,  Catholic  peasants  were  compelled  to  emigrate.  With  such 
the  word  of  the  priest  was  law.  Accustomed  to  having  others  think  for 
them,  they  did  not  concern  themselves  with  anything  besides  obtaining  a 
living.  An  astonishing  fact  is  noticeable  in  the  attitude  of  the  Jesuits 
toward  the  peasantry.  Notwithstanding  their  fame  for  scholarly  attain- 
ments and  for  founding  schools,  they  left  the  peasants  of  the  New  World 
in  utter  ignorance.  They  organized  hospitals,  but  did  nothing  for  the 
intellectual  culture  of  the  people.  By  this  means,  the  priests  more  easily 
maintained  their  place  as  the  directors  of  affairs,  whereas  if  the  people 
were  educated,  they  would  think  for  themselves,  and  would  not  be  priest- 
ridden. 

The  French  mode  of  colonization  was  peculiarly  unstable.  Instead  of 
becoming  strong  in  one  place,  they  believed  they  might  hold  the  whole 
country  by  sparsely  occupying  it.  With  this  idea  in  view,  they  ramified 
the  Great  Lakes,  the  water-ways  of  the  Mississippi  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico, 
with  forts.  They  had  more  than  sixty  of  these  in  the  central  country,  too 
isolated  to  be  of  much  use  to  each  other,  and  none  strong  enough  to  offer 
much  resistance.      This  arrangement  was  of  great  benefit  to  the  occupation 


58  THE    STRUGGLE    FOR    POSSESSION   OF   NORTH   AMERICA 

oi  the  people,  fur  trading  ;  but  for  permanent  possession  it  was  very- 
weak. 

In  striking  contrast  with  the  French  in  almost  every  respect,  were  the 
English.  As  early  as  the  thirteenth  century,  English  sturdiness  and 
energy  expressed  itself  in  the  demand  for  the  Magna  Charta.  From  that 
time  the  people  ceased  to  be  serfs,  and  became  a  recognized  factor  in  the 
government,  and  during  the  early  period  of  colonization  they  proved,  by 
executing  a  king  and  setting  up  a  protectorate,  that  their  power  was  actual, 
and  not  merely  virtual.  Then  they  were  educated.  Schools  and  univer- 
sities had  been  organized  in  the  very  morn  of  their  national  life.  Being 
educated,  they  thought,  and  religious  intolerance  early  became  impossible. 
If  one  remained  a  Catholic,  he  did  so  freely  and  intelligently;  if  he  pre- 
ferred Protestantism,  he  had  perfect  liberty  to  follow  his  bent,  though 
limited  to  the  Church  of  England. 

The  English  colonies  partook  of  the  dispositions  and  energies  of  the 
mother  country.  Virginia  and  the  Carolinas,  indeed,  were  not  very  sturdy 
and  were  devoted  aristocrats,  but  this  was  owing  to  their  having  been 
founded  by  royalty.  In  them  we  see  the  weak,  vacillating  character  of 
the  English  country  gentlemen.  They  have  always  been  most  distin- 
guished socially.  But  in  the  others,  where  English  nature  was  thrown  upon 
its  own  resources,  how  grand  were  their  achievements.  Almost  all  the 
English  colonies  were  founded  for  religious  liberty.  Catholics  and  Protes- 
tants alike  sought  an  elysium  in  the  New  World.  Across  the  unknown 
sea  came  the  Puritans  ;  landed  in  midwinter  on  the  bleak,  forbidding  coast 
of  Massachusetts,  and  in  their  little  hamlet  were  open  to  the  fury  of  the 
sea,  the  ravages  of  wild  beasts  and  the  maraudings  and  refined  cruelties 
of  the  savage  inhabitants.  But  these  could  not  suppress  their  ardor.  They 
came,  not  to  make  money,  for  how  in  this  wild,  desolate  coast,  could  they 
better  their  finances  ?  not  to  foster  petty  jealousies  ;  the  hardships  of 
pioneer  life  would  soon  have  dispelled  such  feelings:  not  to  found  an 
empire  or  promote  ambitious  schemes;  these  are  outgrowths  of  a  deterio- 
rating civilization  :  they  came  to  establish  homes  in  which  liberty  should 
be  the  cornerstone.  None  but  the  highest  motives  could  have  led  to  such 
sacrifices  as  they  were  compelled  to  make  ;  but  with  that  heartfelt  yearn- 
ing they  could  brave  everything,  if  by  so  doing  the  goal  might  be  reached. 

The  immigrants  immediately  organized  themselves  into  a  government, 
based  on  English  jurisprudence.  It  was  a  democracy,  the  condition  of 
citizenship  in  which  being  church  membership,  attendance  at  divine  wor- 
ship was  required.  The  most  general  occupation  of  the  people  was  agri- 
culture.    Unlike  the  French,  they  carried  their  settlements  only  so  far  as 


THE    STRUGGLE   FOR    POSSESSION   OF    NORTH    AMERICA  59 

they  occupied  the  country  closely.  They  had  no  indolent  class.  Vagrancy 
and  indolence  were  regarded  as  crimes,  and  met  with  prompt  punishment. 
They  were  not  only  industrious,  but  frugal.  The  French  colonists  spent 
more  than  they  earned,  borrowing  from  every  source;  but  the  Puritans 
lived  as  economically  as  possible,  and  debt  was  unknown. 

But  in  their  endeavor  to  found  the  colony  on  sound  principles,  and 
in  their  devotion  to  industry,  they  did  not  neglect  the  intellects  of  their 
children.  They  recognized  the  vital  relation  between  education  and  prog- 
ress, and  hardly  had  their  fields  been  planted  and  houses  built,  before 
schools  were  opened  and  Harvard  College  founded.  The  Puritans  were 
educated  dissenters.  A  perusal  of  the  hard,  theological  sermons  of  two 
centuries  ago,  certainly  indicates  wonderful  digestive  powers.  They 
thought  and  acted  with  the  unselfish  purposes  of  developing  the  state,  and 
the  individuals  composing  it.  Sterling  worth  was  the  requisite  for  offi- 
cial eligibility.  No  royal  puppets  wasted  their  hard-earned  stores ;  indeed, 
they  were  practically  independent  until  the  kingly  avarice  was  excited. 

What  has  been  said  of  Massachusetts  was  equally  true  of  the  other 
colonies.  In  every  one  we  see  industrial  activity,  recognition  of  the  rights 
of  the  individual,  and  the  formulation  of  equitable  laws.  In  all  we  have 
the  same  process  of  growth  ;  not  sporadic,  but  being  securely  settled  in 
one  place,  the  boundaries  would  be  extended  gradually,  and  the  agricul- 
tural districts  would  gravitate  round  a  conveniently  located  village. 

The  effect  of  the  two  systems  of  colonization  strikingly  indicates  the 
best.  In  1688,  a  census  of  New  France  showed  a  population  of  eleven 
thousand  two  hundred  and  forty-nine;  while  the  English  colonies  con- 
tained nearly  ten  times  that  number.  And  in  1754,  at  the  opening  of  the 
French  and  Indian  war,  New  France  had  about  one  hundred  thousand 
inhabitants,  while  the  colonies  had  over  one  million  four  hundred  thou- 
sand. The  differences  of  climate  might  account  for  some  of  the  dispar- 
ity, but  certainly  could  not  account  for  all. 

From  a  comparison  of  the  two  sets  of  colonies,  it  is  clear  the  issue 
meant  much  more  than  the  mere  success  of  either  side.  It  is  not  true  that 
our  future  was  not  in  jeopardy,  but  would  have  been  the  same  regardless 
of  the  outcome  of  the  French  and  English  wars.  "  It  was,"  says  Parkman, 
"  the  strife  of  the  past  against  the  future  ;  of  the  old  against  the  new  ;  of 
moral  and  intellectual  torpor  against  moral  and  intellectual  life  ;  of  barren 
absolutism  against  a  liberty,  crude,  incoherent,  and  chaotic,  yet  full  of 
prolific  vitality."  Who  will  not  tremble  at  the  escape?  With  French 
success,  where  would  have  been  the  possibility  of  revolution ;  and  without 
the  revolution,  what  would  have  been  the  destiny  of  the  new  world? 


60  THE    STRUGGLE    FOR    POSSESSION    OF   NORTH   AMERICA 

It  is  impossible  within  the  limits  of  this  paper,  to  review  the  four  wars, 
and  excepting  to  the  military  student,  such  details  are  uninteresting.  I 
will,  therefore,  barely  touch  upon  them,  and  indicate  their  bearings  upon 
the  final  issue. 

The  first  of  the  intercolonial  conflicts  is  generally  known  as  King 
William's  war.  James  II.  of  England  having  been  deposed,  William  of 
Orange  was  called  to  the  throne.  France  espoused  the  cause  of  the  de- 
throned king,  and  declared  war.  The  colonists  took  up  the  quarrel  and 
ravaged  each  other's  territory.  The  French,  aided  by  their  Indian  allies, 
fell  on  the  exposed  settlements  of  New  England  and  New  York,  and  mas- 
sacred many  of  the  inhabitants.  The  English  avenged  themselves  by 
capturing  Port  Royal,  Acadia,  and  plundering  it.  Neither  side  gained 
much  advantage,  and  the  treaty  of  Ryswick  in  1697  left  the  possessions 
as  they  originally  were.  Only  the  northern  colonies  took  part  in  the  war, 
the  others  being  too  remote. 

In  1702,  the  Austrian  ruler  having  died,  all  Europe  was  convulsed  in 
war  in  the  attempt  to  choose  a  successor.  France  and  England  were 
arrayed  against  each  other,  and  as  before,  the  colonies  took  up  the  quarrel. 
The  five  nations  having  made  a  treaty  with  the  French,  New  York  was 
saved  from  invasion,  and  the  Puritan  colonies  were  compelled  to  face  the 
invaders  alone.  Their  frontiers  wTere  again  desolated,  and  they  again 
retaliated  by  taking  Port  Royal.  A  fleet  was  sent  against  Quebec,  but 
was  destroyed  by  a  storm.  After  eleven  years  of  petty  warfare,  peace  was 
declared  at  Utrecht.  The  French  ceded  Acadia  according  to  its  ancient 
boundaries,  and  Newfoundland  with  the  exception  of  fishing  rights. 
The  fur  trade  of  Hudson's  Bay  was  also  given  up,  and  sovereignty  over 
the  five  nations. 

It  would  seem  that  such  losses  would  have  modified  the  French  plan 
of  colonization,  but  they  still  adhered  to  the  old  idea  of  holding  the  entire 
west.  Their  purposes  were  a  third  time  interrupted,  however,  by  King 
George's  war,  in  1744.  The  colonial  troops,  assisted  by  a  few  British 
regulars,  besieged  and  took  Louisburg,  but  the  treaty  of  Aix-la-Chapelle 
four  years  later  compelled  its  restoration. 

Each  succeeding  struggle  had  emphasized  the  superiority  of  the  Eng- 
lish, and  it  needed  no  prophetic  skill  to  foretell  the  final  outcome.  So 
far  matters  were  scarcely  changed.  The  few  cessions  had  not  materially 
weakened  the  Canadians,  and  they  confidently  expected  to  be  victorious. 
Intercolonial  war  was  inevitable.  Up  to  the  opening  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  the  rival  colonies  had  given  little  heed  to  each  other,  but  there 
had    gradually    been   growing   a    feeling  of    bitterest  rivalry    and    hatred. 


THE   STRUGGLE   FOR    POSSESSION    OF    NORTH    AMERICA  6 1 

Owing  to  the  protracted  wars,  the  missionary  zeal  of  the  Jesuits  had 
diminished,  and  the  stronghold  of  New  France  was  thus  broken  down. 

The  immediate  cause  of  the  French  and  Indian  war  was  a  grant  of  land 
west  of  the  Alleghenies  to  the  Ohio  company.  The  French  objected 
to  encroachments  on  what  they  considered  their  territory.  Negotiations 
served  but  to  postpone  the  conflict.  Finally  it  began  in  1755,  by  the 
English  attacking  Fort  Duquesne.  The  forces  of  Braddock,  the  English 
commandant,  were  ambushed  and  utterly  routed  by  their  opponents. 
The  Indians  generally  sided  with  the  French.  This  was  owing  for  the 
most  part  to  the  mingling  of  wood-rangers  and  missionaries  with  the 
savages,  the  fur-trading  commerce  which  was  a  source  of  great  profit  to 
the  natives,  and  to  the  French  mode  of  settlement,  which  did  not  monop- 
olize any  territory,  but  by  its  stations  facilitated  trading. 

In  1758  another  attempt  was  made  on  Duquesne,  and  proved  success- 
ful. This  was  the  only  war  in  which  the  whole  strength  of  the  colonies 
was  engaged.  In  the  others,  only  the  northern  were  open  to  attack,  and 
only  they  reciprocated  ;  but  in  the  final  conflict  a  main  objective  point 
was  the  possession  of  the  west,  and  so  the  middle  and  southern  colonies 
were  brought  into  requisition. 

While  affairs  in  the  West  were  thus  active,  New  England  and  New 
York  were  by  no  means  inert.  One  by  one  the  French  forts  were  sub- 
jugated. Acadia,  Louisburg,  Crown  Point,  Ticonderoga,  Niagara,  in  turn 
fell  and  were  garrisoned  by  the  English.  At  last  Quebec  was  reached. 
After  months  of  besieging,  Wolfe  gained  possession  by  a  stratagem.  So 
the  country  was  conquered.  By  the  treaty  of  Paris  in  1763,  France 
ceded  all  her  territory  east  of  the  Mississippi,  except  two  islands  south  of 
Newfoundland  to  be  used  for  fishing  purposes. 

Thus  fell  the  French  Empire  in  the  west,  after  nearly  a  century  of 
struggle.  "  The  English  Conquest/'  says  the  historian  of  New  France, 
"  was  the  grand  crisis  in  Canadian  history.  It  was  the  beginning  of  a  new 
life.  With  England  came  Protestantism,  and  the  Canadian  church  became 
purer  and  better,  in  the  presence  of  an  adverse  faith.  Material  growth 
and  increased  prosperity,  an  education  real,  though  fenced  and  guarded,  a 
warm  and  generous  patriotism,  all  date  from  the  peace  of  1763."  And 
Voltaire  in  his  retirement  at  Ferney,  celebrated  the  victory  with  a  banquet, 
as  a  triumph  of  liberty  over  despotism. 

The  war  cost  the  colonies  sixteen  million  dollars.  But  their  gain  was 
priceless.  They  had  wealth,  and  in  the  protection  of  their  homes  had  not 
been  mercenary  in  its  use.  For  the  first  time  their  resources  had  been 
united  and  tested.      Hitherto  they  had  been   ignorant  of  their  strength. 


62  WILLIAM    TECUMSEH    SHERMAN 

They  had  really  conquered  Canada;  the  regular  troops  were  too  few  in 
number  to  have  accomplished  much.  And  thus  made  conscious  of  their 
powers,  they  would  not  tamely  be  imposed  upon.  In  the  French  wars, 
the  revolution  was  born.  Surely  it  was  also  the  "  grand  crisis  "  in  colonial 
history. 

LaFayeite.   Indiana. 


WILLIAM   TECUMSEH    SHERMAN 
By  Louise  Morgan  Sill 

Soldier  and  friend  he  was,  and  which  in  him 
Stood  nearer  to  perfection  know  we  not ; 
To  be  as  both  beloved  was  his  lot. 

For  he  was  strong,  and  resolute,  and  grim 

In  time  of  war,  and  firm  as  an  oaken  limb 

In  whose  long  strength  the  years  do  seem  forgot, 
Whose  surface,  only,  bears  the  weather-blot, 

Whose  light  of  life  Time  falters  to  bedim. 

And  as  its  shade  impartial,  so  was  he 

Unto  his  friend — the  poor  man  or  the  king  ; 

For  where  his  trust  lay,  there  his  mien  was  free. 
His  soul  was  honor's  own  ;  nor  anything — 

Nor  gold  nor  power — turned  his  path  aside. 

All  this  he  lived,  and  more,  all  this  he  died. 

159  Harrison  Street,  Brooklyn. 


A    SAD    EVENT    IN    OUR    NATIONAL    HISTORY 
By  Rev.  William  W.  Taylor 

Wednesday,  February  28,  1844,  the  sun  rose  in  cloudless  beauty  and 
cheerful  warmth  upon  the  city  of  Washington,  D.  C. 

It  was  a  day  of  unearthly  brightness,  a  precursor  of  spring,  that  not 
only  invited  to  recreation,  but  by  its  exhilaration  prepared  those  who  went 
abroad  to  enjoy  the  holiday  with  highest  relish.  A  ship  of  war,  the 
Princeton,  of  new  construction  and  novel  and  boasted  instruments  of  de- 
struction, lay  upon  the  broad  Potomac,  inviting  to  her  ample  decks  and 
cabins  a  selected  company,  called  under  her  protecting  wings  to  receive  a 
munificent  hospitality  and  enjoy  the  festivity  of  the  day,  the  place,  and 
the  occasion. 

At  an  appointed  hour,  the  chief  of  the  nation,  President  Tyler,  mem- 
bers of  the  cabinet,  numerous  senators  and  representatives,  private 
citizens  and  distinguished  foreigners  entered  the  vessel,  with  wives  and 
daughters,  beautiful  and  accomplished — four  hundred  of  the  most  noted 
sons  and  daughters  of  America.  The.  Princeton,  proud  of  her  freight  and 
of  her  destination  down  the  river,  dropped  her  snowy  canvas,  threw 
abroad  her  streamers  from  every  spar,  and,  moving  her  paddles,  advanced 
as  if  instinct  with  life. 

It  would  seem  inconsistent  with  propriety  that  in  close  proximity  to 
bands  of  timid  and  loving  females  should  stand  the  most  enormous 
engines  of  slaughter  ever  devised  by  the  ingenuity  of  man!  But  you 
might  have  seen  those  bands  of  women  encircling,  touching,  and  examin- 
ing the  ordnance,  like  delicate  flowers  hung  around  the  brow  of  war. 
With  assumed  courage,  repressing  inward  terror,  they  stood  with  laughing 
eyes  but  pale  cheeks  as  the  cannon  once  and  again  and  again  poured 
forth  its  thunder  and  threw  the  enormous  bolt — expected  some  day  to 
tear  the  bodies  of  others,  miscalled  foes,  the  bodies  of  husbands,  sons, 
brothers,  and  lovers.  From  those  same  fair  lips  proceeded  toasts  of  defi- 
ance, and  loud  were  the  cheers  of  applause  to  the  lady  whose  mind  devised 
the  sentiment :  "  The  American  flag  is  the  only  thing  American  that  will 
bear  stripes." 

Thus  hour  after  hour  fled,  carried  on  the  wings  of  gayety  and  feasting, 
toast  and  song,  till  they  had  passed  below  Fort  Washington  and  Mount 
Vernon,  when  the  vessel  turned  to  bring  back  the  illustrious  company. 


64  A    SAD    EVENT   IN    OUR   NATIONAL   HISTORY 

It  is  now  proposed  by  the  commander,  in  a  whisper,  once  more  to  dis- 
charge the  larger  gun,  called  tk  The  Peacemaker,"  in  honor  of  the  great 
peacemaker.  George  Washington ;  but,  providentially,  all  are  now  be- 
low, detained  by  their  mirth  from  the  beauties  of  sky  and  land  on 
the  deck. 

The  proposal  is  communicated  to  the  President  and  members  of  the 
cabinet,  and  is  said  to  be  for  their  special  gratification.  The  announce- 
ment causes  them  to  start  for  the  deck,  but  they  are  recalled  to  hear  Miss 
YVickliffe's  toast ;  then  all  ascend  except  the  President,  who  remains  in  the 
cabin  to  hear  a  favorite  song  of  'y6.  The  song  proceeds,  and  as  the 
songster  comes  to  the  name  of  Washington,  the  gun  resounds  on  deck, 
shaking  the  great  vessel  throughout  her  solid  frame. 

The  master  of  ceremonies  exclaims:  "  That's  in  honor  of  his  name! 
Now  for  nine  cheers  !  "  In  a  moment  the  empty  sound  would  have  mingled 
with  the  cries  of  agony;  but  in  time  to  save  the  undesigned  indecency,  a 
seaman,  covered  with  powder,  rushes  among  them,  announcing  the  burst- 
ing of  the  gun  and  the  slaughter  of  spectators.  On  deck,  around  the 
shattered  ordnance,  lie  the  mangled  remains  of  Upshur,  Gilmer,  Maxcy, 
Kennon,  Gardiner,  and  a  colored  servant  named  Henry.  Maxcy  dies 
instantly,  Upshur  and  Gilmer  in  three  minutes,  and  all  the  rest,  without 
stir  or  consciousness,  in  half  an  hour  cease  from  all  connection  with  earthly 
scenes. 

Can  the  mind  properly  imagine  the  change  that  fatal  shot  brings  over 
the  scene?  The  sky,  though  illuminated  with  the  evening  sun,  becomes 
clothed  with  sackcloth.  The  gallant  ship  is  humbled  into  a  suicidal  slaugh- 
ter-house by  turning  her  power  against  her  own  sons.  The  mirth  is 
turned  to  sadness,  the  smile  to  tears,  the  laugh  to  distress,  the  joyous 
shouts  to  shrieks  and  wailings.  Broken,  then,  is  that  lovely  band  ;  bent 
and  broken  like  a  reed,  dissolved  into  native  sensibility.  The  wife  calls 
for  her  husband,  the  daughter  for  her  father,  and  when  they  meet  alive,  it 
is  in  a  frantic  embrace,  as  though  they  had  passed  through  the  gates  of 
death  and  returned  to  life. 

The  commander  of  the  ship,  almost  frantic  with  grief,  cries  out : 
"  Would  to  God  I  alone  had  been  killed ! "  The  President,  the  most 
sorrow-stricken  of  all,  when  he  rushes  on  deck  to  see  the  dead  bodies  of 
Upshur  and  Gilmer,  weeps  bitterly.  Foreigners  and  citizens  join  the  gen- 
eral grief,  and  even  the  hardy  sailors  wipe  streaming  eyes  as  they  look  on 
death  in  this  new  shape,  and  help  to  bear  wounded  comrades  below. 

But  some  wives  find  not  their  husbands,  some  daughters  learn  they 
are    orphans.     The  poor  wife  of  Gilmer,  secretary  of  the   navy,  presents 


A   SAD    EVENT    IN    OUR   NATIONAL    HISTORY  65 

the  shocking  spectacle  of  tearless,  maniac  grief.  She  sits  on  the  deck, 
with  hair  dishevelled,  pale  as  death,  with  quivering  lips  and  fixed  eyes. 
In  an  agony  she  soliloquizes:  ''Mr.  Gilmer  cannot  be  dead!  Certainly 
not;  who  would  dare  to  injure  him?  Mr.  Rives,  is  my  husband  dead? 
Can  it  be?"  Mr.  Rives  answers  by  bursting  into  tears.  Then  she  calls 
upon  the  company  with  seeming  calmness:  "I  beseech  you,  gentlemen, 
tell  me  where  my  husband  is.  Oh,  impossible  !  impossible!  can  he  be  dead  ? 
Will  no  one  tell  a  wife  where  her  husband  is?  " 

The  precise  moment  of  this  calamity  is  registered  in  heaven.  It  is 
also  chronicled  in  earthly  time  found  upon  the  dead,  for  the  watch  of 
Mr.  Upshur  stopped  the  instant  the  destruction  came  down,  showing  four- 
teen and  a  half  minutes  past  four;  the  number  of  his  fifty-five  years  cor- 
responding, somewhat,  with  the  space  the  sun  had  as  yet  traveled  across 
the  sky. 

Now,  change  the  scene  to  Washington.  A  rumor  of  something  dread- 
ful arrives,  but  is  thought  to  be  feigned.  The  report,  however,  thickens, 
and  is  soon  confirmed,  and  the  melancholy  news  flies  from  mouth  to 
mouth,  through  every  street,  to  every  family.  It  quickly  reaches  the  Presi- 
dent's house  and  enters  the  legislative  halls.  Those  in  the  lower  house 
are  taking  undue  advantage  of  the  absence  of  members  on  board  the 
Princeton,  but  appalled  at  the  overwhelming  sorrow,  hasten  from  their 
deliberations.  The  whole  city  is  filled  with  dismay  and  confusion.  People 
pour  into  the  street,  gather  at  the  corners,  and  crowd  about  the  points 
where  fresh  intelligence  would  first  arrive ;  and  during  all  the  days  whilst 
the  dead  rest  or  are  borne  to  their  graves,  solemnity,  silence,  solitude,  and 
gloom  take  possession  of  every  soul  in  the  great  capital ! 

In  the  evening,  the  brilliant  company  who  had  spent  the  day  on  the 
river  return  to  their  homes.  Not  all,  however,  for  the  dead  remain  on 
board  the  steamer,  with  the  friends  who  watch  their  silent  biers.  The  rest 
return,  not  with  noise  and  laughter,  nor  with  much  speech,  but  like  a 
rebuked  and  .affrighted  crowd,  as  if  confounded  and  ashamed.  But  few 
families  in  Washington  seek  their  beds  that  night.  Legislative,  civil,  and 
mercantile  business  is  suspended,  and  in  the  morning  the  whole  population 
crowd  about  the  landing  to  receive  the  bodies  of  the  dead.  They  wait 
patiently  hour  after  hour,  till  the  report  of  the  minute  guns  fired  on  board 
the  Princeton,  down  the  river,  announces  that  the  bodies  have  been  trans- 
ferred to  the  steamer  and  are  on  their  way  to  the  city. 

In  the  meantime  congress  assembles,  and  at  half-past  twelve  a  solemn 
message  from  the  President,  officially  announcing  the  sad  event,  is 
received    in   both  houses  ;  which   being  read,  is   followed  by  appropriate 

Vol.  XXX.-  No.  1-2.— s 


A    SAD    EVENT   IN    OUR   NATIONAL   HISTORY 

remarks  and  resolutions.  Mr.  Rives,  senator  from  Virginia,  wisely  says, 
in  conclusion  of  his  speech  :  "  Let  us,  then,  Mr.  President,  bowing  in  ail 
humility  of  spirit  beneath  this  stroke  of  an  all-wise  and  mysterious  Provi- 
dence, discard  from  our  minds,  for  a  season,  the  cares  and  excitements  of 
our  daily  duties  in  this  hall.  Let  us  lay  to  heart  the  monitory  lessons  so 
impressively  read  to  us  in  the  events  of  yesterday,  that  '  in  the  midst  of 
life  we  are  in  death.'  With  this  lesson  engraven  upon  our  hearts,  let  us 
keep  constantly  in  view  the  eternal  as  well  as  temporal  responsibilities 
under  which  all  the  duties  of  both  public  and  private  life  are  to  be  per- 
formed. Let  the  deep  sense  of  common  calamity  and  mutual  affliction 
unite  us  more  closely  in  the  ties  of  brotherhood  and  affection.  Let  us 
1  put  away  from  us  all  bitterness  and  wrath  and  evil  speaking,'  and  when 
we  come  together  again,  under  these  chastening  influences,  we  shall  all 
feel,  I  trust,  how  much  better  patriots  we  are  for  such  experience." 

The  bodies  being  landed,  are  carried  in  six  hearses  to  the  President's 
house,  followed  by  a  multitude  of  people,  and  placed  in  the  east  room; 
that  vast  apartment,  so  often  the  scene  of  gay  sociability,  now  made  a 
chamber  for  the  dead  !  And,  says  one  who  was  present,  u  It  appeared  to 
me  I  had  never  seen  death  before." 

First  in  the  sad  row  is  the  coffin  of  Upshur,  covered  with  a  black 
velvet  pall ;  then  Gilmer,  covered  with  a  United  States  flag  ;  next  Com- 
mander Kennon,  under  another  flag,  with  military  accompaniments  ;  then 
Mr.  Maxcy,  then  Gardiner,  and  last  the  colored  servant  Henry,  all  on  a 
level  in  death. 

The  servant  was  buried  on  Friday  ;  the  body  of  Maxcy  was  carried  to 
his  home  and  buried,  embalmed  by  the  tears  of  friendship  and  affection. 
Crowds  of  people  passed  and  took  a  last  look  at  the  dead.  The  faces  of 
all  were  disfigured.  One  was  not  recognizable  ;  that  of  Mr.  Gilmer  was 
calm  and  life-like. 

The  funeral  of  the  four  took  place  on  Saturday.  Shops  were  closed 
and  private  houses  hung  with  black.  Members  of  congress,  foreign  minis- 
ters, citizens  and  military  in  vast  numbers,  with  friends  of  the  deceased, 
formed  the  procession,  accompanied  with  muffled  drums  and  mournful 
music,  the  tolling  of  bells  and  the  firing  of  minute  guns  during  the  whole 
ceremony. 

The  word  of  God  was  read  from  the  fourteenth  chapter  of  Job  and  the 
ninetieth  psalm,  speaking  the  greatness  of  God  and  the  frailty  of  man. 
Then  followed  an  exhortation  such  as  a  man  of  God  would  be  expected  to 
give  on  such  an  occasion.  The  bodies  were  lowered  into  their  resting 
places,   under   the  impressive   burial  service  of   the   Protestant   Episcopal 


A   SAD    EVENT   IN    OUR   NATIONAL   HISTORY  67 

Church,  and  whilst  the  words,  "  Earth  to  earth,  ashes  to  ashes,  dust  to 
dust,"  were  being  repeated  four  times,  so  often  the  earth  sounded  on 
the  coffin  lids.  After  a  final  discharge  of  cannon  and  musketry,  all 
returned,  sad  and  solemn,  to  their  homes  ;  the  heavens,  clothed  in  misty 
clouds,  seeming  to  participate  in  the  grief;  Saturday  winding  up  in  an 
unexpected  manner  the  history  that  Wednesday  had  introduced. 

Wilmington,  Delaware. 


SOME     NEW    FACTS   ABOUT    THE    FIRST   JOHN    WASHING- 

TON,    OF   VIRGINIA 

By  A.  C.  Ouisenberry 

Westmoreland  county,  Virginia,  the  first  home  of  the  Washingtons  in 
America,  was  established  in  the  year  1653,  being  then  cut  off  from  the 
territory  of  the  older  county  of  Northumberland,  of  which  it  had  pre- 
viously been  a  part.  The  public  records  of  Westmoreland  still  exist, 
almost  continuously,  from  the  time  of  the  formation  of  the  county  to  the 
present  day,  though  some  of  the  earlier  books  were  mislaid  for  perhaps 
more  than  a  century,  and  were  resurrected  from  "  the  tomb  of  the  Capu- 
lets,"  so  to  speak,  only  a  few  months  ago  by  Mr.  Mungo  L.  Hutt,  son  of 
the  present  county  clerk.  One  of  the  old  record  books,  supposed  to  have 
been  stolen  during  the  revolutionary  war,  has  never  been  recovered  at  all. 

Some  months  ago,  Mr.  Moncure  D.  Conway  visited  the  Westmoreland 
county  clerk  and  had  him  make  a  thorough  search  of  the  records  of  his 
office  for  the  will  of  the  first  John  Washington,  the  great-grandfather  of 
"  Washington  the  Great,"  which  was  supposed  to  be  in  existence  there,  or 
somewhere,  on  account  of  references  made  to  it  in  other  documents  of 
record.  Neither  the  original  will  nor  a  copy  of  it  could  be  found  at  that 
time,  but  after  Mr.  Conway's  departure  the  search  for  it  was  most  assidu- 
ously continued  by  Mr.  Mungo  L.  Hutt,  whose  interest  had  been  aroused 
by  Mr.  Conway's  extreme  anxiety  to  find  the  document,  until  finally  his 
labor  was  rewarded  by  the  finding  of  the  original  book  in  which  the  will  is 
recorded,  together  with  a  number  of  other  old  record  books  which  were 
previously  supposed  to  have  been  lost  or  destroyed  a  great  many  years 
ago.  These  old  record  books  contain  a  vast  fund  of  matter  of  the  utmost 
interest,  so  far  as  the  colonial  history  of  Virginia  and  the  genealogical 
history  of  many  old  Virginian  families  are  concerned. 

During  the  month  of  June,  1893,  I  had  occasion  to  visit  Montross,  the 
county  seat  of  Westmoreland,  to  take  a  look  through  these  old  records  for 
purposes  of  my  own  ;  and,  as  some  of  them  are  unindexed,  I  was  under 
the  necessity  of  searching  them  leaf  by  leaf.  In  doing  this  I  found  in  the 
most  ancient  book  of  them  all  the  very  first  mention  made  of  the  first  John 
Washington,  which,  happily,  gives  some  interesting  information  concern- 
ing him,  and  establishes  almost  exactly  the  date  of  his  settlement  in  Vir- 
ginia, as  well  as  the  reason  and  the  manner  of  his  coming  there  ;  and  the 


SOxME   NEW    FACTS   ABOUT   THE    FIRST   JOHN    WASHINGTON  69 

probable  reason  of  his  remaining  there  permanently,  which,  evidently,  he 
did  not  at  first  intend  to  do. 

It  seems  that  John  Washington  was  a  partner  with  a  Mr.  Edward  Pres- 
cott,  captain  and  owner  of  the  ship  (name  not  given)  on  which  he  came  to 
Virginia.  This  ship  appears  to  have  been  engaged  in  the  tobacco  trade 
between  Virginia,  France,  Denmark,  and  some  German  ports  on  the  Baltic 
sea,  and  when  John  Washington  settled  in  Virginia  he  had  to  sue  Prescott 
for  his  rightful  share  of  the  partnership  profits.  The  matter  recently  acci- 
dentally discovered  by  me  among  the  Westmoreland  records  is  a  series  of 
interrogatories  propounded  by  John  Washington,  to  be  submitted  to  and 
answered  by  certain  witnesses.  The  interrogatories  are  reproduced  below; 
and,  although  they  were  submitted  to  and  answered  by  three  witnesses, 
as  shown  by  the  records,  I  shall  give  the  answers  of  only  one  of  them, 
William  Meare — or  Moore.  The  name  is  almost  illegible,  but  appears  to 
be  Meare.  His  deposition  is  full,  while  those  of  the  others  are  not ;  and 
the  latter  advance  no  information  whatever  not  already  given  by  Mr. 
Meare. 

The  records  are  written  in  quite  a  crabbed  "early  English  "  hand,  and 
the  words  are  often  abbreviated,  sometimes  archaically,  making  the  deci- 
phering of  them  a  very  tedious  and  vexatious  business  to  one  not  an 
expert  in  such  matters.  The  paper  is  also  greatly  decayed,  and  cannot 
possibly  hold  together  more  than  a  few  months  longer.  I  therefore 
deemed  it  prudent  and  desirable  to  take  a  copy  of  this  important  record, 
while  it  was  yet  possible  to  be  done,  in  order  to  place  its  preservation 
beyond  peradventure.  It  has  certainly  never  been  published  before,  as 
its  very  existence  has  perhaps  been  forgotten  for  more  than  two  hundred 
years;  and  it  seems  to  be  of  considerable  interest.     It  here  follows: 

"  William  Meare,  aged  32  years,  or  thereabouts,  being  Sworn  and  Examined, 
saith  ":  [in  reply  to  the  interrogatories,  as  enumerated.] 

1.  That  whether  or  noe  Edward  Prescott  did  send  a  letter  to  John  Washington  in 
England,  and  what  was  in  it  menconed. 

To  ye  1  Inry  hee  this  Depon'  saith  that  hee  saw  a  ler  [letter]  come  from  Mr.  Edward 
Prescott  to  Mr.  John  Washington  in  Ano  1656  or  thereabouts,  wherein  Mr.  Prescott  did 
desire  ye  said  Mr.  Washington  to  come  over  to  Dunquirke  to  him  &  to  bring  nothing 
with  him,  &  hee  ye  said  Prescott  did  promise  him  ye  said  Washington  to  advance  him 
in  a  part  with  him  in  his  voyage. 

2.  That  whether  or  noe  you  know  that  John  Washington  did  goe  over  to  him  by  ye 
request  of  ye  said  letter,  and  whether  he  was  att  his  own  expenses. 

To  ye  2  Inry  this  Depon1  saith  that  ye  said  Washington  went  over  to  ye  said  Prescott 
by  his  request  to  Dunquirke,  and  did  beare  his  own  charge. 

3.  That  whether  or  noe  that  after  ye  arrivall  of  ye  said  John  Washington   whether 


;0  SOME    NEW    FACTS   ABOUT   THE    FIRST   JOHN   WASHINGTON 

John  Washington  did  assist  him   in  Dunquirke  ashoare  and  aboard  by  ye  said  Edward 
Preseott's  ordr. 

To  ve  4th  Inr-V  this  Depon*  saith  hee  ye  said  Washington  did  assist  ye  said  Prescott  at 
Dunquirke  ashoare  and  aboard  by  ordr  from  ye  said  Prescott. 

[The  deponent  seems  to  have  become  "  tangled  "  at  this  point   as  to 
the  numbers  of  the  interrogatories.] 

4.  That  whether  or  noe  you  know  that  after  ye  shipp  lay  in  Dunquirke  roads  that 
John  Washington  lay  aboard  on  ye  said  Preseott's  occasion. 

[There  is  no  answer  to  this  question,  the  witness  having  previously  con- 
fused the  numbers  of  the  interrogatories.] 

5.  That  whether  or  noe  when  ye  shipp  began  her  voyage  towards  Lubecke  that 
ye  said  John  Washington  did  take  half  watch  night  and  day  &  assisted  ye  sailing  of  her 
to  Lubecke,  [and]  there  remained  aboard  by  Mr.  Preseott's  ordr  in  his  ptickular  busines 
&  that  hee  did  busines  for  him  there  ashoare  and  from  thence  in  like  maner  to  Kopen- 
haven. 

To  ye  5  In*y  this  Depon4  saith  bee  ye  said  Washington  did  assist  ye  said  Prescott  in 
sayleing  ye  vessell  to  Lubecke,  and  there  remained  by  ye  said  Preseott's  ordr  in  his 
ptickular  busines  and  in  like  maner  did  assist  him  ye  said  Prescott  in  sayleing  his  vessell 
to  Kopen-haven. 

6.  That  whether  or  noe  you  know  that  ye  said  John  Washington  was  sent  from 
Kopen-haven  over  Land  to  sell  some  Tobacco,  &  whether  or  noe  he  gave  him  an  account 
of  it. 

To  ye  6  Inry  this  Depon*  saith  that  hee  ye  said  Washington  was  sent  from  Kopen- 
haven  by  ye  said  Prescott  to  Elsinore  overland  to  sell  some  Tobco  for  him  ye  said  Prescott, 
and  that  ye  said  Washington  gave  ye  said  Prescott  an  account  of  it  soe  sold. 

7.  That  whether  or  noe  when  ye  shipp  was  cleared  from  Elsinore  to  Virginia 
ye  said  John  Washington  did  take  halfe  watch  to  Virginia,  and  assisted  him  as  second 
man  in  sayling  her  to  Virginia. 

To  ye  7  Inry  this  Depon1  saith  that  ye  said  John  Washington  did  assist  [when] 
ye  vessell  was  cleared  from  Elsinore  to  Virginia,  hee  took  halfe  watch  in  ye  voyage  to 
Virginia,  and  assisted  him  as  second  man  in  sayleing  ye  vessell  to  Virginia. 

8.  That  whether  or  noe  you  know  that  after  Mr.  Preseott's  arrivall  in  Virginia, 
whether  he  did  assist  him  in  his  busines  untill  she  was  cast  away. 

To  ye  8  Inry  this  Depon4  saith  that  after  Mr.  Preseott's  arrival  in  Virginia  ye  said 
Washington  did  assist  him  ye  said  Prescott  in  his  busines  untilll  ye  vessell  was  cast 
away. 

9.  That  whether  or  noe  you  know  that  John  Washington  assisted  him  in  saving  of 
her. 

To  ye  9  Inry  this  Depon*  that  ye  said  Mr.  Washington  assisted  ye  said  Prescott  in 
saveing  of  his  vessell. 

10.  That  whether  or  noe  you  know  that  after  she  was  saved  ye  said  John  Washington 
settled  himselfe  in  Virginia  by  consent  of  ye  said  Edward  Prescott. 


SOME   NEW   FACTS   ABOUT   THE    FIRST   JOHN    WASHINGTON  J\ 

To  y"  10  Inry  this  Depon*  saith  that  after  ye  vessell  was  saved  ye  said  Mr.  Washington 
settled  himselfe  in  Virginia  by  consent  of  ye  said  Prescott. 

ii.  That  whether  or  noe  you  know  that  there  was  a  note  demanded  by  ye  said  John 
Washington  concerning  whether  hee  had  given  him  anything  on  account  of  co-partner- 
ship, and  what  hee  answered  ffouer  or  ffive  days  before  he  sett  saile  out  of  Potomacke 
river. 

To  y  ii  Inry-this  Depon*  saith  that  hee  heard  Mr.  Washington  demand  a  note  of  ye 
said  Prescott  concerning  ye  account  of  co-partnership  ffouer  or  ffive  days  before  hee  sett 
sayle  out  of  Potomacke  river  &  ye  said  Prescott  did  not  deny  to  give  ye  said  Washington 
a  note. 

12.  That  one  Sunday  afterwards,  hee  being  ashoare,  what  hee  answered  concerning 
ye  said  note  &  whether  John  Washington  would  have  stopped  him  by  Order  of  Law,  had 
it  not  been  Sunday,  &  Mr.  Pope  ingaged  himselfe  that  if  ye  said  John  Washington  did  owe 
yesaid  Mr.  Prescott  anything  he  would  give  him  ready  paym*  in  Beaver. 

To  ye  12  Inry  this  Depon1  saith  that  ye  said  Prescott  was  on  shoare  at  Mr.  Pope's  house 
on  ye  Sunday  before  hee  ye  said  Prescott  sett  sayle  with  his  vessell,  and  ye  said  Prescott 
assured  ye  said  Washington  that  there  was  some  money  betweene  them,  due  from  Mr. 
Washington  to  ye  said  Prescott,  and  that  hee  would  give  him  ye  said  Washington  no  note, 
yet  confessing  that  hee  ye  said  Prescott  had  given  yesaid  Washington  nothing  on  account 
of  co-partnershipp  ;  and  this  Depon1  further  saith  that  ye  said  Washington  would  have 
stopt  yesaid  Prescott  by  Order  of  Law  had  it  not  been  Sunday  :  alsoe  further  this  Depon1 
saith  that  Mr.  Nathanael  Pope  ingaged  himselfe  that  if  ye  said  Washington  did  owe  ye  said 
Prescott  anything  hee  ye  said  Mr.  Pope  would  give  ye  said  Prescott  ready  paym1  in 
Beaver  at  eight  shillings  ye  pound. 

13.  That  whether  or  noe  you  know  that  ye  said  Edward  Prescott  went  aboard  his  ves- 
sell and  came  no  more  on  shoare,  soe  that  ye  said  John  Washington  attached  his  boat  by 
Order  of  Law  untill  hee  should  make  his  appearance  to  come  to  an  account  with  ye  said 
John  Washington. 

To  ye  13  Inry  this  Depon1  saith  that  ye  said  Edward  Prescott  went  aboard  his  vessell 
and  came  no  more  on  shore,  soe  that  ye  said  Washington  attached  ye  said  Prescott's  boat 
by  Ord1'  of  Law  untill  hee  ye  said  Prescott  should  make  an  appearance  to  come  to  an  ac- 
count with  ye  said  Washington. 

14.  That  whether  or  noe  you  know  that  ye  said  Edward  Prescott  had  notice  sent  him 
of  his  boats  being  stopt  for  his  appearance  &  at  his  appearance  she  should  be  released. 

To  ye  14  Inry  this  Depon*  saith  that  hee  said  Depon*  knows  that  ye  said  Prescott  had 
notice  sent  him  that  his  boat  was  stopped  for  his  appearance,  &  at  Mr.  Prescott's  appear- 
ance ye  boat  should  be  released. 

15.  That  whether  or  noe  you  know  that  John  Washington  had  some  speckled  (?)  stuffs 
in  yeshipp,  and  that  Mr.  Prescott  had  some  of  ye  same  in  possession,  &  that  he  [ 

some  Tobacco  where  John  Washington  had  sold  some. 

To  ye  Inry  this  Depon*  saith  that  Mr.  Washington  bought  some  spoilled  (?)  stuff  of  ye 
carpenter  belonging  to  ye  vessell  for  which  Mr.  Washington  gave  his  note  to  ye  carpenter 
for  paym*  and  yesaid  Mr.  Prescott  had  ye  said  stuff  in  possession. 

16.  That  whether  or  noe  you  know  that  John  Washington  gave  Edward  Prescott  an 
account  in  writing  in  Potomacke  river  concerning  some  money  disburst  in  ye  East  Coun- 
try by  ye  said  John  Washington. 

To  ye  16  InT  this  Depon*  saith  that  ye  said  Washington  gave  ye  said  Prescott  an  ac- 


count  in  writing  in  Potomacke  river,  concerning  some  money  that  ye  said  John  Washing- 
ton had  disburst  in  ye  East  Country,  by  him  ye  said  Washington  for  the  use  of  ye  said 
Prescott 

Will  :  Meare. 
Jurat  coram  nobis  i2mo  die  May  Ano  Dm  i6j/. 


Thomas  Speke, 
Walter  Broadhurst. 


20  May  1657  this  answer  of  Mr.  Meare  was  recorded. 


The  subsequent  records  do  not  show  it,  if  this  cause  ever  came  to  a  trial. 
The  probabilities  are  that  Mr.  Prescott  sneaked  away  without  ever  having 
made  an  appearance  for  coming  to  an  account  with  Mr.  Washington. 
Indeed,  more  than  a  year  later  (1658),  according  to  the  historians,  John 
Washington  lodged  an  information  with  the  governor  of  Maryland  against 
Edward  Prescott,  then  in  Maryland,  for  unlawfully  hanging  Elizabeth 
Thompson  to  the  yardarm  as  a  witch,  on  the  occasion  of  Washington's 
coming  over  with  him  to  Virginia.  He  probably  did  this  out  of  what 
would  in  the  present  day  be  called  "  spite  work,"  because  Prescott  had 
defrauded  him. 

The  interrogatories,  and  answers  thereto,  given  above,  appear  to  defi- 
nitely establish  the  fact  that  John  Washington  was  a  merchant  sailor  by 
occupation,  as  he  "  assisted  in  sayleing  ye  vessell  "  from  Dunkirk  to  Lu- 
beck  and  Copenhagen  ;  and  afterwards  to  Virginia  as  "  second  man,"  which 
is  equivalent  to  first  mate.  His  superior  ability  both  as  a  sailor  and  a 
trader  seems  to  have  been  recognized  by  Prescott,  who  sent  for  him  to 
come  from  England  to  Dunkirk,  in  France,  to  assist  in  navigating  the 
vessel  and  in  disposing  of  its  cargo  of  tobacco. 

The  last  edition  (ninth)  of  the  Encyclopedia  Britannica,  in  the  article 
on  "  George  Washington,"  says  :  "  One  lawless  genealogist  has  traced  his 
ancestry  back  to  Odin.  Another  genealogy,  since  given  up  with  much 
regret,  connected  the  family  with  the  Wellingtons  of  Northumberland  or 
Durham,  England.  The  ancestry  of  Washington  can  be  traced  no  further 
back  than  his  great-grandfather,  John  Washington,  who  settled  in  Virginia 
about  1657." 

The  exact  date  of  John  Washington's  settlement  in  Virginia  is  not 
known.  Nearly  all  of  George  Washington's  numerous  biographers  place  it 
as  "  about  1657  ;  "  one  or  two  put  it  in  1656;  and  one  (Mr.  Lodge)  states  it 
as  1658.  I  think  my  discovery  settled  definitely  that  he  "  settled  himselfe 
in  Virginia  "  at  some  time  prior  to  the  12th  of  May,  in  the  year  1657,  the 
date  of  Meare's  deposition,  which  was  doubtless  procured  as  soon  as  pos- 


SOiME   NEW    FACTS   ABOUT   THE   FIRST   JOHN    WASHINGTON  73 

sible  after  Prescott  "  sett  sayle  out  of  ye  Potomacke,"  and  left  John  Wash- 
ington defrauded  of  his  rights.  It  also  seems  to  be  clearly  established 
that  John  Washington  was  an  officer  of  some  prominence  and  reputation 
in  the  merchant  marine  service;  and  it  appears  probable  that  a  skilled 
record  agent  might  establish  his  genealogy  beyond  question  by  first  get- 
ting a  clew  from  the  English  shipping  or  maritime  records  of  his  times, 
which  are  doubtless  still  extant  in  London. 

How  readily  the  imagination  supplies  what  is  missing  from  the  West- 
moreland records  here  given,  and  constructs  a  theory  of  John  Washington's 
life,  as  well  as  of  his  establishment  in  the  Old  Dominion  ! 

Briefly,  he  was  an  English  merchant  sailor  of  so  well  approved  ability 
and  character  that  Edward  Prescott,  captain  and  owner  of  a  merchantman, 
was  willing  to  offer,  and  did  offer,  to  him,  a  partnership  in  a  mercantile 
venture  in  lieu  of  his  services  only,  which  Prescott  must  have  known  to  be 
valuable.  After  the  ship's  freightage  of  tobacco  had  been  disposed  of  at 
Dunkirk,  Lubeck,  Copenhagen,  and  Elsinore,  Washington  was  empowered 
to  lay  in  a  cargo  of  goods,  probably  at  Elsinore,  to  trade  to  Virginia  for  a 
return  cargo  of  tobacco  ;  and  this  would  account  for  the  "  money  disburst  in 
ye  East  Country."  And  nothing  seems  more  clearly  established  than  the 
fact  that  upon  the  arrival  of  the  ship  in  Virginia  early  in  the  year  1657,  John 
Washington  was  determined  to  settle  there  (which  he  probably  had  not 
contemplated  before)  by  meeting  and  falling  in  love  with  Mistress  Anne 
Pope  (daughter  of  Nathanael  Pope),  whom  he  afterwards  married.  It  is  true 
that  Mr.  Lodge  and  others  say  he  brought  a  wife  from  England  with  him, 
who  presently  died,  and  that  he  married  Anne  Pope  about  1660,  but  no 
authority  is  cited  for  this  statement,  which  seems  pure  conjecture.  Mr. 
Lodge  seems  to  found  his  statement  upon  the  fact,  as  he  deems  it,  that 
John  Washington  did  not  settle  in  Virginia  until  1658,  while  in  September 
of  that  year  he  sent  a  letter  to  the  court  in  Maryland  as  an  excuse  why  he 
could  not  attend,  as  a  witness,  the  trial  of  Edward  Prescott,  for  hanging 
the  alleged  witch  Elizabeth  Thompson,  that  he  had  appointed  the  same 
day  for  the  christening  of  his  son,  and  had  invited  his  neighbors  to  the 
feast.  Of  course,  if  Washington  had  only  settled  in  Virginia  in  1658,  he 
could  hardly  have  had  a  son  ready  for  christening  in  September  of  the 
same  year,  unless  he  had  brought  a  wife  out  of  England  with  him.  But  it 
is  already  established  that  he  had  "  settled  himselfe  in  Virginia  "  at  least 
before  the  12th  of  May,  1657;  and  any  enterprising  young  man  would 
have  had  ample  time  to  marry  and  have  a  fine  son  ready  for  the  baptismal 
font  between  that  time  and  September  29,  1658. 

It  is  stated,  upon  I  know  not  what  authority,  that  John  Washington 


74  SOME    NEW    FACTS   ABOUT   THE    FIRST   JOHN   WASHINGTON 

was  about  twenty-four  or  twenty-five  years  old  when  he  first  came  to  Vir. 
ginia.  He  was  perhaps  older;  but  it  is  hardly  probable  that  he  ever  had 
any  other  wife  than  Mistress  Anne  Pope,  whom  he  married  in  Virginia. 
He  doubtless  loved  her  upon  sight,  and  it  is  certainly  true  that  he  was 
hardly  landed  before  he  had  established  himself  firmly  in  the  good  graces, 
confidence,  and  esteem  of  her  father,  Mr.  Nathanael  Pope,  a  very  wealthy 
and  prominent  man  in  Westmoreland  county  in  those  days;  who  "  ingaged 
himselfe,"  apparently  without  hesitation,  to  make  "  prompt  payment  in 
Beaver,"  of  any  debt  that  young  Washington  might  owe  to  his  recusant 
erstwhile  partner,  Prescott. 


SLAVERY   AND   THE    ORDINANCE    OF    1787 
By  H.  W.  Ouaintance 

In  Creasey's  Fifteen  Decisive  Battles  the  author  begins  his  story  of  the 
battle  of  Hastings  with  a  quotation  from  Sir  Francis  Palgrave,  as  follows  : 
"Arietta's  pretty  feet  twinkling  in  the  brook  made  her  the  mother  of 
William  the  Conqueror.  Had  she  not  thus  fascinated  Duke  Robert  the 
Liberal  of  Normandy,  Harold  would  not  have  fallen  at  Hastings,  no 
Anglo-Norman  dynasty  could  have  arisen,  no  British  empire." 

In  considering  the  ordinance  of  1787  I  could  wish  to  trace  effects  from 
causes  as  definitely  and  continuously  as  the  noble  Englishman  has  appar- 
ently done,  but  in  the  present  case  there  are  no  pretty  feet  at  which  to 
begin  the  investigation  ;  the  charm  is  wanting,  and  I  shall  rest  content  if  I 
can  fix  with  tolerable  certainty  first  effects  only. 

There  are  two  provisions  of  the  ordinance  which  had  much  to  do  with 
establishing  freedom  in  the  northwest  territory,  and  ultimately,  of  course, 
with  abolishing  slavery  in  the  United  States,  and  for  that  reason  have 
proven  to  be  of  the  first  importance  not  only  in  that  ordinance,  but  in 
American  history.  I  do  not  undertake  to  say  what  proportion  of  the 
force  in  these  provisions,  or  of  the  other  provisions  in  that  ordinance,  the 
tendency  of  which  was  toward  intelligence  and  freedom,  might  have  been 
spared  and  still  the  abolition  of  slavery  have  been  established.  But  I  do 
undertake  to  say  that  in  the  absence  of  either  of  these  two  provisions  the 
slavery  history  of  the  United  States  would  be  materially  different  from 
what  it  is,  if,  indeed,  the  institution  of  slavery  would  not  still  exist  among 
us.  All  will  agree  with  me  when  I  mention  the  sixth  article,  specifically 
abolishing  slavery,  as  one  of  the  two.  Not  considering  that  body  of 
soldiers  and  citizens  who  went  into  this  territory  because  they  could  there 
acquire  land  in  exchange  for  government  script,  this  provision,  more  than 
all  the  other  provisions  of  that  ordinance,  determined  the  character  of  the 
emigrants  to  that  territory.1  Pro-slavery  men  were  backward  about 
settling  in  a  country  where  the  title  to  their  property  was,  to  say  the 
least,  uncertain.  Anti-slavery  men  flocked  to  the  great  northwest  as  to  a 
"  city  of  refuge."  The  northwest  received  a  much  stronger  anti-slavery 
element  than  it  would  have  received  in  the  absence  of  this  article.  But 
hardly  was  emigration  to  that  territory  fairly  begun,  or  the  possibilities  of 

1  Works  of  Webster,  III.  264. 


;0  SLAVERY   AND    THE    ORDINANCE   OF    I  787 

profitable  slave-labor  in  that  territory  clearly  established,  when  the  popular 
voice  commenced  clamoring  for  a  repeal  of  the  sixth  article  and  numerous 
petitions  were  sent  to  congress  asking  a  suspension  of  its  provision  against 
slavery.1  But  a  firm  refusal  of  congress  naturally  retarded  pro-slavery 
emigration  and  weakened  the  chances  of  repeal.2  Yet,  notwithstanding 
the  anti-slavery  features  of  that  ordinance,  the  territory  of  Indiana,  which 
comprised  the  present  state  of  Illinois,  in  the  first  meeting  of  its  legislature, 
passed  a  law  whereby  a  negro  boy,  if  under  fifteen  years  of  age  at  that 
time,  could  be  held  until  he  was  thirty  ;  a  negro  girl,  until  she  was  thirty- 
two.  This  territory  also  had  "  A  Law  Concerning  Servants,"  under  which 
a  slave,  freed  by  his  master  in  another  jurisdiction,  could  be  bound  for  life 
service  within  that  territory.  The  original  constitutions  of  Ohio,  Indiana, 
and  Illinois  each  disfranchised  the  negro.  The  Ohio  constitution  allowed 
the  holding  of  male  blacks  till  their  twenty-first  year  ;  females,  till  their 
eighteenth,  and  after  that  upon  indenture  or  other  contract.  The  Illinois 
constitution,  passed  in  1818,  not  only  reiterated  the  provisions  of  the  Ohio 
constitution  on  the  slavery  question,  but  declared  the  issue  of  slaves, 
whether  such  by  indenture  or  otherwise,  to  be  slaves  until  the  attainment 
of  their  majority.  By  virtue  of  these  laws  slaves  were  held  in  all  those 
states  for  some  years  after  their  admission  into  the  Union. 

The  sixth  article  and  the  other  anti-slavery  features  of  the  ordinance 
of  1787  have  given  to  the  population  of  those  states  a  strong  anti-slavery 
element,  without  which  a  pro-slavery  clause  would  have  been  inserted, 
unchallenged,  into  each  of  those  state  constitutions.  The  status  of  terri- 
torial legislation  of  the  slavery  question  shows  beyond  the  shadow  of  a 
doubt  that  the  pro-slavery  element  was  in  the  ascendency  ;  the  famous 
sixth  article  was  dead  ;  anti-slavery  men  were  in  a  hopeless  minority  ;  and 
unless  some  other  force  had  been  brought  to  bear  in  the  several  state  con- 
stitutional conventions,  slavery  would  as  certainly  have  become  established 
on  the  northern  bank  of  the  Ohio  as  night  succeeds  day.  Whether  provi- 
dentially or  otherwise  I  know  not,  but  this  I  do  know  :  the  needed  force 
was  there,  and  in  the  form  of  the  fourteenth  section  of  the  great  ordinance, 
declaring  that  the  six  articles  should  "  be  considered  as  articles  of  compact 
between  the  original  states  and  the  people  and  states  in  the  said  territory, 
and  forever  unalterable,  unless  by  common  consent,"  it  revived  the  pros- 
trate sixth  article,  raised  it,  together  with  freedom's  fast-expiring  hope, 
gave  it  new  life,  and  carried  it  triumphantly  not  only  through  the  consti- 
tutional conventions  of  those  states  and  the  states  north,  but  had  a  strong 

1  McMaster,  History  of  the  People  of  the  United  States,  525  et  sea. 
'l  Hinsdale,  Old  Northwest,  352. 


SLAVERY    AND    THE    ORDINANCE   OF    I  787  77 

influence  in  the  territory  west  of  the  Mississippi.  In  the  case  of  Hogg  vs. 
The  Zanesville  Canal  and  Manufacturing  Company,  5  Ohio,  410,  the  court 
say  in  reference  to  the  fourth  article  of  this  ordinance,  and  the  remark 
is  equally  applicable  to  the  sixth  :  "  This  portion  .  .  .  is  as  much 
obligatory  upon  the  state  of  Ohio  as  our  own  constitution.  In  truth,  it  is 
more  so,  for  the  constitution  may  be  altered  by  the  people  of  the  state, 
while  this  cannot  be  altered  without  the  assent  both  of  the  people  of  this 
state  and  of  the  United  States  through  their  representatives.  It  is  an 
article  of  compact,  and  until  we  assume  the  principle  that  the  sovereign 
power  of  the  state  is  not  bound  by  compact,  this  clause  must  be  considered 
obligatory."  A  like  opinion  is  expressed  by  the  court  in  the  case  of 
Hutchinson  vs.  Thompson,  9  Ohio,  52. 

The  sixth  article  without  the  fourteenth  section  would  have  been  in 
vain.  The  fourteenth  section  without  the  sixth  article  would  have  been 
useless,  so  far  as  the  slavery  question  is  concerned.  The  absence  of  either 
would  have  changed  the  scales.  Both  were  equally  necessary  and  equally 
deserving  of  credit  for  the  emancipation  of  the  slaves. 


THE   EVOLUTION    OF    POSTHUMOUS    FAME 

By  Ethelbert  D.   Warfield,  LL.D., 
President  of  Lafayette   College 

Napoleon's  curt  and  contemptuous  assertion  that  "  History  is  but  a 
fable  agreed  upon  "  is  dear  to  this  cynical  age.  The  exclamation  of  Pilate, 
in  his  impatience  with  metaphysical  jargon  :  "  What  is  Truth  !  "  falls  in 
with  the  same  spirit.  And  men  are  ready  to  accept  for  fact  the  irony 
which  Shakespeare  so  finely  fashioned  for  his  Antony  ;  and  are  prepared 
to  assert  that  it  is  true — yes,  even  the  whole  truth — that 

"  The  evil  that  men  do  lives  after  them, 
The  good  is  oft  interred  with  their  bones." 

Browning  has  well  depicted  in  Cleon  the  ill  content  "  the  feeling,  think- 
ing, acting  man,  who  loves  this  life  so  over  much,"  feels  at  leaving  it  for  a 
land  of  shades,  and  the  little  satisfaction  which  posthumous  reputation 
can  afford.    With  the  fine  critical  skill  we  exploit  so  well  to-day,  Cleon  had 

"  written  three  books  on  the  soul, 
Proving  absurd  all  written  hitherto, 
And  putting  us  to  ignorance  again." 

It  would  have  availed  little  to  have  confronted  him  with  fierce,  uncritical, 
back-handed,  old  Ben  Karshook  and  his  wisdom — so-called.  Not  the  true, 
sublimated,  cultivated,  emasculated  Neo-Platonism,  but  the  declaration  of 
what  Cleon  does  not  hesitate  to  call  "  a  mere  barbarian  Jew."  What  folly 
it  is  to  talk  as  this  old  Jew  with  Oriental  imagination  talks,  when  ques- 
tioned by  the  more  rational  Sadducee.     Hearken  to  him  : 

"  Quoth  a  young  Sadducee  : 
'  Reader  of  many  rolls, 
Is  it  so  certain  we 

Have,  as  they  tell  us,  souls  ? ' 

'  Son,  there  is  no  reply  !  ' 

The  Rabbi  bit  his  beard  : 
'  Certain,  a  soul  have  / — 

We  may  have  none,'  he  sneered." 

This  sort  of  talk  weighs  with  the  uncritical,  perchance,  but  lacks  the 
realism  which  we  want   to-day.     It   is  even   more   inconclusive  than   Des 


THE   EVOLUTION    OF  POSTHUMOUS   FAME  79 

Cartes'  stupid  "  Cogito  ergo  sum."  He  argues  well,  not  merely  for  the  want 
of  certainty,  and  therefore  the  want  of  credibility,  of  a  future  state,  but 
lightly  weighs  the  immortality  of  fame: 

"  '  But,  sayest  thou     .     .     . 
Sappho  survives  because  we  sing  her  songs, 
.    And  yEschylus,  because  we  read  his  plays  ! ' 
Why,  if  they  live  still,  let  them  come  and  take 
Thy  slave  in  my  despite,  drink  from  thy  cup, 
Speak  in  my  place, — Thou  diest  while  I  survive  ? 
Say  rather  that  my  fate  is  deadlier  still — "    ' 

In  that,  forsooth,  his  poems  and  his  philosophy  will  remain,  at  least  a 
part  of  them,  for  at  least  a  while,  and  he  will  suffer  a  posthumous  excoria- 
tion, which  is  not  life,  but — say  electrocution. 

"  Imperious  Csesar  turned  to  clay 
Might  stop  a  chink  to  keep  the  wind  away," 

without  wringing  the  withers  of  his  shade  in  the  u  House  of  Hades." 

"  But  what  hapless  ghost  could  bear  to  see 
A  critic  touch  his  poetry  ?  " 

Fancy  the  feelings  of  Shakespeare's  ghost  when  he  saw  Mr.  Warburton's 
cook  at  work  building  fires,  or  Mr.  Ignatius  Donnelly  verifying  the  great 
cryptogram. 

Homer  (if  there  were  such  an  one — and,  being  such  an  one,  if  the  Iliad 
and  the  Odyssey  be  his — or  one  or  t'other)  sings  to-day  with  some  em- 
barrassment, feeling  that  he  really  ought  to  pause  to  disclaim  this  or  that 
interpolation,  or  defend  this  or  that  emendation.  Much  that  he  would 
say,  I  am  sure,  would  support  the  view  of  a  college  classmate  of  mine, 
that  certain  peculiarities  in  his  style  were  "  epic  and  ironic."  But  Homer 
was  a  sorry  fellow  after  all,  and  (if,  again,  as  Mr.  Andrew  Lang  remarks, 
"  the  Iliad  be  Homer's"),  from  motives  of  royalist  partisanship,  wrong- 
fully impaired  the  posthumous  fame  of  Thersites.  I  have  no  doubt  Ther- 
sites  was  not  wholly  agreeable  to  Messieurs  les  Rois,  Agamemnon  & 
Cie.,  in  the  peripatetic  wooden  horse,  amateur  athletic,  and  general  hip- 
podrome business,  and  at  times  spoke  too  plainly  and  to  the  point.  It  is 
easy  to  prove,  however,  that  Thersites  only  suffered  as  an  anachronism. 
To-day  he  would  be  popular  on  the  stump  ;  a  hundred  years  or  so  ago  he 
would  have  been  at  home  in  Congress  with  Matthew  Lyon  and  his  com- 
peers;  and  his  critics  were  reactionary  royalists.  His  language  was  not 
polite,  but  "  every  man    must  be  judged   by  the  standards  of  his  time." 


So  THE    EVOLUTION    OF   POSTHUMOUS    FAME 

If  an  eighteenth-century  English  parson  could  swear  and  race  horses  with 
perfect  impunity,  why  should  not  Thersites  use  emphatic,  if  inelegant, 
language  to  express  sound  economic  and  social  views,  however  vile  from  a 
royalist  point  of  view?  There  are  two  sides  to  every  story.  My  grand- 
father was  opposed  to  his  young  people  reading  Scott  till  they  had  reached 
years  of  discretion,  because  they  were  too  Tory  and  High  Church  for  Ken- 
tucky-Scotch-Irish-Presbyterian-Resolutions-of-1798  stock.  I  should  weep 
over  some  of  Dumas'  historical  situations  if  I  could  keep  from  laughing 
over  them,  and  I  cannot  wonder  that  the  redoubtable  and  ever  delicious 
4*  Captain  Dugald  Dalgetty  of  Drumthwacket,  sometime  commander  of  the 
whole  stith  of  Dunklespiel  on  the  lower  Rhine,"  has  at  this  late  date 
rushed  into  print,  through  the  aid  of  Andrew  Lang,  to  explain  that 
remarkable  duel  in  the  rear  of  the  Luxembourg  in  which  "the  three 
musqueteers  "  found  out  the  worth  of  D'Artagnan. 

We  may  be  told  that  the  difference  in  appearance  is  "  all  in  your  eye  " 
— but  I  know  no  one  lik^s  to  own  to  a  jaundiced  eye.  Still  it  looks  a 
good  deal  that  way.  I  have  a  friend  who  sees  few  things  as  I  do.  He 
was  born  in  Germany,  a  Romanist ;  fought  in  the  Crimea  and  with  the 
Carlists  in  Spain  ;  came  to  America,  drifted  about  a  while,  became  a  Pres- 
byterian, graduated  at  Princeton  Theological  Seminary,  and  now  is  a 
professor  of  history.  Do  you  wonder  that  his  organs  of  vision  are  dis- 
turbed ?  He  is  historically  color  blind — or  I  am  !  It  is  glorious  to  talk 
history  with  him.  It  has  something  of  the  educational  value  of  an  early 
ethical  discussion  with  one's  mother.  One  grows  under  such  experiences 
more  careful  of  his  final  judgments  on  historical  characters. 

You  remember  Dr.  Holmes'  discussion  as  to  the  identity,  or  rather  the 
personality  of  men,  and  the  six  characters  which  are  present  whenever 
two  men  meet.  These  are  John  and  Thomas,  Johns  idea  of  John  and  of 
Thomas,  and  Thomas  idea  of  John  and  of  Thomas.  The  real  John  is  rarely, 
if  ever,  the  close  approximation  even,  of  his  own  or  his  friend's  idea  of 
him.  Hence  in  history  there  is  an  infinite  variety  of  estimates  of  charac- 
ter, and  these  estimates  arrange  themselves  with  each  revolution  of  the 
earth  round  the  sun,  in  new  proportion,  as  the  figure  changes  as  we  turn 
the  kaleidoscope. 

Since  this  is  so,  and  Emerson  says  that  "  There  is  properly  no  history, 
only  biography,"  history  really  depends  not  on  facts,  but,  as  Emerson 
claims,  "  all  history  becomes  subjective."  Thus,  for  instance,  I  have  long 
had  the  conviction  that  the  work  of  the  German  historians  on  early 
Roman  history  had  destroyed  the  history,  especially  of  such  periods  as  are 
dominated  by  questions  of  the  development  of  constitutional  government,  on 


THE   EVOLUTION   OF   POSTHUMOUS    FAME  8 1 

account  of  the  historians'  autocratic  views  of  government.  Take,  for 
instance,  the  characters  of  the  Gracchi  ;  I  cannot  help  but  feel  that  the 
younger  Gracchi  were  far  greater  men,  far  purer  patriots,  and  far  nobler 
characters  than  has  ever  been  confessed.  There  were  in  the  formation  of 
their  characters  strong  hereditary  influences  lending  them  to  a  republican 
propagandism.  There  are  many  instances  in  history  of  men  of  plebeian 
paternity  and  patrician  maternity  who  have  used  all  their  maternal 
instincts  of  power  and  pride  to  erase  the  paternal  stain  of  conventional 
contempt.  Such  men  with  the  instinct  of  leadership  and  the  increated 
tendency  to  govern  have  often  brought  to  bear  a  broad  philosophy  of 
revolution,  where  the  mere  plebeian  knew  only  the  necessity  of  revolt. 
Such  men  are  naturally  peculiarly  odious  to  that  patrician  class  from 
which  they  have  drawn  so  much  of  their  powers  and  from  which  they  are 
separated  by  so  impassable  a  barrier.  It  has  been  finely  said  that  the 
French  aristocracy  of  the  eighteenth  century  was  "  the  fine  flower  of  worldly 
culture,  the  distilled  essence  of  the  most  exquisite  products  of  social  art." 
And  as  it  takes  "  a  hundred  thousand  roses  to  produce  an  ounce  of  that 
unique  ottar  which  the  kings  of  Persia  use,"  so  the  French  aristocracy  was 
the  expressed  essence  of  the  French  people,  "  sterile  of  fruits,  though  rich 
in  flowers."  Such  indeed  in  a  greater  or  less  degree  do  all  aristocracies 
tend  to  become.  Now  and  then  one  of  its  most  beautiful  blossoms — and 
few  have  been  more  beautiful  than  Cornelia  the  mother  of  the  Gracchi — 
has  been  rendered  fruitful  by  a  sturdy  unspoiled  cross  brought  from  the 
healthy  fields  of  nature.  And  it  is  impossible  that  there  should  not  be  in 
this  product,  which  combines  action  and  beauty,  a  revolt  against  that 
inaction  from  whence  it  partly  sprung,  while  against  it  is  in  turn  aroused 
that  natural  hostility  which  inaction  feels  towards  action. 

The  Gracchi  fell,  but  their  work  lived  after  them.  Rome  long  felt  the 
moulding  influence  of  their  mind,  and  Rome  long  missed  the  intelligent 
capability  of  their  hands.  Hostility  by  being  too  extreme  often  defeats 
itself.  The  implacable  hostility  of  their  contemporaries  could  not  check 
the  ever-broadening  influence  of  their  political  philosophy.  It  deprived 
Rome  of  the  wisdom  of  their  counsel,  the  restraint  of  their  judgment  and 
the  gentle  firmness  of  their  touch.  That  supercilious  dislike  which  made 
the  character  of  the  Gracchi  detestable  on  the  Aventine  and  the  Capito- 
line  finally  triumphed  in  the  hands  of  later  historians  and  has  well-nigh 
changed  the  world's  estimate  of  their  fame. 

Is  not  the  same  thing  true  of  Caesar?  Our  fathers,  flushed  with  revo- 
lutionary ardor,  with  indiscriminate  zeal  seized  upon  the  names  of  tyran- 
nicides to  conceal  their  personality  and  express  their  patriotism.     Brutus 

Vol.  XXX. -No.  1-2.-6 


82  THE    EVOLUTION    OF   POSTHUMOUS   FAME 

and  Cassius  were  especially  popular  signatures  to  their  enthusiastic 
epistles.  They  were,  no  doubt,  wholly  satisfied  as  to  the  characters  of 
these  patron  saints  of  republicanism,  just  as  Jefferson  and  Monroe  were 
satisfied  as  to  the  common  ground  in  the  American  and  French  revolu- 
tions. And  yet  surely  Caesar  with  all  his  faults  and  all  his  failings,  with 
all  his  arts  and  all  his  ambition,  possessed  more  of  the  instincts,  both  of 
liberty  and  democracy,  than  any  of  those  who  overthrew  him.  Doubtless 
it  was  well  for  the  world  and  for  Christianity  that  the  Augustan  impera- 
torship  should  rise  upon  the  ruins  of  the  Roman  republic.  But  that  re- 
public was  an  aristocracy,  and  the  conspirators  were  surely  reactionary 
nobles.  The  spirit  which  actuated  them  was  the  same  spirit  which  actu- 
ated the  slayers  of  Marino  Faliero,  and  the  black  panel  in  the  long  line 
of  portraits  of  the  Doges  in  Venice  represents  no  greater  blot  upon  the 
history  of  the  Venetian  republic  than  the  dark  shadow  of  the  Empire,  the 
monument  of  Caesar's  fall,  throws  across  the  Roman  republic. 

But  I  had  not  thought  of  dwelling  thus  long  upon  such  questions 
of  antiquity.  The  past  year  with  its  commemoration  of  the  memory  of 
Christopher  Columbus,  the  discoverer  of  America,  threw  open  a  twelve- 
month of  controversy.  Its  task  was  to  determine  the  justice  or  injustice 
of  posthumous  fame.  Who  was  Columbus — who  has  he  been — who  is  he 
— and  who  will  he  be  ?  Verily  there  are  many  persons  of  the  name,  and 
one  scarcely  dares  venture  to  accept  any  one  as  the  real  Columbus.  Take 
his  portraits  for  example.  Some  are  pudgy  and  fat  and  clerical  in  cut, 
others  are  lean  and  lank  and  resemble  a  cut-throat  more  than  an  admiral 
of  Spain  ;  some  are  shaven  and  shorn,  others  are  bearded  and  unkempt. 
Perhaps,  like  the  patent  medicine  signs,  they  represent  him  before  and 
after  taking  the  water  cure  treatment  of  an  American  voyage.  But 
scarcely  one  has  the  Italian  clearness  of  feature  or  the  fine  flash  of  the  eye 
of  genius.  Many  have  undertaken  to  give  us  a  real  Columbus,  but  who 
shall  say  which  it  is — Helps'  or  Harisse's,  Fiske's  or  Winsor's,  Payne's  or 
Adams'  ?  In  them  we  have  the  extremes  of  posthumous  evolution,  revo- 
lution, and  devolution.  Unhappy  Columbus  has  had  such  a  time  of  it 
that  he  may  well  repent  him  that  he  was  ever  born.  Doubtless  if  he  is 
cognizant  of  human  affairs  he  will  pray,  as  did  the  rich  man,  being  in  tor- 
ment, that  a  messenger  may  be  sent  to  make  plain  to  the  world  who  he 
was  and  what  he  really  accomplished.  If  Genoa  has  honored  his  memory 
with  a  monument,  Boston  questions  his  fame  with  her  more  recent  monu- 
ment to  the  memory  of  Leif  Ericson.  There  is  not  an  event  of  his  life,  a 
single  record  of  his  career,  which  is  not  subject  to  dispute.  This  would 
not  be  so  bad,  for  we  rather  expect  everything  to  be  doubted  and  contro- 


THE   EVOLUTION   OF   POSTHUMOUS    FAME  83 

verted  in  this  day,  but,  what  is  far  more  inimicable,  his  character  has  been 
overlaid  by  a  tissue  of  the  imaginings  of  those  who  would  do  him  honor 
or  dishonor.  This  four  hundredth  anniversary  of  his  great  discovery 
could  have  done  nothing  better  for  his  fame  than  to  have  treated  it  as  he 
did  his  ships  in  the  harbor  of  Hispaniola,  careen  it  and  clean  it  of  its 
barnacles.  If- this  were  only  a  critical  age,  it  would  be  well  for  Columbus. 
If  everything  could  be  forgotten  in  all  his  life  save  only  that  he  gave  a 
new  hemisphere  to  civilization,  how  happy  would  be  his  lot  !  That  he 
was  his  own  worst  enemy  would  be  the  judgment  of  a  contemporary  on 
his  "  introduction  of  slavery  into  the  Antilles,"  and  his  ambition  to  execute 
functions  for  which  he  was  wholly  unfit.  He  certainly  was  his  own  worst 
enemy,  and  the  worst  enemy  of  his  fame  among  his  contemporaries.  But 
foolish  admirers  of  later  ages  have  far  outstripped  him  and  his  friends  and 
intimate  enemies,  the  Pinzons,  Vespucius,  and  the  rest,  for  the  French 
advocates  of  his  canonization  have  produced  a  milksop  who  is  a  spectacle 
to  gods  and  men. 

What  has  been  said  of  Columbus,  and  what  is  true  of  the  influence  of 
such  biographers  as  the  critical  Harisse  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  uncriti- 
cal ecclesiastics  on  the  other,  is  open  to  extension  to  the  careers  of  nearly 
every  one  in  any  wise  connected  with  his  story.  For  instance,  modern 
criticism  has  undertaken  to  reverse  the  well-established  judgment  of  three 
centuries  upon  the  character  of  Isabella  the  Catholic.  I  shrunk  as  a  child 
from  the  glowing  estimate,  which  was  the  only  one  then  to  be  obtained, 
afforded  by  such  authors  as  Irving  and  Prescott.  I  remember  with  some 
pain,  even  to  this  day,  how  my  childish  criticisms  were  crushed  and  how  I 
was  ridiculed  for  undertaking  to  differ  from  the  recorders  of  her  character, 
a  treatment  essentially  unjust,  as  the  judgment  I  formed  was  drawn  from 
the  facts  presented  by  these  very  authors,  and  which,  when  extended  by 
modern  investigators,  have  rather  tended  to  justify  that  judgment  than  to 
disprove  it.  But  are  we  to  evolve  the  new  Isabella  at  this  late  date,  and  if 
we  are,  are  we  going  to  insist  that  the  twentieth  century  shall  recognize 
our  Isabella;  or  her  who  reigned  with  such  gentle  sway,  if  not  over  her 
subjects,  yet  over  the  imaginations  of  the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth 
centuries  ? 

Such  considerations  reveal  all  the  inaccuracies  of  human  judgment,  and 
throw  us  back  in  our  historical  conclusions  upon  a  state  of  affairs  quite 
different  from  that  represented  by  Napoleon's  dictum  that  history  is  but 
a  myth  agreed  upon.  If  history  were  to  become  so  crystallized,  it  would 
be  a  misfortune,  of  the  first  water.  Historical  judgments  grow,  historical 
characters  also  grow,  grow  more  accurate  and  more  inaccurate.     We  gain 


S4  THE    EVOLUTION    OF    POSTHUMOUS   FAME 

more  knowledge  of  specific  facts, and  we  lose  familiarity  with  the  attendant 
circumstances.  The  atmosphere  is  often  lost.  Sympathy  leads  us  to 
spare  one,  and  hostility  leads  us  to  condemn  others.  Growth  of  political 
ideas  modifies  our  judgment.  Change  of  theological  ideas  causes  a  corre- 
sponding variation  in  another  direction. 

Perhaps  an  example  or  two  from  our  own  history  will  further  illustrate 
both  the  fact  and  the  form  of  posthumous  evolution.  Washington  was  a 
very  different  man  from  the  popular  conception  of  him  to-day.  Mr.  Cabot 
Lodge  in  his  recent  striking  biography  quotes  from  McMaster  with 
approval  the  statement  that  "  General  Washington  is  known  to  us,  and 
President  Washington.  But  George  Washington  is  an  unknown  man." 
His  whole  biography  is  a  struggle  with  what  he  calls  the  product  of  the 
myth-makers.  Weems  represents  the  sentimentalists  ;  the  French  saint- 
makers  of  Columbus's  life.  The  cherry-tree  represents  the  Washington  of 
this  school.  The  "  traditional  Washington  "  of  Sparks  and  Everett  and 
Marshall  and  Irving  is  another  but  a  kindred  character.  But  neither  of 
these  is  the  Washington  of  every-day  life,  at  least  among  thinking  men. 
It  seems  to  me  that  the  Washington  of  the  nursery  and  the  Washington 
of  tradition  are  far  less  the  Washington  of  general  acceptation  than  the 
Washington  of  the  Jeffersonian  democracy.  Jefferson  dashed  himself  in 
vain  against  the  splendid  front  of  his  great  predecessor.  As  he  learned 
wisdom,  even  if  he  could  not  suppress  his  vituperation  in  the  privacy  of 
his  correspondence  and  his  Annas,  by  subtle  ingenuity  he  sought  to  sup- 
press Washington  the  statesman  by  elevating  Washington  the  soldier. 
The  Jeffersonian  democracy  acknowledged  all  that  was  great  in  General 
Washington,  and  only  shrugged  its  shoulders  at  President  Washington. 
Throughout  the  South  children  are  taught  little  of  Washington  support- 
ing, like  Atlas,  the  constitutional  convention  upon  his  broad  and.  ample 
shoulders  ;  of  Washington  strenuously  promoting  the  adoption  of  the  con- 
stitution because  of  its  strong  principles  of  union  ;  of  Washington  the  foe 
of  slavery,  the  friend  of  protection,  the  foster-father  of  financial  soundness; 
of  Washington  who  loved  his  state,  but  loved  his  country  better;  of  that 
great  Virginian  who  even  as  a  soldier  was  the  precursor,  not  of  Lee,  but 
of  Thomas.     It  is  the  old  story  of  damning  with  faint  praise. 

But  there  is  such  a  thing  as  retributive  justice,  or,  it  may  be,  injustice. 
Jefferson  himself,  having  been  apotheosized,  has  of  late  years  at  least  been 
in  danger  of  suffering  the  fate  of  Lucifer.  Never  did  the  court  of  a  Valois 
or  a  Stuart  echo  more  constantly  to  the  dictum,  "  The  king  can  do  no 
wrong  ;  "  than  did  the  legislative  halls  of  many  of  our  states  to  the  all-suffi- 
cient, "  Mr.  Jefferson  wishes  it ;  "  "  Mr.  Jefferson  says  so  ;  "  "  Mr.  Jefferson 


THE   EVOLUTION    OF    POSTHUMOUS    FAME  85 

did  it."  Mr.  Jefferson  could  violate  (according  to  their  view,  not  mine)  the 
constitution,  and  openly  declare  it  in  his  message  to  Congress,  and  as  long 
as  Mr.  Jefferson  did  it  all  was  well.  Out  of  this  grew  an  acquiescence,  an 
acceptance,  and  finally  a  quiescent  attitude  until  the  historic  lineaments 
faded  from  the  picture,  as  the  godlike  Diana  came  to  be  represented  by  a 
black  and  shapeless  figure,  with  only  this  to  recommend  it,  that  in  the  eyes 
of  its  votaries  "  it  came  down  from  heaven."  No  amphitheatre  at  Ephesus 
ever  rang  with  plaudits,  "  Great  is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians,"  in  a  more  con- 
vincing manner  than  every  political  gathering  of  that  period  rang  with  the 
cry,  "  Great  and  good  is  our  Jefferson  !  " 

Out  of  the  loins  of  the  Jeffersonian  democracy  sprang  not  only  the 
Jacob  of  South  Carolina  Nullification,  and  the  Esau  of  Clay  and  Adams 
National  Republicanism,  but  even  the  Ishmael  of  Abraham  Lincoln 
Emancipation.  All  looked  back  with  tender  reverence  on  that  revered 
name.  If  Saint  Andrew  was  raised  to  an  equal  place  with  Saint  Thomas, 
it  was  not  that  Saint  Thomas  was  forgotten,  but  that  Saint  Andrew  pre- 
tended to  be  a  new  incarnation  of  the  same  spirit.  If  it  was  not  the  wolf 
in  sheep's  clothing,  it  might  well  have  been  said  that  only  the  hands  were 
Esau's  while  the  voice  was  Jacob's.  There  was  a  singular  masquerading 
in  borrowed  garments,  one  way  or  another.  Another  generation  having 
arisen  that  knew  not  Joseph  and  New  England  federalism,  and  Hartford 
conventionalism,  and  abolitionism  having  gotten  so  mixed  with  one  of 
these  off-shoots  of  the  Jeffersonian  stock  as  to  completely  change  its 
complexion,  the  critical  eye  of  science  and  the  sharpened  pen  of  literary 
ambition  having  been  dipped  in  the  gall  of  necessity,  attempt  after 
attempt  has  been  made  to  revive  the  still-born  efforts  of  elder  critics. 
Mr.  Henry  Adams  has  sought  to  paint,  on  too  large  a  canvas  for  popular 
appreciation,  a  Jefferson  which  makes  Jeffersonians'  skin  to  creep;  Mr. 
Conway,  in  defence  of  Edmund  Randolph,  seeks  like  Joab  to  strike  this 
Abner  between  the  fourth  and  fifth  ribs  ;  while  some  have  not  spared  to 
point  out  that  if  Jefferson  was  a  good  hater  of  his  foes  he  was  a  cruel 
lover  of  his  friends,  showing  here  and  there  a  blighted  life  and  blasted 
prospects  among  those  who  had  sworn  fealty  to  their  great  leader  and 
having  sworn  to  their  hurt  would  not  repent. 

If  the  vulpine  Jefferson  has  prospered  because  he  had  prepared  with 
care  and  foresight  the  line  of  his  successors,  that  old  lion,  Jackson,  has 
suffered  because  where  Jefferson  set  a  stiletto  in  the  back  of  a  friend  Jack- 
son remained  loyal  at  whatever  cost  to  those  who  had  been  true  to  him. 
Granting  that  Jefferson  was  the  greater  statesman,  the  heart  yearns  toward 
the  strenuous  manhood  and  rough-handed,  tender-hearted  loyalty  of  Jack- 


So  THE    EVOLUTION    OE    POSTHUMOUS   FAME 

son.  Yet  in  the  overthrow  which  Jacksonian  democracy  met  with,  every 
trimmer,  every  self-seeker,  every  self-conceited  casuist,  at  once  deserted  a 
man  who  would  rather  sacrifice  himself  than  his  friends.  Verily  a  live  dog 
is  better  than  a  dead  lion.  When  the  danger  of  his  paw  had  passed,  every 
one  hearkened  to  the  yelping  of  the  curs.  I  am  no  Jacksonian  democrat, 
but  I  sympathize  with  those  Tennessee  mountaineers  who  will  not  believe 
that  Jackson  is  dead,  or  has  ceased  to  be  a  candidate  for  the  presidency. 
It  Greece  can  have  her  seven  sleepers,  and  Germany  her  Frederick  Barba- 
rossa,  why  should  not  we  have  our  Jackson  who  broke  the  splendid  record 
of  the  veterans  of  the  Peninsula,  and  who,  it  may  be  hoped,  will  return  in 
the  hour  of  our  country's  need? 

Kentucky  has  already  forgotten  her  Clay,  and  a  too  fickle  people  have 
enthroned  a  Breckinridge  in  his  larger  place.  Clay  said  that  he  would 
rather  be  right  than  be  president.  But,  alas  !  he  threw  away  the  chance 
both  to  be  right  and  to  be  president,  when  after  wise  compromises  he 
compromised  once  too  often  with  his  country  and  his  conscience,  when  in 
'49  he  refused  to  be  the  standard-bearer  of  liberty  and  humanity  in  the 
cause  of  emancipation  in  Kentucky.  His  successor,  both  in  his  seat  in 
Congress  and  the  affections  of  his  own  section,  John  C.  Breckinridge,  threw 
away  the  chance,  not  of  a  lifetime  but  of  a  century,  when  he  proved 
recreant  both  to  his  country  and  his  state  and  cast  in  his  lot  with  secession 
and  rebellion.  It  would  have  been  sad  for  that  dear  old  commonwealth  if 
she  had  not  had  another  son  to  redeem  the  shortcomings  of  her  two  better 
loved,  but  less  worthy  children.  Lincoln  was  the  "  ugly  duckling  "  and 
not  the  best  beloved  of  his  mother.  Like  Tennyson's  "  last  tall  son  of 
Lot  and  Bellicent,"  our  Garveth  was  but  a  "  kitchen  knave,"  and  yet  when 
Gawain,  with  his  strength  grown  twofold  at  each  hour  of  noon,  and 
Modred,  with  his  treasonable  traits,  forgot  to  be  loyal,  and  the  realm  tot- 
tered in  the  ten  great  battles  in  the  south,  it  was  this  gaunt  kitchen  knave 
who  loyally  withstood  the  treason  in  the  land.  Lincoln's  fame,  aspersed 
as  it  was  by  friend  as  well  as  foe,  shall  yet  live  when  the  others  are  growing 
pale  ;  shall  live  and  gather  brightness,  for  in  it  there  is  the  electric  current 
which  extends  the  native  force  beyond  the  circuit  of  its  little  life. 

It  seems  possible  to  prophesy  that  as  men  go  back  to  the  original 
sources  of  Washington's  fame  it  shall  grow  larger,  and  more  completely 
adapt  itself  to  the  greatness  of  the  man  ;  that  Jefferson's  fame  shall  suffer 
the  loss  of  all  the  bolstering  which  his  successors  secured  to  it ;  that  Clay 
shall  suffer  the  loss  of  reputation  which  is  the  natural  resultant  of  the  loss 
of  the  present  impression  of  a  great  personality ;  that  Lincoln  shall  live 
and  grow  as  long  as  our  constitution  and  government,  which  he  defended 


THE   EVOLUTION   OF   POSTHUMOUS    FAME  87 

and  saved,  shall  last,  his  fame  at  last  becoming  co-equal  with  our  national 
greatness. 

In  conclusion,  mark  the  personal  influence  which  a  wise  or  foolish 
friend  may  exert  upon  the  posthumous  fame  of  a  public  man.  We  have 
not  a  few  instances  of  men  who  lived  not  in  their  work,  but  in  the  splen- 
did record  of  it  in  some  friend's  biography.  Thus  Socrates  might  have 
been  but  a  shadow  on  the  wall  had  not  Plato  and  Xenophon  written  their 
records  of  his  life.  I  have  wondered  sometimes  whether  Plato  had  not 
effaced  the  greater  man  under  his  portraiture  of  his  master.  Sometimes 
fate  plays  such  tricks  with  men,  and  sometimes  the  reverse.  Julius  II. 
lives  to  many  only  in  the  superb  portraits  which  Raphael  painted  of  him, 
and  men  look  on  them  to  admire  Raphael,  not  the  pope.  And  if  the 
pope  be  remembered  through  these  portraits  as  anything  more  than  a 
name,  it  is  to  be  remembered  with  execration.  I  might  extend  the  list  of 
successful  and  unsuccessful  biographies,  tracing  how  sometimes  the  author 
has  lived  by  the  man  whom  he  has  pictured,  sometimes  the  man  has  lived 
only  because  his  life  was  written  by  some  obscure  author  whom  he  pat- 
ronized. The  poet-laureate  Southey  will  live  only  because  his  fame  is 
linked  with  his  Life  of  Nelson.  Men  to-day  hesitate,  if  they  do  not  doubt, 
when  they  come  to  decide  whether  Boswell  or  Johnson  were  the  greater 
literary  man.  Surely  Johnson  never  wrote  any  book  worthy  to  be  com- 
pared with  BoswelFs  life  of  him. 

A  few  have  not  merely  lived  lives  worthy  to  be  remembered,  but  have 
"taken  time  by  the  forelock,"  and  have  insured,  by  the  brilliant  account 
of  their  lives  which  they  have  written  in  their  own  autobiographies,  the 
continued  memory  of  man.  Benvenuto  Cellini,  Gibbon  and  Franklin,  are 
types  of  those  who  have  secured  posthumous  fame  by  their  lives,  and  fixed 
themselves  in  the  historic  heavens  with  self-conscious  certainty,  much  as  a 
fly  is  preserved  in  amber.  Such  wise  provision  is  worthy  of  the  imitation 
of  posterity,  but  entirely  too  dependent  upon  self-conceit  to  be  recom- 
mended to  this  modest  generation.  What  a  blessed  thing  it  is  that  if  con- 
ceit becomes  an  amiable  foible  after  the  lapse  of  years,  it  is  yet  regarded 
as  an  unpardonable  offense  in  one's  own  contemporaries!  If  the  next 
generation  only  agrees  with  us,  we  may  hope  to  survive  ;  but  if  the  next 
generation  goes  wrong,  however  popular  we  may  be  in  the  present  time, 
our  reputation  will  go  to  rack.  Happy  is  he,  then,  who,  knowing  the  truth, 
tells  it  to  the  generation  following.  For  he  may  die  safely,  knowing  that 
his  fame  will  suffer  evolution,  and  not  devolution,  and  posterity  will  flatter 
his  pale  ghost  with  such  sweetmeats  as,  "  He  was  a  century  before  his  time!" 


TOWN    AND    COUNTY    RESOLUTIONS    OF    1774 

By  Graham  Daves 

The  following  extracts  from  the  colonial  records  of  North  Carolina, 
of  interest  in  themselves,  are  unmistakable  evidence  how  widespread  and 
earnest  was  the  sympathy  and  how  deep-seated  the  excitement  caused  by 
the  enforcement  of  the  Boston  port  bill.  The  towns  and  counties  named 
are  far  removed  from  one  another,  but  their  people  were  closely  united  in 
sentiment,  and  markedly  uniform  in  their  patriotic  resolves  and  actions. 

"  At  a  General  Meeting  of  the  Inhabitants  of  the  district  of  Wilming- 
ton in  the  Province  of  North  Carolina,  held  at  the  Town  of  Wilmington, 
July  21st,  1774,  William  Hooper,  Esq.,  Chairman, 

Resolved,  That  we  consider  the  cause  of  the  Town  of  Boston  as  the 
common  cause  of  British  America,  and  as  suffering  in  defence  of  the  Rights 
of  the  Colonies  in  general ;  and  that  therefore  we  have,  in  proportion  to 
our  abilities,  sent  a  supply  of  Provisions  for  the  indigent  inhabitants  of 
that  place,  thereby  to  express  our  sympathy  in  their  Distress,  and  as  an 
earnest  of  our  sincere  intentions  to  contribute  by  every  means  in  our 
power  to  alleviate  their  distress  and  to  induce  them  to  maintain  with  Pru- 
dence and  firmness  the  glorious  cause  in  which  they  at  present  suffer." 

Proceedings  of  the  Freeholders  in  Rowan  county,  August  8,  1774: 

"At  a  meeting  August  8th,  1774,  the  following  resolves  were  unani- 
mously agreed  to : 

Resolved,  That  the  Right  to  impose  Taxes  or  Duties  to  be  paid  by  the 
Inhabitants  within  this  Province  for  any  purpose  whatsoever  is  peculiar 
and  essential  to  the  General  Assembly  in  whom  the  legislative  Authority 
of  the  Colony  is  vested. 

Resolved,  That  to  impose  a  Tax  or  Duty  upon  Tea  by  the  British  Par- 
liament in  which  the  North  American  Colonies  can  have  no  Representa- 
tion, to  be  paid  upon  Importation  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  said  Colonies, 
is  an  Act  of  Power  without  Right,  it  is  subversive  to  the  Liberties  of  the 
said  Colonies,  deprives  them  of  their  Property  without  their  own  Consent, 
and  thereby  reduces  them  to  a  State  of  Slavery. 

Resolved,  That  the  late  cruel  and  Sanguinary  Acts  of  Parliament  to  be 
executed   by  military  force   and   Ships  of  War  upon   our  Sister  Colony  of 


TOWN    AND    COUNTY    RESOLUTIONS    OF    1/74  89 

the  Massachusetts  Bay  and  Town  of  Boston,  is  a  strong  evidence  of  the 
corrupt  influence  obtained  by  the  British  Ministry  in  Parliament  and  a 
convincing  Proof  of  their  fixed  Intention  to  deprive  the  Colonies  of  their 
Constitutional  Rights  and  Liberties. 

Resolved,  That  the  Cause  of  the  Town  of  Boston  is  the  common  Cause 
of  the  American  Colonies. 

Resolved,  That  no  friend  to  the  rights  and  Liberties  of  America  ought 
to  purchase  any  Commodity  whatsoever,  except  such  as  shall  be  excepted, 
which  shall  be  imported  from  Great  Britain  after  the  general  Association 
shall  be  agreed  upon." 

Proceedings  of  Freeholders  in  Anson  county,  August  18,  1774: 

"At  a  meeting  of  the  Freeholders  of  the  County  of  Anson,  in  the 
Province  of  North  Carolina,  held  at  the  Court  House  in  the  said  County, 
on  the  15th  day  of  August,  1774,  Thomas  Wade,  Esq.,  Chairman, 

Resolved,  That  it  is  the  opinion  of  this  Meeting,  that  the  late  arbitrary 
and  cruel  Acts  of  the  British  Parliament,  and  other  unconstitutional  and 
oppressive  measures  of  the  British  Ministry,  against  the  Town  and  Port  of 
Boston,  and  province  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  are  no  other  than  the  most 
alarming  prelude  to  that  yoke  of  slavery  already  manufactured  by  the  said 
Ministry,  and  by  them  intended  to  be  laid  on  all  the  Inhabitants  of  British 
America,  and  their  posterity  forever. 

Resolved,  That  as  in  the  opinion  of  this  meeting  the  cause  wherein  the 
Inhabitants  of  Boston  and  Massachusetts  Bay  are  now  suffering,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  aforesaid  Arbitrary  and  Cruel  Acts,  is  the  common  cause  of 
all  North  America,  the  Committee  hereby  appointed  be  instructed  to  open 
and  promote  a  subscription  for  contributing  towards  the  relief  of  those 
indigent  Inhabitants  of  the  Town  of  Boston,  whom  the  operations  of  one 
of  the  aforesaid  Acts  has  deprived  of  the  means  of  subsisting  themselves, 
and  that  the  money  or  other  Articles  collected  by  such  subscription  be 
transmitted  by  the  above  Committee  to  the  said  Committee  of  Corre- 
spondence appointed  for  this  Colony,  to  be  laid  out  and  disposed  of  in 
such  manner  as  the  said  last  mentioned  Committee  shall  conceive  to  be 
best  adapted  to  answer  the  design  thereof." 

North  Carolina  had  no  special  interest  in  the  immediate  cause  of  the 
movements  against  Great  Britain.  The  shutting  up  of  the  port  of  Boston 
manifestly  would  not  injuriously  affect  the  port  of  Wilmington,  but  on 
the  contrary  would  in  all  probability  increase  its  trade.  It  appears,  there- 
fore, that  North  Carolina  went  into  the  contest  not  from  any  pecuniary 


90  TOWN    AND    COUNTY    RESOLUTIONS   OF    1 774 

interest  in  the  premises,  but  on  principle,  and  that  when  she  said  the 
cause  of  Boston  was  the  cause  of  all,  she  meant  to  avow  her  readiness  to 
resist  British  oppression  wherever  it  might  show  itself  in  America,  and 
that  she  really  meant  what  she  said  the  event  demonstrated.  The  mer- 
chants of  Wilmington  dispatched  one  of  their  own  vessels  with  provisions 
and  supplies,  without  even  freight  charges,  for  the  relief  of  the  people  of 
Boston,  who  had  come  to  much  suffering  because  of  the  loss  of  their  trade. 
Nor  was  Wilmington  the  only  point  in  North  Carolina  from  which  relief 
was  sent  to  Boston.  The  action  of  Anson  county  has  already  been  shown 
in  the  resolution  quoted  above,  and  the  following  shows  that  the  town  of 
New-Bern  was  equally  active  and  generous : 

"  ADVERTISEMENT. 

New-Bern,  January  27,  1775. 

Public  notice  is  hereby  given  that  Mr.  John  Green  and  Mr.  John 
Wright  Stanly,  Merchants  in  New-Bern,  have  agreed  with,  and  are  appointed 
by,  the  Committee  of  Craven  County,  to  receive  the  subscriptions  which 
are  now  or  may  hereafter  be  raised  in  the  said  County  for  the  relief  of  the 
distressed  inhabitants  of  Boston  and  to  ship  the  same  to  Salem  as  soon  as 
the  several  subscriptions  are  received. 

Proper  stores  are  provided  by  the  said  gentlemen  for  the  reception  of 
corn,  Pease  Pork  and  such  articles  as  the  subscribers  may  choose  to  pay 
their  subscriptions  in. 

Those  gentlemen,  therefore,  who  have  taken  in  subscriptions,  either  in 
money  or  effects,  are  desired  to  direct  the  same  to  be  paid,  or  delivered, 
to  the  above  named  Mess.  Green  and  Stanly  on  or  before  the  middle  of 
March  next ;  and  to  send  as  soon  as  possible  an  account  of  the  subscrip- 
tions which  are  or  may  be  taken,  by  which  they  may  be  governed  in 
receiving. 

R.  Cogdell,  Chairman." 

The  county  of  Craven,  which  is  still  the  name,  was  named  after  William, 
Lord  Craven,  one  of  the  "  Lords  Proprietors  of  Carolina,"  under  the  char- 
ters granted  by  Charles  II.  in  1663  and  1665. 

New-Bern,  N.  C. 


ANECDOTES    OF    THE    FIRST    FOURTH    OF    JULY 

By  Elizabeth  Marshall  Williams 

On  this  bright  day  of  July,  the  pealing  of  bells,  the  occasional  boom 
of  cannon,  volleys  of  musketry  from  the  guns  of  the  soldier-boys,  and  the 
fizzing  fire-cracker  of  the  boy  of  lesser  growth,  combined  with  tumultuous 
emulation  in  celebrating  "The  Fourth."  Just  one  hundred  and  seventeen 
years  have  passed  since  the  first  celebration  of  that  day  ;  but  thought 
quickly  bridges  the  span,  and  the  mental  eye  sees  the  group  of  men  who, 
with  a  few  bold  strokes  of  the  pen,  set  the  pulses  of  a  new-born  nation 
throbbing  with  fiery  ardor,  panting  with  the  first  breathings  of  freedom. 
A  notable  group  they  were,  as,  gathered  round  the  table  upon  which  lay 
that  document  of  stupendous  importance,  each  man  awaited  the  call  to 
affix  his  assent  to  its  declarations.  Thus  it  happened  that,  as  the  States 
were  called  geographically,  the  representatives  from  Maryland  and  Vir- 
ginia were  standing  in  close  proximity,  and  Carter  Bruxton  of  Virginia, 
and  Charles  Carroll  of  Maryland,  found  themselves  side  by  side.  Mr. 
Bruxton  was  struck  at  once  with  the  difference  of  his  own  one  hundred 
and  seventy  of  avoirdupois,  and  that  of  Charles  Carroll,  who  was  thi-n  and 
spare.  "  Well,  Mr.  Carroll/'  quoth  he  of  the  heavier  weight,  "  the  British 
say  they  will  hang  us  as  rebels  if  they  catch  us.  If  they  do,  I  will  have 
greatly  the  advantage,  for,  as  I  am  heavy,  my  neck  will  be  broken  at  once, 
while  I  {ear  you  will  dangle  in  the  air,  and  hang  on  for  some  time."  With 
the  smile. on  his  lips,  called  forth  by  this  grim  jest,  Mr.  Carroll  advanced 
to  sign  his  name  to  the  document  which  threatened  to  be  his  death- 
warrant  with  undismayed  heart.  It  is  much  to  be  regretted  that  the  pict- 
ure of  Carter  Bruxton  has  no  place  amongst  the  portraits  of  his  co-signers. 
An  accident  destroyed  the  only  oil  painting  extant  of  the  distinguished 
Virginian.  Whilst  in  London,  one  portrait  had  been  painted  of  him, 
which  passed  into  the  possession  of  his  eldest  child,  Mrs.  John  White. 
The  painting  was  of  course  highly  prized,  but  at  his  earnest  persuasion, 
it  was  loaned  to  Mrs.  White's  nephew,  the  son  of  Mrs.  Pope,  to  be  taken 
to  Philadelphia,  that  a  copy  might  be  secured.  The  picture  was  sent  by 
a  vessel  to  Philadelphia.  It  was  unfortunately  wrecked,  and  thus  the  cher- 
ished representation  of  one  of  Virginia's  signers  is  numbered  amongst  the 
treasures  of  the  deep. 


hNHti 


EXTRACT   FROM   JOURNAL   OF   THE   U.  S.  S.  CYANE,   1820 

The  following  extract  from  the  journal  of  the  U.  S.  S.  Cyane,  on  the 
coast  oi  Africa,  under  the  command  of  Captain  Trenchard,  never  before 
published,  is  of  interest,  as  showing  what  our  government  was  doing 
toward  the  suppression  of  the  slave  trade  at  that  period.  Captain  Edward 
Trenchard,  United  States  navy,  who  commanded  the  African  station,  and 
from  this  service  obtained  the  brevet  rank  of  post  captain — i.  e.,  commo- 
dore— was  appointed  midshipman  in  the  United  States  navy  in  1800,  and 
served  on  board  the  U.  S.  S.  Constellation  during  the  war  with  Tripoli, 
saw  service  at  Algiers,  and  in  the  war  of  18 12  he  served  on  Lake  Ontario, 
commanding,  during  the  latter  part  of  the  war,  the  frigate  Madison  (whose 
building  he  superintended),  and  which  was  the  flagship  of  Commodore 
Chauncey.  The  Cyane,  it  will  be  recalled,  was  captured  from  the  British 
by  the  Constitution,  February  20,  181 5,  after  a  spirited  engagement  of 
forty  minutes. 

EXTRACT    FROM   THE   JOURNAL   OF   U.   S.  S.  CYANE,   EDWARD    TRENCHARD, 
ESQ.,   COMMANDER,    ON    THE    WEST    COAST    OF  AFRICA,   1820. 

11  At  daylight  [April  5th,  1820J  discovered  two  brigs  and  five  schooners 
at  anchor  close  in  shore,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Gallinos,  got  under  way  on 
the  larboard  tack,  the  wind  off  shore.  The  schooners  got  well  under  way 
endeavoring  to  make  their  escape.  At  seven  tacked,  the  schooners  on  the 
larboard  tack,  got  the  boats  out.  Sent  the  launch,  first  cutter  and  star- 
board quarter  boat,  in  chase,  at  eight  the  first  cutter  took  possession  of  the 
nearest,  the  quarter  boat  putting  in  shore,  after  the  commander  of  the 
schooner  and  succeeded  in  taking  him.  Sent  Midn.  Newton  to  take  charge 
of  the  schooner  fan  American  named  the  Endymion).  The  launch  and  first 
cutter  returned.  From  eight  to  meridian  the  wind  decreased,  at  8.30  the 
Endymion  tacked  and  picked  up  the  quarter  boat  Lieut.  Montgomery, 
and  then  followed  the  ship.  At  9  sent  the  first  cutter  Lieut.  Stringham, 
launch  Lt.  Voorhees,  and  second  gig  Lieut.  Mervine  in  chase,  the  ship 
standing  on  making  all  sail.  At  meridian  our  boats  returned,  having 
detained  the  brig  and  all  the  schooners.  They  proved  to  be  the  brig  La 
Annita,  Capt.  A.  D.  Pedro  Pushe,  schooners  Endymion,  commanded  by 
Alex.  McKim  Andrew,  Esperanza,  Capt.  Lewis  Mumforte,  Dasher,  Capt. 
Thomas  Munroe.   Eliza,  Capt.  Constant   Hastings,   Louise,   Capt.  Francis 


ORIGINAL   DOCUMENT 


93 


Sablon.     Ordered  a  survey  to  be  held  on  the  captured  vessels,  in  the  words 
following,  to  wit,  first  survey, 

Gent'n  :  You  will  please  repair  on  board  the  schooner  Endymion 
commanded  by  Alex.  McKim  Andrew,  and  ascertain  as  nearly  as  possible 
her  real  character,  and  whether  she  appears  to  be  acting  in  contravention 
to  the  laws  of-  the  United  States  for  the  suppression  of  the  slave  trade, 
and  report  to  me  accordingly. 

(Signed)  EDWARD   TRENCIIARD. 

The  second  order  for  survey  as  follows,  viz. : 

GENT'N  :  You  will  please  repair  on  board  of  the  following  named  ves- 
sels, and  ascertain  as  nearly  as  possible  their  real  character,  and  whether 
they  appear  to  be  acting  in  contravention  to  the  laws  of  the  United  States 
for  the  suppression  of  the  slave  trade,  viz.  : 

Schooner  Dasher, Capt  Thomas  Munroe. 

"  Eliza, "      Constant  Hastings. 

Brig  La  Annita,  .......         "      A.  D.  Pedro  Pushe. 

Schooner  Esperanza, "       Lewis  Mumforte. 

Louise,     ......         "      Francis  Sablon. 

And  report  to  me  accordingly, 

(Signed)  EDWARD   TRENCHARD. 

And  directed  to  Lieuts.  M.  C.  Perry,  Stringham,  Mervine,  Montgomery, 
Sailing  Master  Hudson,  and  Acting  Coast  Pilot  Mr.  McCannan. 

Put  on  board  the  Endymion  Mids'n.  H.  C.  Newton,  the  Esperanza, 
Lieut.  Stringham,  the  Louise,  Mids'n.  Hosack,  the  Dasher,  Jacob  Morris, 
Acting  Master's  Mate,  the  Eliza,  Mids'n.  Sanderson,  Detained  them  all 
night,  the  officers  not  having  surveyed  all  of  them,  and  made  out  their 
report.  Tacked  ship  and  stood  back  for  the  Gallinos,  the  schooners  in 
company. 

The  officers'  report,  of  which  the  following  is  a  true  copy  : 

U.  S.  Ship  Cyane,  Gallinos  Roads, 

April  6th,  1820. 
SlR:  In  conformity  with  your  order  we  have  carefully  examined 
the  American  schooner  Endymion,  commanded  by  Alexander  McKim 
Andrew,  and  upon  a  close  scrutiny  we  are  of  opinion  that  the  sole  object 
of  her  being  in  this  place  is  the  procuring  of  slaves :  indeed  we  have  good 
evidence  that  she  has  her  cargo  of  slaves  nearly  completed,  and  that  they 


94  ORIGINAL   DOCUMENT 

arc  now  confined  in  irons  at  a  town  near  the  river,  called  Seymoboe.  She 
is  completely  fitted  for  the  accommodation  of  slaves,  has  on  board  several 
thousand  gallons  of  water,  and  a  very  large  quantity  of  rice,  the  common 
food  of  Negroes.  She  is  owned  per  Register  by  a  Mr.  Wm.  P.  Strike  of 
Baltimore,  is  under  American  colors,  and  is  evidently  acting  in  contraven- 
tion to  the  laws  of  the  United  States.  We  have  also  examined  the  other 
vessels  embraced  in  your  order,  and  find  that  they  are  all  deeply  engaged 
in  the  traffic  of  slaves.  There  is  but  one,  however,  of  those  under  foreign 
flags  that  we  can  ascertain  is  acting  in  contravention  to  the  above  law, 
this  is  the  schooner  Esperanza  (formerly  the  U.  S.  Revenue  Cutter  Alert) 
now  under  Spanish  colors.  She  sailed  last  from  Charleston,  S.  C,  without 
a  clearance,  at  which  place  she  enlisted  the  major  part  of  her  crew  who  were 
American  citizens.  Her  apparent  Captain  is  a  Spaniard  by  the  name  of 
Montford,  but  her  real  Captain  and  probable  owner  is  a  Mr.  Ratcliffe* 
an  American,  and  who  is  now  on  shore  collecting  his  complement  of 
Negroes. 

Respectfully  yours,  etc., 

(Signed)  M.  C.  Perry, 

S.  H.  Stringham, 

Wm.  Mervine, 

John  B.  Montgomery, 

Wm.  Hudson,  S.  M., 

James  McCannan,  Acfg  Pilot. 

Edward  Trenchard,  Esq., 

Commanding  U.  S.  Ship  Cyane. 

U.  S.  Ship  Cyane,  Cape  Mount,  April  10th,  1820. 
Gent  n  :  You  will  please  repair  on  board  of  the  vessels  Science 
or  Dechosa,  and  Plattsburg,  and  ascertain  as  nearly  as  possible  their  real 
character  and  whether  they  appear  to  be  American  built  vessels  acting  in 
contravention  to  the  laws  of  the  United  States  for  the  suppression  of  the 
slave  trade,  and  report  to  me  accordingly, 

Respectfully  yours,  etc., 

(Signed)    EDWARD   TRENCHARD. 

Lieut    M.  C.  Perry, 

Stringham, 

Mervine, 

Montgomery, 
S.  M.     Hudson, 
Mr.        McCannan,  Acting  Pilot, 


ORIGINAL   DOCUMENT  95 

After   an    investigation   of   the  vessels   by  them  had  taken  place,  they 
reported  to  me  as  follows,  viz.  : 

United  States  Ship  Cyane  off  Cape  Mount,  April  ioth,  1820. 
SIR:  In  compliance  with  your  order  we  have  examined  the  schooner 
Dechosa  and  Maria  Gatthreust  detained  by  this  ship  on  suspicion  of  act- 
ing in  contravention  to  the  laws  of  the  United  States.  After  a  close 
investigation,  we  find  that  the  Dechosa,  or  Science  of  New  York,  is  owned 
by  E.  Mallebran  of  New  York,  sailed  from  that  port  in  January  last,  and 
touched  at  Porto  Rico,  where  she  changed  her  name,  and  came  immediately 
to  this  coast,  landed  her  cargo,  and  made  arrangements  for  receiving  her 
slaves.  There  is  little  doubt  of  her  being  American  property,  and  con- 
sequently we  are  of  opinion  that  she  is  violating  the  laws  of  the  United 
States.  We  can  only  learn  that  the  Maria  Gatthreust  or  Plattsburg  of 
Baltimore  sailed  from  Baltimore  in  December  last,  where  she  shipped  her 
crew,  and  cargo  of  goods,  she  touched  at  Cuba,  at  which  place  she  changed 
her  character,  and  proceeded  to  this  coast  in  quest  of  slaves.  The  number 
of  her  men  and  her  strong  armament  induces  us  to  believe  that  she  is  not 
only  a  vessel  engaged  in  the  traffic  of  slaves,  but  she  is  fully  prepared  to 
commit  piratical  aggressions  on  the  flag  of  any  nation. 

(Signed)   M.  C.  Perry, 

S.  H.  Stringham, 

Wm.  Mervine, 

John  B.  Montgomery, 

Wm.  Hudson,  S.  M., 

James  McCannan,  Acfg.  Pilot. 

Edward  Trenchard,  Esq., 

Commanding  U.  S.  S.  Cyane.'''' 

Note. — The  condemned  vessels  were  sent  to  the  United  States  in  charge  of  prize  masters. 


NOTES 


The  article  in  May  and  June  number, 
"  Price  of  Slaves  in  New  York,"  I  have 
read  with  much  interest,  for  I  have  a 
billot  sale  executed  "13th  day  of  Au- 
gust, j 81 2,  between  Lucius  Lansing  of 
the  town  of  Lansingburg  in  the  County 
of  Rensselaer  of  the  first  part  and  Da- 
vid Russell  of  the  Town  of  Salem  in  the 
County  of  Washington  of  the  second 
part,  for  and  in  consideration  of  the  sum 


of  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  Dollars 
to  have  in  hand  paid  before  the  ensealing 
and   delivery   of   these   presents  by   the 

said   party   of  the  second  part " "  a 

certain  Black  Negro  female  Slave  named 
Matilda  aged  about  Eighteen  years." 
Signed  and  sealed  by  Lucius  Lansing. 

A.  A.  Folsom 
Brookline,  Mass.,  y>//r  12.  1S93. 


QUERIES 


Between  1808-12  there  was  an  exodus 
of  a  number  of  families  from  Connecti- 
cut, particularly  the  western  part,  into 
eastern  Pennsylvania. 

What  were  the  circumstances  that 
gave  rise  to  it  ? 

How  can  I  trace  the  career  of  a  Ger- 
man soldier — status  unknown — who  was 
among  the  Hessian  troops  at  the  battle 
of  Bennington  ?  Tradition  has  it  that 
he  was  in  the  command  of  Baum  or  Brey- 
mann  during  that  engagement  ;  was 
wounded  and  taken  prisoner.  Name  is 
known.  W.  T.  S. 


Can  any  of  the  readers  of  the  Maga- 
zine of  American  History  tell  me  where 
the  Dutch  Lane  Burying  Ground  is 
located,  and  whether  there  is  a  register 
of  it  extant?  H.  D.  L. 


Magazine  of  American  History  :  Can 
any  of  your  readers  furnish  information 
as  to  parents  of  Sally  Whipple,  who  was 
born  in  Boston,  November  24,  1784,  and 
who  married  William  H.  Prentice  in 
1804?  C. 


Magazine  of  American  History  :  Can' 
any  of  your  readers  tell  me  who  were 
the  parents  of  Jesse  Locke,  who  settled 
in  Oxford,  Chenango  County,  New  York, 
prior  to  1800,  and  who  afterward  settled 
on  lot  No.  19  at  Cincinnatus,  New  York, 
and  who  had  with  others  a  son  Jesse 
born  April  3,  1804,  in  Cincinnatus,  which 
son  married  Lura  Rexford  of  Hartford, 
Connecticut,  born  1804  ? 

W.  J.  Sears, 
Lieut.  U.  S.  N. 


Can  any  of  your  readers  furnish  me 
information  concerning  parents  of  one 
Horace  Giles  who  emigrated  from  Con- 
necticut about  1800,  and  settled  in  the 
town  of  Spencer,  Tioga  County,  New 
York?  C.  M.  G. 


Can  any  of  your  readers  furnish  infor- 
mation as  to  parents  of  Manasseh  Smith, 
born  December  25,  1748,  at  Leominster, 
Massachusetts,  married  Hannah  Emer- 
son, daughter  of  Rev.  Daniel  Emerson, 
born  at  Hollis,  New  Hampshire,  Octo- 
ber 1 1,  1745  ?  C.    « 


EDITORIAL    NOTES 

To  that  comparatively  small  class  of  New  Yorkers  to  whom  the  city 
of  New  York  is  an  object  of  considerate  regard,  and  who  cherish  its  few 
historic  monuments  with  something  of  real  affection,  there  is  very  much 
of  a  shock  in  the  news  that  comes  to  us,  that  the  City  Hall,  one  of  the 
few  buildings  in  the  city  which  has  any  historical  associations,  and  almost 
the  only  public  building  that  has  any  claims  to  architectural  beauty,  is 
soon  to  be  removed  from  its  site  in  the  City  Hall  park,  and  if  the  project 
of  the  gentlemen  who  have  conceived,  and  so  far  successfully  engineered, 
the  scheme  is  to  be  carried  out,  will  be  taken  stone  from  stone,  trans- 
planted to  a  new  site  where  its  old  associations  will  be  wholly  lost,  and 
put  up  again  to  serve  a  purpose  to  which  it  is  as  illy  adapted  as  the  most 
monstrous  device  of  even  a  city  architect  could  be.  The  sapient  legis- 
lators who  conceived  and  carried  out  the  volume  of  conglomerate  legisla- 
tion which  passes  into  history  as  the  laws  of  the  state  of  New  York  of 
1893,  included  among  the  miscellaneous  chapters  of  that  remarkable  vol- 
ume one  chapter  which  gives  to  the  city  officials  power  to  donate  the 
building  which  forms  our  present  City  Hall,  when  taken  down  from  its 
present  site,  to  the  Tilden  Trust,  the  corporation  which  has  succeeded  to 
the  rights  of  the  trustees  under  Governor  Tilden's  will,  and  to  permit  the 
erection  of  the  old  building  on  the  site  of  what  is  now  the  Forty-second 
Street  reservoir,  there  to  be  used  as.a  public  library.  By  this  ingenious 
arrangement  the  City  Flail  park  will  be  denuded  of  its  chief  object  of 
interest,  and  can  be  more  easily  absorbed  as  the  site  of  a  colossal  building 
for  city  offices,  whose  size  will  only  be  rivaled  by  its  cost ;  and  at  the  same 
time  another  public  park  will  be  encroached  upon  by  another  public  build- 
ing, an*d  a  reservoir,  already  needed  for  the  increasing  demand  of  the  water 
supply  of  the  city,  will  be  removed.  And  as  two  of  the  breathing  spaces 
of  the  city  will  be  partially  blocked  up,  an  opportunity  will  be  afforded  of 
asking  the  taxpayers  to  buy  further  sites  for  public  parks.  An  arrange- 
ment for  accomplishing,  by  one  little  act  of  vandalism,  the  introduction  of 
so  many  new  methods  of  spending  the  city  revenues,  is  certainly  one  cal- 
culated to  excite  the  envy  and  admiration  of  any  aspirant  for  public  hon- 
ors as  the  recipient  of  public  funds.  The  fact  that  the  City  Hall  is,  in 
its  interior  construction,  utterly  unadapted  to  the  purposes  of  a  public 
library  (for  which  it  was  never  designed) :  that  its  central  dome  is  not 
lighted  so  as  to  afford  a  reading-room  ;  that  its  wings  are  so  arranged  that 
they  will  not  provide  proper  stack-rooms  for  books ;  that  it  cannot  be 
made  a  fireproof  building  without  a  complete  change  of   inner  construc- 

Vol.  XXX.-No.  1-2.— 7 


98 


EDITORIAL   NOTES 


tion  :  that  the  present  arrangement  of  the  staircase  in  the  centre,  which 
forms  one  of  its  most  striking  and  peculiar  features,  and  the  historic  asso- 
ciations of  the  governor's  room,  in  the  central  front,  must  both  be  sacri- 
ficed, if  it  is  to  be  remodeled  into  a  library  building — these  considerations, 
of  course,  in  the  eyes  of  many  of  our  worthy  city  fathers,  are  trifles  less 
than  light  ;  but  among  the  readers  of  this  magazine,  perchance,  there  may 
be  some  who  will  sympathize  with  the  modest  wail  that  goes  up  from  the 
hearts  and  lips  of  a  few  New  Yorkers,  who  still  desire  the  peace  and  pros- 
perity of  their  city,  and  who  do  not  believe  that  these  objects  can  be 
attained  by  spending  the  largest  amount  of  money  possible,  and  despoil- 
ing the  largest  number  of  parks  attainable.  To  the  average  citizen,  of 
course,  the  prospect  of  having  a  menagerie  in  the  Central  Park,  a  library 
on  the  site  of  the  reservoir,  and  another  sky-scraping  building  within  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  the  World,  Trihine,  and  Times  buildings,  is  calcu- 
lated to  fill  the  mind  with  an  enthusiasm  only  second  to  that  produced 
by  "  a  whirl  through  space  in  the  Ferris  wheel." 


*  * 
* 


On  the  2 2d  of  June  there  was  un- 
veiled in  Chicago  the  bronze  group,  the 
gift  of  the  well-known  millionaire,  Mr. 
George  Pullman,  erected  on  the  ground 
on  which  most  of  the  victims  of  the 
Fort  Dearborn  massacre  fell  in  181 2. 
Ex-President  Harrison  delivered  an  ad- 
dress appropriate  to  the  occasion. 

The  many  friends  of  the  late  Mrs. 
Martha  J.  Lamb  have  quietly  started  a 
movement  to  place  a  monument  upon 
her  grave  commemorative  of  her  place 
in  literature  and  as  a  suitable  testimonial 
to  her  work  and  worth. 

The    enterprise    is    headed    by    Mrs. 


Salisbury  of  New  Haven,  wife  ■  of   Pro- 
fessor Salisbury. 

Mrs.  Russell  Sage  and  Miss  Helen 
Gould  are  among  the  contributors,  and 
the  Huguenot  society  has  indicated  a 
wish  to  be  identified  with  the  pro- 
ject. 

The    present    management   would   be 
glad  to  co-operate  in  any  possible  way. 
*  * 

It  is  of  interest  to  note  that  at  the 
recent  Columbian  Historical  Exposition, 
at  Madrid,  a  medal  was  awarded  to  Mrs. 
Ellen  Russell  Emerson  for  her  two  arch- 
aeological books,  "  Indian  Myths  "  and 
"  Masks,  Heads,  and  Faces." 


JMII 


■^^W:W^ 


ims  HISTORICAL  50(1ETT£S. 


Sons  of  the  .  Revolution  in  the 
State  of  New  York. — A  bronze  tab- 
let commemorative  of  the  reading  of  the 
Declaration  of  Independence  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  commander-in-chief  to  the 
American  army  in  this  city  was  erected 
on  the  front  wall  of  the  City  Hall  on 
Saturday,  July  8th,  the  one  hundred  and 
seventeenth  anniversary  of  the  reading 
of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  to 
the  American  army.  The  tablet  meas- 
ures two  by  three  feet  and  weighs  two 
hundred  pounds. 


THE    TABLET. 


It  is  the  third  of  a  series  of  tablets 
with  which  the  New  York  society  Sons 
of  the  Revolution  will  mark  historic  sites, 
in  and  around  New  York  City.  This 
society  is  doing  a  splendid  work  in  res- 
cuing from  oblivion  old  landmarks  and 
marking  the  site  of  historical  events. 
In  a  city  like  New  York,  where  histori- 
cal landmarks  are  being  swept  away, 
one  by  one  in  the  old  localities,  such 
memorials   as   these   are  very  desirable. 


It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  society  will 
continue  this  work  with  enthusiasm, 
honoring  the  past,  and  patriotically 
teaching  the  living. 


Sons  of  the  Revolution  in  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania — Celebra- 
tions at  Gulf  Mills  and  Valley 
Forge — Honoring  the  Brave  Men 
of  1777. — The  Pennsylvania  Society  of 
the  Sons  of  the  Revolution  and  a  num- 
ber of  invited  guests  on  Monday,  June 
19th,  visited  Gulf  Mills  and  Valley 
Forge,  around  which  such  sacred  and 
patriotic  associations  are  clustered.  The 
occasion  was  the  celebration  of  the  day 
upon  which  the  patriot  army  left  the 
camp  at  Valley  Forge  in  1778. 

The  period  in  which  the  patriotic 
Revolutionary  army  was  at  Valley  Forge 
was  about  the  same  time  that  the  Conti- 
nental congress,  having  been  driven  from 
Philadelphia,  found  a  safe  home  in  the 
old  court-house  in  Centre  Square  in 
New  York. 

The  start  was  made  by  special  train 
from  the  Reading  railroad  station, 
Twelfth  and  Market  streets,  promptly 
at  ten  o'clock  a.m.,  for  West  Consho- 
hocken.  There  the  party  took  vehicles 
which  were  in  waiting,  and  were  driven 
over  the  old  Matson's  Ford  road  a  dis- 
tance of  about  a  mile  and  a  half,  where 
it  intersects  with  the  Bryn  Mawr  road. 
A  few  rods  up  the  latter  road  the  party 
arrived  at  the  old  Gulf  Mills.  At  this 
point  a  memorial  stone  has  been  erected 


IOO 


NOTES   FROM    THE   HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


by  the  society  to  mark  the  position  of 
the  American  army  prior  to  going  into 
winter  quarters  at  Valley  Forge.  Ar- 
riving at  the  spot,  the  party  left  the 
conveyances  and  clustered  around  the 
memorial  stone,  the  romantic  hills  and 
old  mill  forming  a  fitting  background  to 
the  scene. 

Mr.  William  Spohn  Baker,  the  orator 
of  the  day,  delivered  a  short  historical 
address. 

THE     MONUMENT. 

The  memorial  stone  consists  of  a  large 
bowlder  of  trap  rock,  selected  from  the 
hundreds  which  dot  the  hillside  below 
the  mill,  and  from  what  is  known  as 
the  great  Conshohocken  trapdyke.  The 
stone  is  about  nine  feet  high  and  is  esti- 
mated to  weigh  about  twenty  tons,  and 
required  the  united  labor  of  thirty  men 
for  eight  days  to  remove  it  from  its  bed 
in  the  hill  to  its  present  position,  where 
it  sits  upon  a  slightly  raised  foundation 
of  masonry,  the  approach  protected  by 
thirteen  rough  ashlars,  to  be  graded  and 
sodded.  It  was  the  first  intention  of 
the  society  to  have  the  inscription  cut 
into  the  stone.  This,  however,  was 
found  to  be  impracticable  on  account 
of  the  extreme  hardness  and  brittle 
nature  of  the  stone.  To  overcome  this 
difficulty  two  slate  tablets  were  sunk 
into  the  stone,  bearing  the  following 
inscription  : 

GULF  MILLS. 

"  The  main  Continental  Army,  com- 
manded by  General  George  Washington, 
encamped  in  this  immediate  vicinity  from 
December  19th,  1777,  before  going  into 
winter  quarters  at  Valley  Forge. 

"  Erected  by  the  Pennsylvania  Society 
of  the  Sons  of  the  Revolution,  1893." 


At  the  conclusion  of  the  oration  the 
memorial  stone  was  unveiled  by  two 
representatives  of  the  Washington  and 
Wayne  families.  After  the  simple  cere- 
mony the  members  were  driven  back  to 
Conshohocken  over  the  romantic  shaded 
road  which  skirts  the  Gulf  creek. 
Here  the  train  was  again  taken,  and  the 
start  made  for  Valley  Forge. 

AT    VALLEY    FORGE. 

A  lunch  was  served  the  party  on  the 
arrival  at  Valley  Forge,  under  a  large 
tent  on  the  lawn,  and  was  greatly  en- 
joyed. The  society  was  then  called  to 
order  by  President  Wayne,  and  a  special 
meeting  was  held,  when  the  following 
resolution  was  offered  by  Hon.  Samuel 
W.  Pennypacker : 

Resolved:  That  the  thanks  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Society  of  the  Sons  of  the 
Revolution  be  tendered  to  Mr.  Francis 
Mark  Brooke  for  his  valuable  services 
in  procuring  the  passage  of  the  bill 
through  the  legislature  providing  for 
the  purchase,  by  the  state,  of  the  camp- 
ing ground  at  Valley  Forge.  The  im- 
portance of  this  act,  which  secures  for 
all  time  these  historic  grounds  as  public 
property,  cannot  be  overestimated,  and 
the  members  of  the  society,  under  a  full 
consciousness  of  obligation  to  their  fel- 
low members,  make  this  record  in  grate- 
ful recognition  of  his  unselfish  and 
patriotic  efforts. 

Mr.  Brooke  replied  in  a  short  address 
reciting  the  means  taken  to  bring  about 
the  historic  grounds  a  state  park. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Henry  C.  Terry, 
a  vote  of  thanks  was  passed  to  the  com- 
mittee and  the  regents  of  the  Memorial 


NOTES    FROM    THE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETIES 


;oi 


Association  for  the  use  of  the  ground. 
This  was  responded  to  by  Walter  George 
Smith,  the  youngest  of  the  "  Sons." 

The  rest  of  the  afternoon  was  spent 
in  inspecting  the  remains  of  the  old 
breastworks. 


American  Historical  Association 
— The  American  Historical  Association 
will  hold  its  annual  meeting,  July  ir-13, 
in  the  city  of  Chicago,  with  morning  and 
evening  sessions,  at  the  Art  Institute,  a 
large  and  commodious  building.  There 
will  be  thirty-four  papers  read.  The 
papers  are  strictly  limited  to  twenty 
minutes,  and  remarks  to  five  minutes. 
The  following  is  the  list  of  papers  and 
by  whom  read  :  "  The  Inadequate  Rec- 
ognition of  Diplomatists  by  Historians," 
Dr.  James  B.  Angeil ;  "  The  Moravians 
in  America,"  Dr.  Ethelbert  D.  Warfield  ; 
"  The  Value  of  National  Archives  to  a 
Nation's  Life  and  Progress,"  Mrs.  Ellen 
Hardin  Walworth  ;  "  American  Histor- 
ical Nomenclature,"  Hon.  Ainsworth 
Spofford  ;  "  The  Time  Element  in  Amer- 
ican History,"  Prof.  Moses  Coit  Tyler  ; 
"The  Definition  of  History,"  Col.  Wm. 
Preston  Johnston  ;  "  The  Methods  of 
Historical  Investigation,"  Dr.  James 
Schouler  ;  "  The  Historical  Method  of 
Writing  the  History  of  Christian  Doc- 
trine," Prof.  Chas.  J.  Little  ;  "The  His- 
torical Doctorate  in  America,"  Prof. 
Ephraim  Emerton  ;  "  The  Relation  of 
History  to  Politics,"  Prof.  Jesse  Macy  ; 
"  Mr.  Seward's  Position  toward  the 
South,  November,  i860,  to  March  4, 
1861,"  Dr.  Frederick  Bancroft;  "The 
Union  of  Utrecht,"  Prof.  Lucy  M.  Sal- 
mon ;  "  General  Joseph  Martin  and  the 
War  of    the   Revolution    in   the  West," 


Prof.  Steven  B.  Weeks;  "The  Annals 
of  a  Historic  Town,"  Prof.  F.  W.  Black- 
mar  ;  "  The  Present  Status  of  Pre-Co- 
lumbian Discovery,"  Hon.  James  Phinney 
Baxter  ;  "  Prince  Henry,  the  Navigator  : 
Personal  Explorations  at  Watling  Island," 
Dr.  Rudolph  Cronan  ;  "  The  Economic 
Conditions  of  Spain  in  the  Sixteenth 
Century,"  Prof.  Bernard  Moses  ;  "  The 
Intellectual  Development  of  the  Cana- 
dian People,"  Dr.  George  Bourinot  ; 
"  English  Popular  Uprisings  of  the  Mid- 
dle Ages,"  Dr.  George  Kriehn  ;  "  The 
Social  Compact  and  Mr.  Jefferson's 
Adoption  of  It,"  Prof.  George  Fisher; 
"Early  Slavery  in  Illinois,"  Hon.  Wm. 
Henry  Smith  ;  "  Lead  Mining  in  Illinois 
and  Wisconsin,"  Reuben  G.  Thwaites, 
Esq.  ;  "  The  Significance  of  the  Fron- 
tier in  American  History,"  Prof.  Fred- 
erick J.  Turner  ;  "  Roger  Sherman  in 
the  National  Constitutional  Convention," 
Dr.  Louis  H.  Boutelle  ;  "  The  Eleventh 
Amendment  of  the  Constitution,"  Prof. 
Chas.  H.  Haskins  ;  "The  Historical  Sig- 
nificance of  the  Missouri  Compromise," 
Prof.  James  A.  Woodburn  ;  "  The  First 
Legislative  Assembly  in  America,"  Hon. 
Wm.  Wirt  Henry  ;  "  Naturalization  in 
the  English  Colonies  of  America,"  Miss 
Cora  Start;  "The  Thirty-first  Parallel 
in  American  History,"  Prof.  B.  A.  Hins- 
dale ;  "  The  Historical  Policy  of  the 
United  States  as  to  Annexation,"  Miss 
Mary  Mann  Page  Newton  ;  "  The  Origin 
of  the  Standing  Committee  System  in 
American  Legislative  Bodies,"  Prof.  J. 
F.  Jamesson. 

Altogether  this  session  of  the  Ameri- 
can Historical  Association  will  prove  a 
literary  feast.  In  a  later  number  of 
this  magazine  we   shall   expect   to   give 


10. 


NOTES   FROM    THE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETIES 


a  brief  account  of  the  proceedings,  and 
notice  some  of  those  papers  that  seem 
particularly  interesting  to  our  subscribers. 


R.  I.  Historical  Society — The  July 
quarterly  meeting  of  the  Rhode  Island 
Historical  Society  was  held  on  July  3, 
the  president  in  the  chair.  The  libra- 
rian reported  as  received  during  the  last 
three  months,  seventy-eight  bound  vol- 
umes, twenty  miscellaneous  articles,  and 
three  hundred  and  eight  pamphlets. 
The  most  important  work  of  art  is  an 
admirable  portrait  of  the  late  Edward 
R.  Young,  who  was  for  sixteen  years 
secretary  of  the  Providence  school  com- 
mittee, and  one  of  the  most  worthy  and 
useful  citizens  of  the  place.  John  N. 
Arnold  was  the  artist,  and  two  sons  of 
Mr.  Young  the  givers.  The  most  valu- 
able volume  received  is  the  History  of 
the  Centennial  of  the  Inauguration  of 
Washington,  an  imperial  8vo,  splendidly 
illustrated,  the  gift  of  Clarence  W. 
Bowen,  Ph.D.,  who  was  Secretary  of  the 
Centennial  Commission.  William  S. 
Granger,  of  Providence,  was  elected  an 
active  member  of  the  society,  and  Rev. 
Alfred  Manchester,  of  Salem,  a  corre- 
sponding member.  The  by-laws  of  the 
society  were  so  changed  as  to  require 
the  librarian  to  be  elected  by  the  society. 
A  resolution  offered  by  Mr.  R.  P.  Ev- 
erett, was  adopted  by  a  standing  vote, 
paying  a  tribute  of  honor  to  the  memory 
of  the  late  Henry  T.  Beckwith.  Vol- 
ume I.,  No.  1,  of  the  society's  quarterly 
publication,  has  been  issued.  It  con- 
tains the  annual  proceedings,  1892-93. 
No.  2  of  the  quarterly  will  soon  appear, 
containing  an  extended  report  by  the 
sc-f  retary  of  the  society,  Mr.  Amos  Perry, 


on  the  "  Town  Records  of  Rhode 
Island."  A  report  made  by  the  libra- 
rian led  to  the  adoption  of  a  resolution 
appointing  a  committee  to  move  for  the 
purchase  by  the  State  of  the  original 
manuscripts  and  papers  of  Major-Gen- 
eral  Nathaniel  Greene,  which  were  long 
in  the  possession  of  General  Greene's 
grandson,  the  late  Professor  George  W. 
Greene,  LL.D.,  of  East  Greenwich,  and 
are  now  in  the  possession  of  another 
descendant  of  General  Greene,  who 
resides  in  the  State  of  Georgia. 


R.  I.  Society  of  Cincinnati — An- 
nual Gathering  According  to  Law 
held  in  Newport — The  Rhode  Island 
State  Society  of  the  Cincinnati  convened 
on  July  4,  pursuant  to  law,  in  the  senate 
chamber  of  the  State  House,  Newport, 
to  celebrate  the  one  hundred  and  eigh- 
teenth anniversary  of  national  indepen- 
dence. This  historic  association  was 
founded  by  the  commissioned  officers  of 
the  Rhode  Island  Continental  Regiment 
of  Infantry  of  the  Revolution,  while  they 
were  stationed  at  Saratoga  barracks  on 
the  upper  Hudson  river  (now  Schuyler- 
ville),  New  York,  on  June  24,  1783.  On 
December  17,  1783,  the  Rhode  Island 
State  Society  held  its  first  meeting  in  the 
State  in  the  senate  chamber  of  the  State 
House,  in  Providence. 

The  meeting  was  called  to  order  by 
the  venerable  Nathaniel  Greene,  M.D., 
LL.D.,  President  of  the  society.  Among 
those  present,  were  Hon.  Henry  E. 
Turner,  M.D.,  of  Newport,  vice-presi- 
dent ;  Hon.  Asa  Bird  Gardiner,  LL.D., 
of  Garden  City,  New  York,  Secretary- 
General  of  the  Cincinnati  ;  Henry 
Thayer  Drowne,  of  New  York,  Assist- 


NOTES   FROM    THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


I03 


ant  Treasurer-General  of  the  Cincinnati  ; 
Thomas  Arnold  Peirce,  of  East  Green- 
wich ;  Hon.  Amos  Perry,  LL.D.,  of 
Providence  ;  George  Washington  Olney, 
of  New  York  ;  General  Hazard  Stevens, 
of  Boston ;  Henry  Jackson  Brightman,  of 
New  York  ;  Dr.  William  Argyle  Watson, 
of  Newport  ;  John  Nicholas  Brown,  of 
Newport  ;  Hon.  William  P.  Sheffield, 
LL  D.,  of  Newport.  The  Secretary 
having  read  the  minutes  of  the  previous 
annual  meeting  and  special  meeting  of 
June  13,  1893,  the  standing  committee 
then  made  its  report,  and  called  atten- 
tion to  the  large  number  of  applications 
made  in  the  past  year  for  hereditary 
membership,  which  could  not  be  favor- 
ably considered  because  the  institution 
of  1783,  as  established  by  the  officers  of 
the  Revolution,  fixes  membership  in  the 
line  of  the  eldest  male  posterity  at  com- 
mon law  of  original  members,  or  of 
Continental  Army  or  Naval  officers  who 
were  qualified  to  have  been  original 
members,  but  who,  for  some  good  rea- 
son, were  never  able  to  subscribe. 

The  decease,  on  November  14,  1892, 
of  the  late  Edward  Aborne  Greene,  Esq., 
of  Providence,  was  announced  and  ap- 
propriate resolutions  adopted. 

Absent  hereditary  members  who  were 
prevented  from  attending  sent  messages 
of  regret.  Among  these  were  the  Right 
Rev.  William  Stevens  Perry,  D.D., 
D.C.L.,  LL.D.,  Bishop  of  Iowa;  Rev. 
William  Wallace  Greene,  of  Warren 
County,  Virginia;  Sylvanius  Albert  Reed, 
Esq.,  of  Chicago.  Messages  were  also 
received  from  David  Barclay  Kirby, 
Esq.,  of  New  York  ;  Thomas  Vincent 
Carr,  of  Providence.  Mr.  William  Dehon 
King,    treasurer,  was   unable   to   attend 


on  account  of  illness.  Rev.  Henry 
Barton  Chapin,  D.D.,  Ph.D.,  of  New 
York,  chaplain  of  the  society,  also  sent 
regrets. 

A  resolution  of  sympathy  was  adopted 
and  ordered  to  be  sent  to  John  Benja- 
min, Esq.,  of  Stratford,  Connecticut,  an 
hereditary  member,  whose  only  son,  a 
promising  young  man,  recently  deceased. 

The  following  named  hereditary  mem- 
bers, on  due  recommendation  and  a  vote 
taken,  were  then  admitted  :  Edward 
Aborne  Greene,  Jr.,  of  Providence,  and 
John  Ormsbee  Ames,  of  Providence. 

After  the  newly  elected  members  had 
been  received  with  due  formality  the  fol- 
lowing officers  were  elected,  who  consti- 
tute the  standing  committee,  viz.  ;  Pres- 
ident, Nathaniel  Greene,  M.D.,  LL.D.; 
Vice-President,  Henry  Edward  Turner, 
M.D.;  Secretary,  Asa  Bird  Gardiner, 
LL.D.;  Treasurer,  William  Dehon  King  ; 
Assistant-Treasurer,  General  Horatio 
Rogers  ;  Assistant-Secretary,  Thomas 
Arnold  Peirce  ;  Rev.  Dr.  Chapin  was 
then  appointed  Chaplain. 

The  treasurer's  report  showed  a  satis- 
factory condition  of  the  permanent  fund. 

Delegates  and  alternates  to  the  Gen- 
eral Society  of  the  Cincinnati  were  then 
elected  as  follows  :  Delegates — Na- 
thaniel Greene,  LL.D.,  Henry  Edward 
Turner,  James  M.  Varnum,  William 
Stevens  Perry,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  Horatio 
Rogers.  Alternates — John  Sullivan, 
William  Dehon  King,  William  Paine 
Sheffield,  LL.D.,  Amos  Perry,  LL.D., 
Thomas  Vincent  Carr. 

The  Rhode  Island  member  chosen  on 
the  standing  executive  committee  of  the 
General  Society  was  Asa  Bird  Gardiner, 
LL.D. 


104 


NOTES    FROM    THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


Report  was  made  by  Henry  T.  Drowne, 
chairman  oi  the  committee  on  register 
of  the  society,  which  is  now  to  be  pub- 
lished after  many  years  preparation  by 
Colonel  Gardiner,  and  it  is  believed  will 
prove  a  valuable  and  highly  honorable 
addition  to  Rhode  Island  Revolutionary 
history. 

The  principles  of  the  institution  hav- 
ing been  formally  read,  the  society  ad- 
journed in  order  to  dine  together  accord- 
ing to  a  custom  established  by  their 
Revolutionary  ancestors. 

Forming  two  by  two  and  preceded 
by  their  venerable  President  and  Vice- 
President,  they  marched  to  the  Ocean 
House,  where  they  were  joined  by  Alfred 
Roelker,  Esq.,  and  Francis  Lawton,  Esq., 
of  New  York,  invited  guests.  At  the 
dinner  were  told  many  stories  of  "  the 
times  that  tried  men's  souls."  Then 
followed  the  thirteen  regular  toasts  which 
had  often  been  responded  to  by  the  Con- 
tinental officers  themselves,  as  appeared 
by  the  toast  list.  The  following  were 
the  toasts  :  The  United  States  of  Amer- 
ica— responded  to  by  ex-Senator  Shef- 
field ;  Memory  of  His  Excellency  Gen- 
eral Washington,  our  first  President 
General — drunk  standing  and  in  silence; 
State  of  Rhode  Island  and  Providence 
Plantations — General  Hazard  Stevens  ; 
The  Ever  Memorable  Fourth  of  July — 
Thomas  Arnold  Peirce  ;  The  17th  of 
October,  1777,  and  the  19th  of  October, 
1 78 1,  "  Saratoga  and  Yorktown  " — Amos 
Perry  ;  The  Society  of  the  Cincinnati 
in  France — Henry  Thayer  Drowne  ;  The 
Memory  of  Major  General  Nathaniel 
Greene  and  All  Who  Have  Fallen  in 
Defence  of  America — drunk  standing 
and    in    silence  ;    The  29th  of    August, 


1878,  "  Rhode  Island  "—Colonel  A.  B. 
Gardiner,  U.  S.  A.;  The  Order  of  the 
Cincinnati — John  Nicholas  Browne  ; 
The  Memory  of  His  Most  Christian  Ma- 
jesty Louis  XVI. — drunk  standing  and 
in  silence  ;  The  Rhode  Island  Conti- 
nental Line  of  the  Revolution — George 
W.  Olney  ;  The  French  Nation — Dr. 
Henry  E.  Turner  ;  Perpetual  Peace  and 
Happiness  to  the  United  States  of 
America — Dr.  William  Argyle  Watson. 
The  society  has  taken  measures  to 
memorialize  the  legislature  to  erect  a 
monument  to  General  Greene  on  the 
battlefield  of  "Guildford  Court  House," 
and  to  secure  his  valuable  official  papers 
in  the  Revolution,  now  in  Georgia. 


The  Society  of  Colonial  Wars  of 
the  State  of  New  York  having  adopted 
the  date  of  the  capture  of  Louisburg  in 
1745  for  their  summer  festival  day,  it 
may  be  of  interest  to  its  members  to 
know  how  important  the  event  was  to 
New  England,  and  how  its  result 
strengthened  the  colonist  in  the  opinion 
that  he  could  "  govern  and  care  for 
himself ; "  and  the  following  extract 
from  Doyle's  review  of  "  A  Half  Cen- 
tury of  Conflict,"  by  Francis  A.  Park- 
man,  from  a  recent  issue  of  the  English 
Historical  Review,  confirms  the  appro- 
priateness of  the  choice  : 

"  The  chief  events  described  in  these 
volumes  are  Sir  Hovenden  Walker's  un- 
successful expedition  against  Quebec  in 
171 1,  and  the  capture  of  Louisburg  by 
the  New  England  militia,  supported  by 
a  royal  fleet,  in  1745." 

"  But  indirectly  each  event  had  most 
important    effects    on   the   relations  be- 


NOTES   FROM    THE   HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


IO; 


tvveen    the  British    government   and  the 
•colonies." 

"  The  blundering  timidity  which 
brought  the  fleet  under  Hill  and 
Walker  to  misfortune  might  well  fill 
the  minds  of  the  colonists  with  distrust 
and  contempt  of  English  administration 
and  soldiership." 

"Equally  might  the  capture  of  Louis- 
burg  inspire  New  England  with  some- 
what exaggerated  confidence,  and  with  a 
belief  that  no  wide  gap  separated  the 
powers  of  her  own  militia  from  those  of 
a  trained  soldiery." 

,  "  Pepperell,  then  commander,  was  a 
typical  specimen  of  the  versatile,  enter- 
prising, resolute  New  Englander.  The 
officers  were  chosen,  according  to  the 
old  practice  of  Massachusetts,  by  those 
whom  they  were  to  command.  New 
England,  too,  had  no  partner  in  the  glory 
of  the  success.  All  the  southern  col- 
onies, 'even  Rhode  Island,'  stood  aloof. 
'  New  Hampshire  joined  her  forces,'  as 
did  Connecticut.  Thus  the  expedition 
was  something  like  an  informal  revival 
of  the  old  '  New  England  confederacy.'  " 

The  difficulties  which  beset  the  New 
England  army  were  identical  with  those 
which  at  a  later  day  made  themselves 
felt  in  the  "  war  of  independence." 
When  actually  in  the  field  Pepperell's 
troops  were  brave  to  recklessness. 

No  reader  of  Mr.  Parkman's  work  who 
is  familiar  with  the  early  days  of  New 
England  can  fail  to  be  struck  with  the 
change  which  had  come  within  two  gen- 
erations. Some  of  the  qualities  of  Puri- 
tanism— its  frugality,  its  definiteness  of 
purpose — survived. 

"  The  old  spiritual  earnestness  "  has 
vanished. 


Yet  such  an  episode  as  the  capture  of 
Louisburg  shows  that  much  of  the  old 
spirit  was  there,  clothed  in  different 
forms  and  applied  to  changed  purposes. 

Of  historical  books  lately  published 
on  American  and  colonial  history,  eight 
are  published  in  Madrid,  one  in  Seville. 

"  If  there  is  one  thing  which  is  plain 
to  all  serious  students  of  the  French 
revolution,  it  is  that  the  struggle  for 
equality  took  precedence  of  the  struggle 
for  liberty ;  and  that  the  essence  of  the 
movement  lay  in  the  controversy  of  the 
Third  Estate  with  the  privileged  orders, 
not  in  the  controversy  between  the  three 
estates  and  the  king. 

"  If  the  French  revolutionists  refused 
to  imitate  Washington  or  Lord  Somers, 
it  was  not  because  they  were  personally 
foolish  or  ill-advised,  but  because  the 
current  of  feeling  bred  of  the  stress  of 
circumstances  was  sweeping  them  on  in 
quite  another  direction." — Samuel  B. 
Gardiner  in  English  Historical  Review, 
April. 


General  Society  of  the  Cincin- 
nati— The  triennial  meeting  of  the 
General  Society  of  the  Cincinnati,  for 
the  first  time  in  twenty  years,  was  held 
in  Boston  on  June  14th. 

It  was  held  in  the  senate  chamber  of 
the  state  house,  and  brought  together 
about  forty-five  gentlemen  from  various 
parts  of  the  Union  to  take  part  in  the 
business  and  pleasures  of  the  three  days' 
convocation.  In  1783  there  were  thir- 
teen state  societies  and  one  in  France, 
but  as  time  went  on  a  number  of  them 
were  dissolved,  including  the  societies  in 
Connecticut,    Delaware,  Virginia,  North 


io6 


NOTES    FROM    THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


Carolina.  Georgia.  New  Hampshire,  and 
France. 

In  1SS7  measures  were  taken  to  revive 
the  French  state  society.  The  society 
in  Connecticut  was  revived  at  this  last 
general  meeting.  The  members  present 
were  : 

The  Secretary-General,  the  Treasurer- 
General. 

From  Massachusetts — Delegates — 
Mr.  Winslow  Warren,  Professor  Benja- 
min Apthorp  Gould,  Ph.D.,  LL.D.,  Mr. 
David  Greene  Haskins,  Jr.,  Mr.  William 
Frederick  Jones,  Mr.  Gamaliel  Bradford. 

Alternates — Mr.  Thornton  Kirkland 
Lothrop,  Mr.  Prentiss  Cummings,"  Mr. 
Charles  Upham  Bell,  Hon.  Roger  Wol- 
cott. 

From  Rhode  Island — Delegates — 
Hon.  Nathanael  Greene,  M.D.,  LL.D., 
Hon.  Henry  Edward  Turner,  M.D., 
Hon.  James  M.  Varnum,  Mr.  Henry 
Thayer  Drowne,  Right  Rev.  William 
Stevens  Perry,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  D.C  L. 

Alternates — Dr.  John  Sullivan,  Hon. 
William  Paine  Sheffield,  LL.D.,  Hon. 
Amos  Perry,  LL.D. 

From  New  York  —  Delegates  — 
Messrs.  Alexander  James  Clinton,  James 
Stevenson  Van  Cortlandt,  John  Barnes 
Varick,  John  Cropper,  and  Talbot  Oly- 
phant. 

From  New  Jersey — Delegates — Hon. 
Clifford  Stanley  Sims,  Mr.  William  C. 
Spencer,  Adjutant-General  William  S. 
Stryker.,  Hon.  Henry  S.  Harris. 

From  Pennsylvania — Delegates — 
Hon.  William  Wayne,  Major  Grant 
Weidman,  Mr.  Francis  M.  Caldwell,  Dr. 
Charles  P.  Turner,  Mr.  Harris  E. 
S  pro  at. 

From       Maryland — Delegates — Mr. 


Richard  M.  McSherry,  Hon.  William 
Benning  Webb,  LL.D.,  Colonel  Oswald 
Tilghman,  Professor  Edwin  C.  Daves, 
Mr.  Somerville  Pinkney  Tuck. 

From  South  Carolina — Delegates — 
Hon.  James  Simons,  Mr.  David  Elliott, 
Huger  Smith,  Mr.  George  H.  Tucker, 
Mr.  Felix  Warley,  Hon.  George  D. 
Johnston. 

Alternates — Mr.  William  Lowndes, 
Hon.  William  D.  Harden. 

The  morning  session  was  opened  with 
prayer  by  Right  Rev.  William  Stevens 
Perry,  Bishop  of  Iowa. 

Hon.  Clifford  S.  Sims,  of  New  Jersey, 
occupied  the  chair  in  the  unavoidable 
absence  of  the  venerable  president-gen- 
eral, Ex-Secretary  Hamilton  Fish, 
LL.D.,  of  New  York.  The  Vice-Pres- 
ident, General  Hon.  Robert  M.  Mc- 
Lane,  of  Maryland,  was  detained  in 
Paris  by  the  illness  of  his  wife. 

The  principal  business  of  the  day  was 
the  presentation  by  Hon.  James  Simons, 
of  South  Carolina,  on  behalf  of. the  Gen- 
era] Society  committee,  of  the  Connecti- 
cut delegation,  and  the  unanimous  vote 
to  revive  and  readmit  to  full  privileges 
the  society  of  that  state,  which  had 
been  dissolved  in  1804.  Its  present 
president  is  General  Dwight  Morris, 
of  Bridgeport,  son  of  Captain  James 
Morris,  Second  Regiment,  Connecticut 
Line,  1781,  an  original  member  of  the 
society. 

The  circular  letters  and  particular 
laws  of  the  society  were  read  and  con- 
sidered, and  the  necrology  of  the  society 
since  its  last  meeting  three  years  ago 
was  read  by  the  secretary-general,  Hon. 
Asa  Bird  Gardiner,  LL.D.,  of  New  York. 


NOTES   FROM   THE   HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


107 


A  committee  was  appointed  to  draw 
up  an  address  to  President  -  General 
Fish. 

Upon  the  adjournment  of  the  morn- 
ing session,  the  members  lunched  at  the 
Parker  House,  resuming  their  business 
at  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  in 
the  evening  attended  a  banquet  at  the 
Algonquin  club  as  guests  of  the  Mas- 
sachusetts Cincinnati,  whose  president, 
Mr.  Winslow  W.  Warren,  presided.  The 
invited  guests  were  Colonel  Chase  and 
Mr.  Barrett,  presidents  of  the  Massachu- 
setts societies  of  the  Sons  of  the  Revo- 
lution and  Sons  of  the  American  Revo- 
lution. 

The  second  day's  session  was  held  in 
the  Town  Hall,  Lexington,  and  the 
members  of  the  General  Society  fol- 
lowed the  route  of  the  British  forces  in 
1775  to  Lexington  and  Concord.  The 
third  day's  session  was  held  in  the  sen- 
ate chamber  at  Boston,  which  had  been 
placed  at  the  service  of  the  General 
Society  by  the  senate  of  Massachusetts. 

The  general  officers  elected  were  : 
President-General,  Hon.  Hamilton  Fish 
of  New  York  ;  Vice-President-General, 
Hon.  Robert  M.  McLane,  of  Maryland  ; 
Secretary-General,  Hon.  Asa  Bird  Gar- 
diner, of  Rhode  Island  ;  Treasurer-Gen- 
eral, Mr.  John  Schuyler,  of  New  York  ; 
Assistant  Treasurer-General,  Mr.  Henry 
Thayer  Drowne,  of  Rhode  Island. 

The  next  triennial  meeting  will  be 
held  in  Philadelphia  in  1896.    . 


omitted,  and  only  a  lunch  was  served, 
and  there  were  no  guests,  the  recent 
meeting  of  the  General  Society  in  Bos- 
ton in  June  having  detracted  much  from 
the  importance  of  the  annual  event. 

The  following  officers  were  elected  : 
President,  Winslow  Warren  ;  Vice-Presi- 
dent, Professor  Benjamin  Apthorp 
Gould,  Ph.D.,  LL.D.  ;  Secretary,  Da- 
vid Greene  Haskins,  Jr.  ;  Assistant 
Secretary,  John  Homans,  2d,  M.D.  ; 
Treasurer,  Gamaliel  Bradford  ;  Assist- 
ant Treasurer,  William  F.  Jones. 

The  following  new  members  were 
elected  :  Horatio  A.  Lamb,  Gideon  P. 
Smith,  Charles  B.  Torrye,  Horace  R. 
Richardson. 

Resolutions  were  adopted  of  thanks 
to  Rev.  E.  G.  Porter  for  his  services  on 
the  occasion  of  the  visit  of  the  General 
Society;  to  Mr.  Barrett,  president  of  the 
Sons  of  the  American  Revolution,  for 
the  courtesy  of  that  society  at  Concord 
in  June,  and  for  his  own  hospitality  ;  and 
to  President  Chase  and  the  Society  of 
the  Sons  of  the  Revolution,  for  courte- 
sies shown  during  the  triennial  meeting 
of  the  Cincinnati. 


Massachusetts  Society  of  the 
Cincinnati. — The  Massachusetts  State 
Society  of  the  Cincinnati  held  its  annual 
meeting  at  the  Parker  House  on  the 
Fourth  of  July.     The  usual  dinner  was 


New  York  Society  of  the  Cin- 
cinnati.— The  New  York  State  Society 
of  the  Cincinnati  on  July  4th  held  its  one 
hundred  and  tenth  annual  meeting  at 
Delmonico's. 

Mr.  Hamilton  Fish,  president  of  the 
society,  by  letter  expressed  his  regret  at 
his  inability  to  be  present. 

In  reply  the  members  testified  their 
esteem  by  re-electing  Mr.  Fish  for  an- 
other term. 

The  other  officers  chosen  were  :  Vice- 
President,  Hon.  John  Cochrane  ;  Secre- 


ioS 


NOTES    FROM    THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


tary.  Mr.  John  Schuyler  ;  Treasurer, 
Mr.  Alexander  James  Clinton  ;  Assist- 
ant Treasurer,  Mr.  William  L.  Keese  ; 
Chaplain,  the  Rev.  M.  H.  Hutton,  D.D.; 
Physician,  Dr.  Thomas  M.  L.  Christie. 


General  Society  of  the  War  of 
1S12. — The  thirty-ninth  annual  meeting 
of  the  General  Society  of  the  War  of  181 2 
was  held  in  Philadelphia,  in  the  former 
senate  chamber  of  the  United  States,  on 
February  18,  1893.  The  meeting  was 
called  to  order  by  the  president,  Mr. 
John  Cadwalader,  at  4.30  p.m. 

The  minutes  of  the  last  meeting  were 
read  by  Peter  Hay,  secretary,  and  ap- 
proved. 

Registrar  Andrew  J.  Reilly  then  read 
the  following  report  :  "  The  Board  of 
Direction  of  the  General  Society  of  the 
War  of  1812  begs  leave  to  report  :  That 
the  progress  of  the  society  during  the 
past  year  has  been  exceedingly  gratify- 
ing. Its  membership,  amounting  to  two 
hundred  and  fifty-six  (256),  comprises 
citizens  of  almost  all  the  states  in  the 
Union  ;  and  while  their  residences  are  so 
widely  scattered  as  to  prevent  any  large 
ji umber  meeting  at  one  time,  it  is  very 
evident  that  in  the  near  future  branch 
societies  will  be  formed  to  send  dele- 
gates to  our  parent  society,  who  will 
represent  at  least  many  of  our  members  ; 
and  those  not  affiliated  therewith  can 
vote  on  important  questions,  of  which 
they  receive  previous  knowledge  through 
the  mail. 

"  A  charter  was  obtained  November 
19,  1892,  and  the  navy  department  has 
kindly  presented  sufficient  wood  taken 
from  the  frigate  Constitution   to  make  a 


frame  therefor.  A  seal,  representing  the 
bombardment  of  Fort  McHenry  and 
surrounded  with  appropriate  symbols 
and  motto,  has  been  adopted  and  exe- 
cuted, to  be  used  on  any  legal  docu- 
ments issued. 

"  The  charter,  constitution,  and  rules 
have  been,  after  much  'careful  revision, 
printed  in  pamphlet  form,  and  are  ready 
for  distribution. 

'k  A  register  of  the  present  member- 
ship is  attached,  showing  not  only  their 
names  and  addresses,  but  the  ancestors 
from  whose  services  they  claim  eligi- 
bility. It  will  be  seen  that  great  care 
has  been  exercised  in  making  admissions, 
and  that  the  descendants  of  some  of  the 
most  patriotic  and  famous  American 
freemen  form  a  nucleus  around  which 
may  gather  all  those  who  cherish  the 
deeds  of  their  forefathers,  who  in  the 
early  part  of  the  century  imperiled  their 
lives  in  defense  of  the  country's  rights. 

"  A  committee  will  consider  the  ques- 
tion of  the  best  mode  of  organizing 
branch  societies,  and  the  scope  and  form 
of  the  same,  the  relations  they  shall  bear 
to  the  parent  society,  and  the  powers  and 
privileges  they  shall  enjoy.  It  is  hoped 
they  will  report  to  the  board  at  the  June 
meeting. 

"  We  have  sixty  (60)  veterans  of 
the  war  of  1812,  who  still  survive  as 
members,  who  wear  our  badges  with 
pride.  Of  course  we  hold  them  exempt 
from  all  dues  ;  and  as  many  are  in  really 
destitute  circumstances  we  deem  it  our 
duty  to  extend  to  them  a  helping  hand. 
It  is  suggested  that  a  fund  be  especially 
contributed,  which  the  executive  com- 
mittee may  be  able  to  use  in  cases  of 
urgent    necessity.       Their    photographs 


NOTES    FROM    THE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETIES 


IC>9 


should  be  obtained,  for  a  very  few  years 
will  see  the  extinction  of  all  who  fought 
in  the  second  war  of  American  inde- 
pendence. 

"  The  preservation  of  the  principal 
buildings  adjacent  to  '  Independence 
Hall  '  should  be  one  of  our  most  cher- 
ished objects.  No  change,  even  under 
the  name  of  modern  progress,  should  be 
allowed  in  those  time-honored  structures, 
so  full  of  historic  associations,  and  which 
recall  so  many  instances  of  the  patriotic 
actions  of  our  forefathers.  The  com- 
bined efforts  of  the  different  patriotic 
organizations  tend  to  preserve  them  and 
secure  collections  of  relics  and  mementos 
that  would  educate  the  youth  of  the 
country  when  viewing  the  cradle  of 
American  liberty. 

"  With  a  little  exertion  on  the  part  of 
each  member  our  numbers  will  rapidly 
increase,  and  our  society  be  established 
on  a  permanent  basis  for  the  future." 

The  secretary's  report  was  then  read, 
as  follows  :  "  It  would  seem  hardly 
necessary,  after  listening  to  the  report  of 
the  Board  of  Direction  and  the  record 
of  its  various  meetings,  for  more  to  be 
said  to  convince  the  members  of  the 
society  that  there  has  been  awakened  in 
the  minds  of  the  people  of  the  whole 
country,  from  Maine  to  Oregon,  and 
from  Canada  to  Florida  and  Texas,  a 
deep  interest  in  the  Society  of  the  War 
of  181 2  ;  and  the  ever  increasing  num- 
ber of  letters  of  inquiry  and  applications 
for  membership  which  have  been  sent  to 
me  would  indicate  that  many,  who  know 
themselves  to  be  eligible,  are  anxious 
to  connect  themselves  with  us.  This 
fact  should  warn  us  to  scrutinize  closely 
the    credentials    of     all    applicants,    so 


that  no  unworthy  person  may  gain  an 
entrance* 

"  The  fact  of  the  incorporation  of  the 
General  Society  of  the  War  of  181 2,  and 
the  adoption  and  purchase  of  a  beautiful 
and  appropriate  seal,  has  already  been 
stated.  The  issuing  of  the  much-desired 
certificate  of  membership  only  depends 
upon  the  order  being  issued  to  the  en- 
graver to  begin  work  upon  the  plate. 

"  The  publication  of  the  charter,  con- 
stitution, and  rules,  with  register  of 
members,  which  has  been  prepared  with 
considerable  labor  by  the  committee 
assigned  to  that  duty,  will  no  doubt  re- 
sult in  much  benefit  to  the  society,  when 
public  attention  is  drawn  to  the  fact  that 
this  is  in  reality  a  military  society  of  men 
who  served  in  the  War  of  1812.  Of  the 
hundreds  of  such  participants  who  have 
been  members,  only  sixty  survive.  The 
number  of  officers  of  the  army  and  navy 
whose  names  appear  upon  our  list  is  not 
paralleled  by  any  other  society  not 
purely  confined  to  those  branches  of 
service. 

"  The  widely  diffused  membership  will 
always  prevent  an  imposing  display  of 
members  at  the  meetings,  but  great  in- 
terest is  shown  by  members  at  a  distance, 
and  the  secretary  is  called  upon  to  sup- 
ply such  information  after  each  meeting. 

"  It  is  particularly  desired  that  the 
members  already  on  the  rolls  of  the 
society  will  complete  their  records  or 
correct  any  errors  therein,  and  forward 
the  same  to  the  secretary  at  the  earliest 
practicable  day. 

"  The  existence  of  two  societies  of  a 
similar  nature  to  our  own,  though  of 
recent  formation  and  with  smaller  mem- 
bership— one  in  New  York  and  the  other 


no 


NOTES   FROM    THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


in  Baltimore — has  caused  the  Board  of 
Direction  to  take  steps  to  effect,  if  prac- 
ticable, a  union  of  said  societies  with 
the  General  Society,  and  thus  add  to  the 
strength  and  influence  of  all. 

"  The  matter  of  a  modification  of  our 
insignia  has  been  agitated  by  several  of 
our  members  for  the  past  few  months, 
and  pending  the  uncertainty,  the  sale  of 
badges  has  come  to  a  standstill.  It  is  to 
be  hoped  that  the  question  will  be  soon 
determined,  since  quite  a  number  of  our 
members  are  desirous  of  supplying  them- 
selves. In  the  settlement  of  this  matter, 
the  rights  of  those  who  have  purchased 
insignia  should  be  considered. 

"  During  the  past  year,  seventy-eight 
members,  besides  the  sixty  veterans  of 
1812,  have  been  admitted.  Eight  ap- 
plicants have  been  declined  on  account 
of  their  titles  not  being  considered  satis- 
factory. 

"  The  secretary  has  been  informed  of 
the  death  of  two  of  our  veteran  mem- 
bers, viz.:  Michael  Fritz  of  Schuykill 
County,  Pa.,  on  November  26,  aged 
ninety-five  ;  and  Abram  Dally,  aged  nine- 
ty-eight years,  who  will  be  buried  on  Sun- 
day next,  from  his  late  residence,  No.  260 
South  Second  Street,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

"  The  secretary  announced  the  death 
of  the  following  :  Hezekiah  Coon, 
Boonesboro,  Iowa,  veteran  of  181 2, 
aged  ninety-six  years  ;  Benjamin  Poor, 
Raymond,  N.  H.,  veteran  of  181 2,  aged 
ninety-seven  years  six  months  ;  Albert 
W.  Frick,  Philadelphia,  aged  fifty-three 
years." 

Captain  H.  H.  Bellas,  U.  S.  army, 
chairman  of  the  executive  committee, 
offered  a  series  of  resolutions  opposing 
the  removal  of  the  historic  landmarks  in 


the  vicinity  of  the  Hall  of  Independ- 
ence, and  petitioning  the  legislature  of 
Pennsylvania  to  appropriate  the  sum  of 
thirty  thousand  dollars  for  the  purchase 
of  two  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  the 
historic  site  known  as  Valley  Forge,  for 
preservation  as  a  public  park.  Adopted. 
A  vote  of  thanks  of  the  society  was 
tendered  to  Appleton  Morgan,  LL.D., 
Rear-Admiral  Francis  A.  Roe,  U.  S. 
navy,  Lieutenant  Richard  G.  Davenport, 
U.  S.  navy,  Edward  Trenchard,  and 
Frederick  E.  Westbrook,  for  donations 
of  books,  pictures  and  pamphlets,  and 
relics  relating  to  the  war  of  1812  ;  Cyrus 
K.  Remington  of  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  for  his 
gift  of  wood  from  Commodore  Perry's 
flagship  Lawrence  and  the  Niagara ;  H. 
K.  Averill,  Jr.,  of  Plattsburg,  N.  Y.,  for 
several  pieces  of  historic  wood ;  also  to 
Jabin  Wood,  a  veteran  of  1812,  aged 
ninety-eight  years,  of  South  Richland, 
N.  Y.,  for  sending  his  photograph,  and 
the  hope  was  expressed  that  many  other 
members  might  follow  their  example. 

The  following  officers  were  elected  to 
serve  during  the  following  year  :  Presi- 
dent, John  Cadwalader,  Philadelphia, 
Pa.  ;  Vice-Presidents,  Rear-Admiral 
Francis  Asbury  Roe,  U.  S.  navy,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Mar- 
shall I.  Ludington,  U.  S.  army,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C;  John  Biddle  Porter,  Philadel- 
phia, Pa.,  Appleton  Morgan,  LL.D.,  West- 
field,  N.  J.,  Asa  Bird  Gardiner,  LL.D., 
New  York,  N.Y.;  Registrar,  Andrew  Jack- 
son Reilly,  Philadelphia,  Pa.;  Treasurer, 
Henry  M.  Hoyt,  Philadelphia,  Pa.  ;  Sec- 
retary, Peter  Stuart  Hay,  4542  Rubicam 
Avenue,  Germantown,  Philadelphia,  Pa.; 
Executive  Committee,  Captain  Henry 
H.      Bellas,     U.      S.     army,    chairman, 


NOTES   FROM    THE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETIES 


I  I  I 


Charles  H.  Murray,  New  York,  N.  Y., 
Reynold  W.  Wilcox,  M.  D.,  New  York, 
N.  Y.,  A.  Nelson  Lewis,  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  Cyrus  K.  Remington,  Buffalo,  N. 
Y.,  Arthur  W.  Clark,  M.  D.,  Boston, 
Mass.,  D.  McKnight  Hobart,  Philadel- 
phia, Pa.,  Charles  Williams,  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  George  H.  Burgin,  M.  D.,  German- 
town,  Philadelphia,  Pa.;  Surgeon-General 
Charles  Sutherland,  U.  S.  army,  was 
appointed  historian  ;  Rev.  Horace  Ed- 
win Hayden,  of  Wilkesbarre,  Pa.,  chap- 
lain ;  and  Thomas  Chase  of  Philadelphia, 
assistant  secretary  of  the  society,  for 
the  ensuing  year. 

On  motion,  the  society  then  adjourned. 


Meeting  of  the  American  Library 
Association — The  American  Library 
Association  was  organized  at  the  Centen- 
nial Exhibition  in  Philadelphia  in  1876. 
It  was  fitting  this  year  that  the  fifteenth 
conference  should  be  somewhat  histor- 
ical and  should  be  held  at  Chicago 
during  the  progress  of  the  Columbian 
World's  Fair.  In  the  series  of  congresses 
arranged  to  be  held  in  connection  with 
the  Fair,  librarians  were  included,  and 
assigned  to  Department  VIII.,  Literature, 
No.  3.  The  meeting  was,  therefore,  a 
combination  of  a  World's  congress  of 
librarians  and  sessions  of  the  American 
Library  Association,  held  from  July  13 
to  22  inclusive. 

The  plan  of  the  meetings  of  the 
association  proper,  as  previously  out- 
lined, was  to  have  a  series  of  papers 
covering  the  whole  ground  of  library 
practice  ;  the  papers  to  deal  first  with 
what  had  become  accepted  by  librarians 
at  large,  and,  second,  with  matters  which 
occupied  debatable  ground. 


Abstracts  of  papers  were  presented 
to  the  meeting  by  the  persons  report- 
ing, and  discussion  was  invited.  Notes 
were  made  of  the  discussions.  These 
notes  are  to  be  embodied  in  the  differ- 
ent papers,  so  far  as  they  contribute  to 
the  value  of  the  papers,  and  the  essays 
in  their  entirety  are  to  be  published 
by  the  bureau  of  education  at  Wash- 
ington. 

The  sessions  were  presided  over  by 
Professor  Melvil  Dewey,  librarian  of 
the  state  library  of  New  York.  Mr. 
Dewey  has  been  indefatigable  in  his 
efforts  to  make  this  conference  the  most 
valuable  ever  held,  and  certainly  none 
has  surpassed  it  in  attention,  interest,  and 
free  discussion. 

We  can  do  little  more  than  name  some 
of  the  topics  which  were  before  the 
conference.  "  Libraries  in  relation  to 
schools,"  by  Miss  Hannah  P.  James  of 
the  Osterhout  free  library,  Wilkesbarre, 
elicited  much  discussion.  The  connec- 
tion of  libraries  with  our  school  system 
is  taking  deep  hold  of  the  community, 
and  libraries  are  valuable  helpers  to  the 
pupils  in  the  public  schools.  Some  of 
the  points  were  :  "  To  interest  teachers," 
"  How  to  aid  teachers,"  "Fiction,'' 
"  Influences  of  library  on  pupils,"  lt  Ref- 
erence use  by  pupils." 

Mr.  George  lies  of  New  York,  in  a 
paper  on  "  Libraries  from  the  readers' 
point  of  view,"  stated  that  it  was  esti- 
mated by  the  American  Library  Associa- 
tion that  books  of  importance  do  not 
exceed  ten  thousand  volumes,  and  sug- 
gested that  their  works,  divided  into  de- 
partments, be  annotated  by  persons  quali- 
fied for  the  work,  each  one  making  notes 
on  books  in  his  own  line  of  study.     The 


112 


NOTES   FROM    THE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETIES 


cost  of  this  work  is  estimated  at  one  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars.  This  would  mean 
that  five  hundred  note  cards  should  be 
sent  to  as  many  libraries.  To  keep  up  with 
current  literature  would  require  ten  thou- 
sand annually.  The  question  is  now,  can 
this  expense  be  borne  ?  The  object  is  cer- 
tainly praiseworthy,  and  the  results  would 
be  very  helpful  if  the  notes  were  faith- 
fully made. 

Mr.  Frank  P.  Hill  of  the  public 
library  of  Newark  dealt  with  the  ques- 
tion of  "  Library  service."  Mr.  Green 
of  the  Worcester  public  library  dis- 
cussed the  question  of  "Adaptation  of 
libraries  to  constituencies."  Mr.  Green's 
reference  to  the  "  weeding "  process 
practiced  in  the  Quincy  (Mass.)  library 
elicited  animated  opposition.  Dr.  Poole 
of  the  Newrbury  library,  Chicago,  was 
emphatic  in  his  denunciation  of  the 
scheme.  The  Quincy  library  is  to  be 
kept  down  to  twenty  thousand  volumes 
by  the  weeding  process,  by  recent  action 
of  its  board  of  management. 

R.  B.  Poole  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  library, 
New  York,  dealt  with  the  question  of 
"Fires,  protection,  and  insurance."  He 
regarded  it  as  settled  that  libraries  should 
insure,  and  that  libraries  to-day  were 
planned  more  and  more  on  fire-proof 
principles.  He  emphasized  the  import- 
ance of  keeping  records  of  books,  such 
as  accession  catalogues  and  inventories, 
outside  the  building.  In  the  discussion 
it  was  thought  that  well-endowed  libra- 
ries should  carry  their  own  insurance. 
Principles  of  construction,  the  protection 
of  iron  beams,  the  best  building  stones, 
protection  of  floors  and  partition  walls 
were  outlined. 

Mr.    Henry  J.    Carr  of   the  Scranton 


public    library  wrote  a  paper  on  "  Fix- 
tures, furniture,  and  fittings." 


Celebration  in  Honor  of  the 
Rev.  James  Caldwell — The  inhabi- 
tants of  the  little  village  of  Caldwell, 
nine  miles  northwest  of  Newark,  N.  J., 
celebrated  on  the  15th  of  July  the  mem- 
ory of  the  Rev.  James  Caldwell,  a  Revo- 
lutionary hero.  He  was  the  pastor  of 
the  Presbyterian  church  at  Elizabeth- 
port,  but  was  driven  from  it  by  the  Brit- 
ish. Towards  the  close  of  the  war  his 
wife  was  murdered  in  a  most  cowardly 
manner  by  a  British  soldier,  who  shot 
her  as  she  was  in  a  back  room  of  her 
house,  holding  her  babe  in  her  arms,  and 
a  little  later  Mr.  Caldwell  himself  was 
killed.  He  performed  much  good  ser- 
vice during  the  Revolution,  and  it  is 
said  was  the  person  who  handed  out  the 
hymn  books  of  his  church  to  a  battalion 
of  soldiers  so  that  they  might  use  the 
paper  as  wadding  for  their  guns.  The 
celebration  took  place  under  the  aus- 
pices of  the  Caldwell  Improvement  As- 
sociation, of  which  Mr.  A.  A.  Raven  is 
president,  and  Mr.  W.  W.  Pasko,  secre- 
tary. It  was  a  picnic,  with  speaking. 
Mr.  Raven,  Mr.  Pasko,  Captain  James 
Parker  of  Perth  Amboy,  and  the  Rev. 
C.  T.  Berry  made  addresses.  Several 
members  of  the  Caldwell  family  were 
present,  including  Mrs.  William  Mulli- 
gan of  Palisades,  N.  Y.,  Mrs.  Taylor  and 
Miss  Taylor  of  Plainfield,  N.  J.,  and 
Mrs.  F.  H.  Lancaster  and  her  sister 
Miss  Sammons  of  Jersey  City  Heights. 
These  celebrations  will  be  annual.  The 
next  will  probably  be  upon  the  anniver- 
sary of  the  battle  of  Springfield,  June 
24. 


COUNCILLOR    CARTER. 


[From  painting  supposed  to  be  by  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds^ 


MAGAZINE   OF  AMERICAN   HISTORY 


Vol.   XXX  SEPTEMBER,   1893  No.  3 

ROBERT    CARTER    OF    VIRGINIA 

By  Kate  Mason  Rowland 

AN  interesting  figure  in  Virginia's  eighteenth  century  annals  is  revealed 
to  us  through  the  forty-six  manuscript  volumes  of  letter-books  and 
ledgers,  preserved  by  one  of  his  descendants,  in  which  Robert  Carter,  for 
many  years  a  member  of  the  King's  Privy  Council,  photographed  himself 
and  the  life  of  which  he  was  a  part  for  a  period  of  over  forty  years.  Coun- 
cillor Carter,  as  he  is  called,  was  the  grandson  of  Robert  Carter  of  "  Coroto- 
man,"  in  Lancaster  county,  known  for  his  great  possessions  as  King  Carter, 
agent  for  Lord  Fairfax  in  the  Northern  Neck,  secretary  of  the  council,  and 
visitor  of  William  and  Mary  college,  where  some  thirty  of  his  descendants 
were  educated.  King  Carter,  whose  father  was  the  founder  of  the  family 
in  Virginia,  was  the  grandson  of  William  Carter  of  Carstown,  Hertford- 
shire, a  barrister  of  the  Middle  Temple,  and  believed  to  be  a  cadet  of  the 
Carter  family  of  Garston  Manor,  Herts.  John,  the  immigrant  ancestor, 
had  held  high  colonial  offices  also,  and  was  a  man  of  wealth,  and  of  a 
liberal  and  religious  character,  building  and  endowing  a  church  in  Lancas- 
ter county,  where  he  lies  buried.  The  father  of  eleven  children  by  his 
two  marriages,  King  Carter  left  landed  estates  to  each  one  of  his  six  sons, 
who,  after  the  Virginian  custom,  were  known  by  the  names  of  their  country 
seats.  An  old  letter-book  bound  in  vellum,  with  brass  clasps,  is  extant, 
containing  letters  of  three  of  these  brothers — John  of  "  Corotoman," 
Charles  of  "  Cleve,"  and  Landon  of  "  Sabine  Hall."  These  letters  were 
written  to  merchants,  lawyers,  and  others  in  London,  between  the  years 
1732  and  1738.  George  Carter  of  "  Rippon  Hall,"  one  of  the  brothers, 
studied  law  at  one  of  the  Inns  of  Court,  and  dying  while  in  London  was 
buried  in  the  Temple  church.  Robert  of  "  Nomini  Hall,"  the  second  son 
of  King  Carter,  married  Priscilla  Churchill,  and  dying  in  1732  left  his  two 
children,  Elizabeth  and  Robert,  to  the  guardianship  of  their  uncle,  John 
Carter  of  "  Corotoman."  Elizabeth  Carter  married  subsequently  Francis 
Willis  of  "  Mount  Pleasant,"  Gloucester  county,  and  left  numerous  de- 
scendants.    Her  portrait,  life  size,  resplendent  in  a  gown  of  red  satin  with 


Il6  ROBERT   CARTER   OF   VIRGINIA 

flowing  elbow  sleeves,  and  head-dress  of  the  hue  of  her  gown,  a  mantle 
falling  over  her  shoulders,  is  preserved  in  her  brother's  family.  A  son  of 
John  Carter,  another  Charles,  wrote  letters  from  "  Corotoman  "  between 
the  years  1756  and  1768,  which  are  still  to  be  seen,  and  removing  later  to 
14  Shirley  "  on  the  James  river,  he  became  the  founder  of  the  branch  of 
the  family  associated  with  that  place.  Colonel  Landon  Carter  of  "  Sabine 
Hall,"  uncle  of  Councillor  Carter,  was  a  prominent  member  of  the  house 
of  burgesses  in  the  years  just  previous  to  the  Revolution,  and  was  the 
trusted  correspondent  of  Washington,  the  Lees,  and  other  patriots  during 
the  struggle  for  independence.  Other  members  of  the  family  of  some 
note  were  Charles  Carter  of  "  Ludlow,"  son  of  Charles  Carter  of  "Cleve," 
for  eighteen  years  a  member  of  the  burgesses,  and  afterward  in  the  assem- 
bly and  council;  and  St.  Leger  Landon  Carter,  a  grandson  of  Charles 
of  "  Cleve,"  a  graduate  of  Princeton  in  1805,  author  of  a  charming  little 
volume  of  sketches  in  prose  and  verse.  Governor  John  Page  of  "  Rose- 
well,"  one  of  the  younger  generation  of  Virginia's  Revolutionary  statesmen, 
pays  a  tribute  to  the  talents  of  one  of  the  ladies  of  the  Carter  family,  who 
was  his  grandmother,  and  a  daughter  of  King  Carter.  She  directed  his  early 
education  and  inspired  him  with  a  thirst  for  knowledge,  and  he  writes  of  her 
as  "  one  of  the  most  sensible  and  best-informed  women  "  he  ever  knew. 

Robert  Carter,  the  third  of  the  name,  who  inherited  from  his  father 
"  Nomini  Hall,"  on  Nomini  bay  in  Westmoreland  county,  was  born  in 
1728.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  he  went  to  England,  remaining  there 
two  years.  In  his  careful  note-books  he  has  recorded  that  he  "  embarked 
on  board  the  ship  Everton,  Captain  James  Kelly,  then  in  York  river, 
bound  to  Liverpool,"  and  on  his  return  "  arrived  in  Virginia  June,  175 1." 
John  Page,  who  was  then  a  boy  of  thirteen,  tells  us  that  his  cousin  had 
come  back  without  having  improved  his  opportunities  abroad,  but  that 
"  in  a  course  of  years,  after  he  had  got  a  seat  at  the  council  board,  [he] 
studied  law,  history,  and  philosophy."  Governor  Page  adds  of  Robert 
Carter  that  "  he  conversed  a  great  deal  with  our  highly  enlightened  Gov- 
ernor Fanquier,  and  Mr.  William  Small,  the  professor  of  mathematics 
at  the  college  of  William  and  Mary,  from  whom  he  derived  great  advan- 
tages," and  when  he  met  him  at  the  council  in  Lord  Dunmore's  time  "  he 
was  a  pure  and  steady  patriot."  Robert  Carter  had  evidently  given  more 
time  to  society  than  to  study  while  in  London,  and  his  portrait,  painted  at 
that  time  by  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds,  represents  him  as  dressed  for  a  ball, 
with  a  mask  in  his  hand.  He  came  home  to  marry,  in  1754,  Frances  Ann 
Tasker,  daughter  of  the  Hon.  Benjamin  Tasker,  president  of  the  council 
in  Maryland  for  many  years,  and  acting  governor  of  the  province  from 


ROBERT   CARTER   OF   VIRGINIA  117 

May,  1752,  until  August,  1753.     This  marriage  brought  Robert  Carter  into 
connection  with  several  of  the  leading  families  of  the  sister  colony. 

Annapolis  and  Williamsburg,  capitals  of  Maryland  and  Virginia,  were 
at  this  time  the  centres  of  business  and  fashion  for  the  two  provinces. 
In  these  cities  the  burgesses  met,  here  the  highest  law  courts  were  con- 
vened, and  here  the  governors  with  their  councils  held  provincial  state,  and 
enforced  English  law  in  these  distant  dominions.  There  was  constant 
business  communication  between  the  two  towns,  and  a  much  closer  social 
connection  than  is  at  all  conceivable  at  the  present  day.  And  while 
Robert  Carter's  country  seat  lay  in  Westmoreland  county,  and  his  planta- 
tions, some  fifty  thousand  acres,  were  dotted  along  the  shores  of  both 
rivers,  the  Potomac  and  Rappahannock,  reaching  up  the  Northern  Neck 
from  Nomini  creek  to  Neabsco,  or  from  Westmoreland  county  to  Prince 
William,  he  made  his  residence  for  a  great  part  of  the  time  in  Williams- 
burg, and  duty  as  well  as  pleasure  often  called  him  from  there  to  Annap- 
olis. While  at  "  Nomini  "  he  could  take  the  journey,  of  course,  from  his 
own  wharf  to  the  little  town  on  the  Severn.  In  both  Williamsburg  and 
Annapolis,  theatrical  performances  and  other  amusements  enlivened  the 
leisure  hours  of  legislators  and  lawyers.  A  jockey  club  had  been  estab- 
lished in  Annapolis  in  1750,  consisting  of  many  "  principal  gentlemen  in 
this  and  the  adjacent  provinces."  Benjamin  Tasker,  Jr.,  Robert  Carter's 
brother-in-law,  was  the  leader  on  the  turf  in  Maryland  from  this  time  up 
to  his  death  in  1760,  and  with  his  fine  blooded  mare  Selima  contested 
successfully  against  the  famous  racing  horses  of  the  Virginians,  Colonel 
Tayloe  of  "  Mount  Airy  "  and  Colonel  Byrd  of  "  Westover."  On  June  18, 
1752,  a  company  of  comedians  from  Philadelphia,  after  playing  in  Williams- 
burg, came  to  the  Maryland  capital,  and  by  permission  of  President  Tasker 
gave  there  a  representation  of  The  Beggar  s  Opera  at  the  new  theatre. 
In  the  fall  of  this  same  year,  Hallam's  company  of  actors  from  London 
played  the  Merchant  of  Venice  in  Williamsburg  on  the  night  of  Sep- 
tember 5,  and  on  October  9,  Othello.  On  the  last  occasion,  the  "  em- 
peror," "  empress,"  and  "  prince  ''  of  the  Cherokees,  who  were  in  the 
town  on  a  visit  to  the  governor,  attended  the  performance,  and  must  have 
amused  the  Londoners  with  their  barbaric  royalty,  while  one  wonders 
what  emotions  the  Shakespearean  drama  awakened  in  the  breasts  of 
America's  dusky  aborigines.  There  was  no  orchestra  for  these  plays,  we 
are  told,  and  their  place  was  supplied  by  Peter  Pelham  with  his  harpsi- 
chord. Mr.  Pelham  was  a  son  of  the  New  England  artist  of  that  name. 
He  was  a  teacher  of  music,  played  the  organ  in  the  church,  and  was  a 
clerk  to  the  committees  of  the  house  of  burgesses,  etc.     It  is  interesting  to 


IlS  ROBERT    CARTER   OF  VIRGINIA 

note  that  he  was  the  ancestor  of  Major  John  Pelham  of  Alabama,  the 
boy  artillerist  of  the  southern  confederacy,  who  died  so  gallantly  at  his 
guns  in  the  spring  of  1863. 

The  Rev.  Thomas  Bacon,  a  prominent  figure  in  Maryland  history — 
clergyman,  amateur  musician,  and  compiler  of  the  laws  of  the  province — 
was  raising  funds  about  this  time  for  his  charity  school  in  Talbot  county, 
and  interesting  Virginians  as  well  as  Marylanders  in  his  benevolent  scheme. 
A  "  concert  of  music  "  was  held  in  the  college  hall  at  Williamsburg  for 
the  benefit  of  this  school,  in  1752,  at  which  doubtless  Peter  Pelham  gave 
his  services,  and  the  Rev.  Thomas  may  have  played  on  his  violin  or 
violoncello.  Robert  Carter,  who  was  very  musical,  playing  upon  several 
instruments,  was  a  friend  of  Mr.  Pelham's,  and  knew  also  the  Rev. 
Thomas  Bacon.  A  brother  of  the  latter,  Mr.,  afterward  Sir  Anthony 
Bacon,  a  London  merchant,  whose  ships  traded  with  Maryland  and  Vir- 
ginia, was  one  of  Robert  Carter's  English  correspondents.  A  "  concert  of 
music  "  was  given  in  the  college  hall  for  the  benefit  of  the  Talbot  school, 
in  1754,  also,  and  among  the  Virginia  subscribers  to  the  enterprise  of  this 
time  is  found  the  name  of  one  of  the  Carter  family. 

There  are  no  notices  in  Robert  Carter's  books  for  1752-1755,  beyond 
brief  and  business-like  statements  of  tobacco  shipments  to  merchants  in 
Edinburgh,  London,  and  Liverpool.  On  the  theatre  of  public  affairs 
everything  was  tending  toward  war  with  France.  In  1754,  the  year  of 
Robert  Carter's  marriage,  two  events  are  noticeable — Colonel  Washington's 
military  experiences  at  Great  Meadows  and  Fort  Necessity,  and  the  meet- 
ing of  the  Albany  congress,  where  the  Hon.  Benjamin  Tasker  was  one  of 
the  Maryland  delegates.  General  Braddock  arrived  in  Williamsburg  in 
March,  1755,  and  went  from  there  to  visit  Annapolis.  His  defeat  followed 
in  the  western  wilderness,  but  war  was  not  openly  declared  until  1756. 
All  these  things  go  unregarded  by  the  happy  young  husband  and  busy 
planter,  who  begins  somewhat  later  to  chronicle  political  and  military 
occurrences.  Robert  Carter's  letter-books,  all  through  the  colonial  years, 
contain  long  lists  of  orders  for  household  supplies,  wearing  apparel,  medi- 
cines for  the  domestic  pharmacopoeia,  with  sometimes  a  musical  instrument, 
and  frequently  the  newest  books  and  magazines,  all  to  be  obtained  from 
the  mother  country  in  exchange  for  tobacco.  The  young  wife,  August 
30,  1756,  sends  for  a  pattern  for  a  negligee  of  silver,  with  gimp  to  trim  it; 
a  short  cloak  of  black  velvet,  lined  with  black  silk  ;  fine  cambric  shoes, 
white  kid  gloves,  and  lamb  mittens;  a  row  of  French  pearls,  an  ivory 
stick  fan,  yards  of  ribbon  of  different  shades,  a  silk  bonnet ;  two  thousand 
needles,  four   thousand   middling   pins,  and   three   thousand  short  whites. 


ROBERT   CARTER   OF   VIRGINIA  I  19 

The  master  of  the  house  sends  for  violin  strings  and  sheet  music,  and  the 
same  correspondent  is  asked  to  supply  the  family  with  white-handled 
knives,  Hyson  tea,  Congo,  and  common  bohea,  "  comon  Reasons,"  currants, 
double  refined  and  lump  sugar,  and  so  on  to  the  end  of  the  housekeeper's 
requirements.  It  became  necessary  during  the  war  with  France  to  send 
merchant  vessels  under  convoy  of  British  men-of-war.  A  fleet  loaded  with 
tobacco  and  grain  would  go  at  stated  periods  from  the  Virginia  and  Mary- 
land rivers  to  their  destined  ports  in  Great  Britain,  and  sometimes  fall  by 
the  way,  some  of  them,  into  the  enemy's  hands;  or  French  ships  in  their 
turn  would  be  captured  by  the  British  war  vessels,  as  in  the  case  narrated 
in  a  letter  of  Robert  Carter's  of  August  19,  1757.  "  Admiral  Holbourn," 
he  writes,  "  with  fourteen  ships  of  the  line,  is  arrived  at  Hallifax.  He  took 
three  prizes,  one  of  which  is  a  St.  Domingoman  richly  laden."  Robert 
Carter  goes  on  to  tell  of  other  public  news :  "  The  Pennsylvanians  have 
made  an  advantageous  peace  with  the  Delaware  Nation.  The  French 
have  laid  siege  to  Fort  William  Henry  with  an  army  of  ten  or  twelve 
thousand  men,  thirty  cannon,  and  four  mortars.  Colonel  Young  had  just 
time  to  throw  himself  into  the  place  with  fourteen  hundred  men.  It  is 
supposed  the  place  cannot  hold  out  a  fortnight."  Fort  William  Henry 
near  Lake  George  had  been  besieged  by  Montcalm  with  a  force  of  allied 
French  and  Indians,  on  the  2d  of  August.  Bancroft  says  there  were  six 
thousand  French  and  Canadians,  and  seventeen  hundred  Indians,  while  the 
fortress  contained  only  five  hundred  men,  though  seventeen  hundred  lay 
entrenched  near.  The  commander  of  the  fort,  Colonel  Monro,  capitulated 
on  the  9th  of  August,  ten  days  before  the  date  of  this  letter,  so  slowly  did 
news  travel  in  the  eighteenth  century.  In  the  following  year  Robert  Car- 
ter sent  tobacco  to  Edinburgh  in  two  vessels,  one  of  which  was  captured 
by  the  enemy. 

Colonel  Carter  was  appointed  to  the  council  in  1758,  and  his  wife's 
uncle,  Thomas  Bladen,  formerly  governor  of  Maryland,  wrote  to  announce 
the  news  to  him.  Governor  Bladen  had  been  in  England  since  1747. 
His  influence  in  high  places,  no  doubt,  helped  to  secure  this  honor  for  his 
Virginia  relative.  There  was  some  formality  to  be  complied  with  on  the 
occasion,  and  Colonel  Carter  instructs  his  London  agent — the  same  mer- 
chant who  sells  his  tobacco  and  buys  for  him  of  the  British  manufacturers 
— to  see  that  the  necessary  requirements  are  carried  out.  He  quotes 
Governor  Bladen,  who  had  written  him  on  March  4,  that  by  means  of  some 
friends  of  the  board  of  trade,  Lord  Halifax  had  caused  his  name  to  be 
put  down  and  presented  to  the  king,  "  so  that  I  may  now  wish  you  joy 
of  your  preferment,  which  I  do  with  all  my  heart."     And  Robert  Carter 


120  ROBERT   CARTER   OF   VIRGINIA 

adds :  "  You  see  by  the  above  extract  I  am  appointed  one  of  the  council 
for  Virginia.  Be  pleased  to  wait  on  Mr.  Bladen,  he  will  advise  the  mode 
of  taking  mandamuses  out  of  the  office,  and  send  it  by  the  first  king's  ship 
that  sails  for  North  America.  If  it  should  miscarry,  apply  to  the  office 
for  a  second  and  send  it  as  advised  before.  The  matter  is  of  great  con- 
sequence to  me.  I  do  rely  wholly  on  you  to  transact  the  business."  He 
then  tells  his  correspondent  to  insure  on  thirty  hogsheads  of  tobacco  by 
the  Tayloe,  which  is  to  sail  September  10  under  convoy  of  Captain  Legg, 
commander  of  the  Chesterfield  man-of-war.  The  important  piece  of  public 
news  in  this  letter  relates  to  the  Louisburg  expedition  :  "  Admiral  Bos- 
cawen  sailed  from  Hallifax  the  4th  day  of  last  month  with  twenty-four  line 
of  battle  ships,  eleven  frigates,  five  booms  and  fireships,  one  hundred  and 
twenty  transports  ;  thirteen  thousand  four  hundred  and  eighty-five  is  the 
number  of  land  forces  employed  on  the  expedition  against  Louisburg." 
He  remarks,  as  his  experience  in  the  tobacco  trade  :  "  I  have  ever  found 
Liverpool  the  worst  market  for  tobacco,  and  Virginia  the  best." 

One  of  Robert  Carter's  friends,  doubtless,  who  had  recommended  his 
appointment  to  the  council,  was  Governor  Dinwiddie,  who  had  left  Virginia 
for  England  in  January,  1758.  Only  a  fragment  of  a  letter  to  Governor 
Dinwiddie,  of  September  13,  remains  in  the  letter-book,  in  which  the 
writer  makes  the  following  quotation  before  adding  some  account  of  the 
Louisburg  affair,  and  the  expedition  against  Fort  Duquesne :  "'Men 
resemble  the  gods  in  nothing  so  much  as  in  doing  good  to  their  fellow 
creatures.'  I  have  exceeded  the  bounds  of  a  letter  but  must  trespass  on 
further  to  mention  the  reduction  of  Louisburg,  as  it  must  be  very  agree- 
able to  you  who  well  know  that  the  French  nation  cannot  be  powerful  in 
North  America  without  a  Louisburg.  The  27th  of  July  last,  Major  Farquar 
took  possession  of  the  garrison.  He  was  the  first  man  that  entered  the 
place,  Captain  Wall  the  next,  at  the  head  of  the  Royal  Grenadiers.  We 
have  killed  of  the  French  in  the  siege  upward  of  fifteen  hundred,  and  our 
loss  in  all  is  not  above  three  hundred.  By  a  letter  from  an  officer  in  the 
expedition  against  Fort  du  Quesne,  the  army  will  march  from  Ray's  Town 
for  A.  in  few  daies.  He  makes  the  distance  to  be  ninety  miles.  List  of 
Troops  employed  in  the  expedition  : 

350  Royal  Americans,  4  companies, 
1,200  Highlanders,  13  ditto, 
2,600  Virginians, 
2,700  Pennsylvanians, 
1,000  Waggoners, 
7,850  800  deducted  to  garrison  the  Forts. 


ROBERT   CARTER   OF   VIRGINIA  121 

"  Mrs.  Carter  joins  with  me  in  our  compliments  to  Mrs.  Dinwiddie  and 
the  young  ladies." 

This  letter  was  enclosed  in  one  to  Thomas  Bladen  and  left  open  for  his 
perusal.  "You  will  have  therein,"  writes  Colonel  Carter,  "  an  imperfect 
account  of  the  surrender  of  Louisburg,  and  the  troops  appointed  for  the 
expedition  against  Fort  du  Quesne." 

"  The  French  nation  cannot  be  powerful  in  North  America  without  a 
Louisburg,"  wrote  Robert  Carter.  This  celebrated  fortress,  built- for  the 
defense  of  the  harbor  of  the  gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  and  commanding 
the  chief  entrance  to  Canada,  had  now  fallen  for  the  second  time  into  the 
hands  of  the  English.  Its  defenses,  planned  by  the  most  eminent  engi- 
neers, at  a  cost  of  thirty  million  livres,  were  deemed  impregnable.  Yet  in 
1745  it  surrendered  to  the  assault  of  New  England  militia,  supported  by 
a  British  blockading  fleet,  and  after  reverting  again  to  France  it  succumbed 
in  1758  to  the  English-speaking  foe,  making  the  prelude  to  the  conquest 
of  Canada.  On  this  occasion  James  Wolfe,  Richard  Montgomery,  and 
Isaac  Barre  are  first  met  with  in  American  annals.  It  is  curious  to  observe 
the  discrepancies  in  the  estimation  of  the  forces  engaged  in  this  siege, 
and  in  the  earlier  Louisburg  affair,  by  writers  of  the  two  nationalities, 
even  to  the  present  day.  Francis  Parkman,  an  American  authority,  com- 
putes the  New  Englanders  in  1754  at  four  thousand  men,  while  the  garri- 
son of  the  French  consisted  of  five  hundred  and  sixty  regular  troops  and 
thirteen  or  fourteen  hundred  militia.  In  1758,  according  to  Bancroft,  the 
attacking  forces  consisted  of  ten  thousand  men,  and  the  fleet  numbered 
twenty-two  ships  of  the  line  and  fifteen  frigates,  while  the  French  had  five 
ships  of  the  line  and  four  frigates ;  and  when  the  garrison  capitulated  five 
thousand  six  hundred  and  thirty-seven  men,  including  sailors  and  marines^ 
were  made  prisoners  of  war  and  sent  to  England.  Directly  contradicting 
these  figures  are  the  statements  of  the  assistant  archivist  at  Ottawa,  Mr. 
Joseph  Marmette,  who  voices  the  Frenchman's  view  of  the  matter  when 
he  writes,  in  his  report  for  1887,  that  Louisburg  was  defended  by  only 
thirteen  hundred  men,  and  surrendered  after  a  siege  of  forty-seven  days, 
in  1745,  "to  an  army  of  thirteen  thousand  assailants;  whereas  in  1758  the 
capital  of  He  Royale,  with  barely  seven  thousand  defenders — including 
seamen  from  the  warships  kept  in  port  on  his  own  responsibility  by  De 
Drucour,  the  governor — made  a  glorious  resistance  of  fifty-four  days,  but 
succumbed  at  length  to  the  overwhelming  force  of  some  forty  thousand 
men  under  General  Wolfe."  In  the  expedition  against  Fort  Duquesne 
the  force  of  the  English  and  Americans  as  put  down  in  this  contem- 
porary letter  agrees  very  nearly  with  that  given  by  Bancroft,  except  that 


12 2  ROBERT   CARTER   OF   VIRGINIA 

the  latter  estimates  the  Virginians  at  nineteen  hundred  men  instead  of 
two  thousand  six  hundred.  The  Virginia  troops,  of  which  Washington 
was  commander-in-chief,  consisted  of  two  regiments,  of  one  thousand  men 
each,  according  to  Washington's  biographers. 

The  war  was  beginning  to  affect  the  fortunes  of  the  Virginia  planters 
in  1758,  and  Robert  Carter  writes  to  a  London  creditor:  "  I  have  experi- 
enced that  the  produce  of  my  land  and  negroes  will  scarce  pay  the 
demand  requisite  to  keep  them.  I  have  sold  part  to  sink  the  debts 
due  against  me,  but  the  purchasers  that  took  them  cannot  discharge  their 
bonds."  To  another  correspondent  he  says :  "  The  vast  tax  our  estates 
have  been  burdened  with  since  the  beginning  of  the  present  war  prevented 
my  making  you  a  remittance  before  this  date."  He  sends  on  nine  hogs- 
heads of  tobacco,  and  adds  :  "  The  present  great  demand  for  tobacco 
obliged  the  buyers  to  give  great  prices.  The  small  crop  that  will  be  made 
this  year  in  Virginia  and  Maryland,  and  the  disturbances  in  Germany, 
must  occasion  tobacco  to  be  exceeding  valuable."  This  prospect  for  a 
poor  tobacco  crop  caused  the  assembly  to  pass  the  famous  "  two-penny 
act,"  similar  to  one  passed  in  1755,  rating  tobacco  at  two  pence  per  pound, 
and  allowing  tobacco  dues  to  be  paid  in  money  at  this  valuation.  It  bore 
hardly  upon  the  clergy  who  by  contract  should  receive  their  salaries  in 
tobacco,  sixteen  thousand  pounds  yearly,  whether  it  was  scarce  or  plenti- 
ful. In  the  litigation  that  followed  between  rectors  and  their  parishes,  as 
the  king  had  pronounced  his  veto  against  the  act,  to  uphold  it  was  to 
espouse  the  side  of  the  people  apparently  against  the  royal  prerogative. 
But  Robert  Carter,  as  one  of  the  council  sitting  as  a  general  court,  testi- 
fied his  belief  in  the  justice  of  the  clergyman's  right  to  his  lawful  salary 
when  he  voted  in  1764,  in  the  minority,  in  the  case  which  then  came  up 
before  him.  The  Virginia  council,  which  at  this  time  consisted  of  John 
Blair,  John  Taylor,  William  Byrd,  Presley  Thornton,  Robert  Burwell, 
Philip  Ludwell  Lee,  Thomas  and  William  Nelson,  with  Robert  Carter,  as 
Bancroft  observes,  possessed  much  influence  in  the  colony  "  by  its  weight 
of  personal  character."  Making  their  home  in  Williamsburg  for  the 
greater  part  of  the  year,  the  members  of  the  council  and  their  families 
formed  an  important  element  in  its  society.  The  Rev.  Andrew  Burnaby, 
an  Englishman  traveling  in  Virginia  in  1759,  describes  Williamsburg  as 
having  only  some  ten  or  twelve  "  gentlemen's  families  "  constantly  resid- 
ing in  the  town,  "  besides  merchants  and  tradesmen."  But  when  the 
assembly  was  in  session,  and  during  the  seasons  when  the  general  court 
met,  it  was  crowded  with  "  the  gentry  of  the  county,"  and  balls  and  other 
amusements  made  the  little  caipital  very  gay. 


ROBERT   CARTER   OF   VIRGINIA  123 

Tobacco  was  more  plentiful  with  the  planters  in  1759;  the  crop 
"exceeding  any  in  quantity  ever  grown  by  us,"  writes  Robert  Carter. 
He  sends  eighty-eight  hogsheads  to  London  in  July,  1760,  the  ship  con- 
taining them  sailing  from  Urbana,  on  the  Rappahannock  river,  with 
twenty-two  men  and  fourteen  cannon  to  defend  her  against  the  enemy. 
Colonel  Carter  frequently  invests  in  lottery  tickets  in  these  years,  ordering 
his  merchants  in  London  to  buy  a  ticket  in  the  state  lottery  as  he  hears 
of  one  from  time  to  time.  But  as  was  to  be  expected  he  has  occasion  to 
lament  his  "  ill-fortune/'  though  it  does  not  discourage  future  ventures. 
In  May,  1761,  Robert  Carter  sends  over  to  England  twenty  hogsheads  of 
tobacco  in  the  good  ship  Elizabeth,  which  "  mounts  half  a  dozen  cannon 
and  is  completely  furnished  to  keep  off  small  privateers."  At  this  time 
he  orders  from  London  "  either  of  the  monthly  magazines,  the  Monthly 
Intelligencer  as  regularly  as  opportunity  offers,  also  the  approved  pam- 
phlets and  books  that  shall  be  published  in  the  future."  The  "  approved 
pamphlets  and  books  "  would  make  a  formidable  list  at  this  day,  but  in 
1761  the  world  moved  more  slowly,  and  of  the  making  of  books  there 
was  some  end.  The  monthly  magazines  issued  in  Great  Britain  at  this 
time  were  the  Critical  Review,  the  Monthly  Reviezv,  The  Gentleman  s 
Magazine,  and  the  Royal  Magazine,  which  latter  periodical  came  out  first 
in  1759  and  continued  to  be  published  until  1771. 

In  October,  1760,  George  II.  died,  and  George  III.,  then  just  of  age, 
ascended  the  throne.  With  the  new  king,  a  new  council  was  in  order 
for  his  majesty's  colonial  dominion,  but  through  the  obliging  offices  of 
Mr.  Abercromby,  the  old  council  was  reappointed,  and  further  fees 
were  required  in  return.  "  John  Blair,  Esq  :  informs  me,"  writes  Colonel 
Carter  to  the  Messrs.  Buchanan,  merchants,  "  that  Mr.  Abercromby  solic- 
ited my  reappointment  of  the  council  here  on  the  demise  of  his  late 
Majesty.  Be  pleased  to  reimburse  the  gentleman  his  expences  for  that 
service,  also  to  pay  the  several  office  fees  for  a  mandamus."  Thomas 
Bladen,  Esq.,  Dover  street,  Piccadilly,  is  to  be  requested  to  "  assist  in 
the  performance  of  the  above  business."  To  James  Abercromby,  Esq., 
solicitor  of  Virginia  affairs  in  Craven  street,  Robert  Carter  writes  also : 

"Sir:  Your  diligence  to  serve  the  Council  here  on  the  demise  of  his 
late  Majesty  was  communicated  to  us  by  your  friend  Mr.  President  Blair, 
and  as  one  of  the  Board  I  can't  but  acknowledge  the  favor  and  kindly 
thank  you.  I  have  wrote  to  my  correspondent  to  pay  your  demand 
against,  sir,  yours, 

"  R.  Carter." 


124  ROBERT   CARTER   OF  VIRGINIA 

Benjamin  Tasker,  Jr.,  died  in  1760,  and  a  sale  of  his  racing  stud  took 
place  at  his  beautiful  estate  "  Bel  Air,"  in  Prince  George's  county,  Mary- 
land, of  which  Colonel  Carter  makes  mention  in  the  following  letter: 

"  Virginia,  Williamsburg,/^  7^  5,  1761. 
"  To  Thomas  Bladen,  Esq:   in  Albemarle  Street,  Piccadilly,  London: 

"  My  last  letter  to  you,  I  imagine,  miscarried,  as  my  others  did,  for  sev- 
eral of  the  late  ships  from  the  province  of  Maryland  and  from  this  colony 
were  carried  into  French  ports.  I  parted  with  your  friends  at  Annapolis 
the  25th  of  last  month  on  my  return  from  the  sale  at  Bell-Air.  The  stud 
of  running  horses  sold  for  eleven  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  sterling. 
Selima  with  six  of  her  last  colts  sold  for  seven  hundred  and  forty  pounds 
sterling.  Her  descendants  are  ever  successful  when  allowed  to  start.  I 
have  lately  exchanged  my  country  house  for  one  in  the  city.  I  should 
rather  say  (to  a  resident  in  England)  my  desert  for  a  well-inhabited  coun- 
try. This  remove  obliges  me  totally  to  decline  the  fashionable  amuse- 
ment, and  at  present  I  can't  command  one  thing  qualified  for  the  turf. 

"  General  Amherst,  with  seven  thousand  troops,  has  sailed  on  a  secret 
expedition.  Our  regiment  of  a  thousand  men  [illegible],  the  campaign  in 
conjunction  with  five  hundred  North  Carolina  troops  and  some  regulars, 
commanded  by  Colonel  Grant,  to  chastise  the  treacherous  Cherokee 
Indians.  Your  friend  Governor  Fanquier  often  inquires  about  you  and 
the  ladies,  to  whom  I  desire  my  compliments." 

Robert  Carter  was  furnishing  his  house  "  in  the  city  "  at  this  time,  and 
he  sends  for  paper  "  to  hang  three  parlours,  round  the  four  sides  of  one 
parlour  measures  fifty-five  feet,  from  the  floor  to  the  ceiling  eleven  feet." 
For  the  first  parlor  he  wants  a  good  paper  of  a  crimson  color  ;  for  the 
second  parlor  a  better  paper,  a  white  ground  with  large  green  leaves.  The 
third  parlor  is  to  have  the  best  paper,  a  blue  ground  with  large  yellow 
flowers.  Measurements  are  given  also  for  the  papering  of  a  staircase  and 
two  passages.  Three  pairs  of  yellow  silk  and  worsted  damask  festoon 
window  curtains  are  required  "  for  a  room  ten  feet  pitch,"  and  yellow  silk 
and  worsted  damask  for  the  seats  of  eighteen  chairs.  A  mirror  four  feet 
by  six  and  a  half,  "  the  glass  to  be  in  many  pieces  agreeable  to  the  present 
fashion  ;  "  three  marble  hearth  slabs,  four  feet  by  eighteen  inches,  "  to  be 
wrought  very  thin,  and  good  polish ; "  four  large  best  wrought  brass 
sconces  ;  two  glass  globes  for  candles  to  light  a  staircase,  and  a  Wilton 
carpet  are  the  principal  articles  enumerated.  Colonel  Carter's  house, 
which  was  near  the  governor's  palace,  was  to  be  further  embellished  by 


ROBERT   CARTER   OF   VIRGINIA  125 

additions  to  his  table  service  and  plate.  Within  the  ten  years  that  follow, 
from  1761  to  1771,  orders  are  sent  to  London  for  a  mahogany  tea  chest, 
the  mounting  to  be  of  silver,  also  the  canisters  and  sugar  dish  ;  a  silver 
bowl  to  hold  one  pint,  not  wrought ;  a  silver  coffee-pot  "  to  hold  five 
dishes,"  not  wrought  ;  a  silver  spoon  to  take  up  melted  butter  or  gravy 
out  of  a  sauce  boat,  "  the  bowl  to  be  round  and  fluted,  the  handle  bent  to 
take  sauce  out  of  the  boat  conveniently  ;  "  two  silver  gravy  spoons  ;  a  set 
of  silver  teaspoons,  a  dozen  silver  dessert  spoons,  and  as  many  silver  table- 
spoons ;  a  silver  pepper  box  ;  a  silver  drinking  cup  and  cover,  "  to  contain 
one  pottle,"  to  cost  about  twenty-five  pounds  ;  a  silver  cross  to  set  a  salad 
centre-dish,  "  or  any  other  figure  that  be  more  convenient,"  and  two  silver 
salvers  eleven  inches  in  diameter.  This  plate  is  to  be  marked  with  the 
Carter  crest,  which  is  thus  described :  "  A  Talbot  sejeant  upon  a  wreath, 
resting  his  dexter  paw  upon  an  escutcheon  containing  a  Catherine  wheel." 
At  one  time  two  drinking  cups  are  ordered,  of  blue  and  white  china,  "  to 
hold  five  pints,"  and  six  mother-of-pearl  mustard  spoons. 

The  library  of  the  Virginia  councillor  received  various  accessions  in 
these  years.  In  1761  he  sent  for  Tristram  Shandy,  which  was  then  coming 
out,  the  third  and  fourth  volumes  appearing  just  at  this  time.  Churchill's 
Rosciad  is  also  one  of  the  new  books  of  the  year  which  Robert  Carter 
orders,  and  to  these  he  adds  Fenelon's  Dialogues  of  the  Dead,  and  four 
magazines.  He  says  to  his  London  merchant  at  this  time :  "  You  make 
no  charge.  The  trouble  alone  in  culling,  collecting,  and  forwarding  such 
entertainment  in  my  opinion  is  very  great.  If  you  will  allow  me  to  pay 
for  the  performance  in  the  literati  way,  I  desire  you  will  continue  to  send 
them,  and  particularly  the  political  pamphlets."  In  1765  he  buys  school- 
books,  "  two  new  grammars  of  the  Latin  tongue,"  JEsofts  Fables,  two 
copies  of  Cornelius  Nepos,  an  English  grammar  and  dictionary  ;  also  Bibles 
and  Prayer  Books.  The  following  memorandum  goes  to  his  merchant  in 
1767  :  "  The  latest  folio  edition  of  S.  Johnston's  Dictionary  of  the  English 
Language.  But  if  there  hath  been  published  a  work  on  the  same  plan  by 
another  person  which  is  in  higher  estimation  than  S.  Johnston's  dictionary, 
then  send  that  work  and  do  not  send  Johnston's.'  Other  orders  for  this 
year  are  A  Course  of  Lectures  on  Elocution,  by  Thomas  Sheridan;  British 
Education,  by  the  same  writer  ;  Blackstone's  Commentaries  on  the  Laws  of 
England ;  and  "  The  Critical  Reviews  to  be  sent  monthly,  as  they  shall  be 
published,  from  the  date  of  this  letter."  In  the  following  year  Colonel 
Carter  writes  for  Dr.  Lowther's  Introduction  to  Grammar,  and  Mr, 
Hoadleys  Accidence ;  while  in  1770  a  long  list  of  books  is  forwarded  to 
London,  including  various  law  books,  the  fifteenth  edition  of  The  Compleat 


126  ROBERT   CARTER   OF  VIRGINIA 

Parish  Officer,  Dr.  Smith's  Harmonicks,  Hume's  Complete  Works,  Bailey's 
Universal  Etymological  Dictionary,  the  Theatre  of  Mirtli,  the  Universal 
Magazine  of  Knowledge  and  Pleasure,  to  be  "  sent  monthly  as  it  shall  be 
published,"  and  a  translation  of  Dr.  Isaac  Newton's  Universal  Arithmctick, 
also  North's  Examen  of  the  Reign  of  King  Charles  II  A  knowledge  of 
law  was  required  by  a  member  of  the  general  court,  and  so  Robert  Carter, 
while  sending  for  Blackstone,  reports  of  cases,  etc.,  wishes  to  obtain  also 
"  the  latest  exposition  of  the  law  terms,  if  there  be  any  impression  since 
the  year  1708,  and  an  explanation  of  abbreviations  used  in  law  books." 
The  following  are  some  of  the  books  ordered  by  him  in  1 771-1773  :  Julius 
Bates's  Hebrew-English  Dictionary,  Bentley's  Horace,  Wells's  Geography  of 
the  Old  Testament,  Calmet's  Dictionary,  the  third  and  fourth  volumes  of 
Blackstone's  Commentaries,  the  Works  of  Lord  Karnes,  The  Elements  of 
Heraldry,  the  three  volumes  of  Ferguson's  Astronomy,  Lectures,  Fables, 
and  Tracts,  Chambers  on  Architecture,  Harris's  Justinian,  Joseph  Priestley's 
Works,  The  Whole  Duty  of  Man,  Dr.  Burney's  Present  State  of  Music  in 
France  and  Italy,  Principles  of  Harmony,  the  latest  Treatise  or  Instruction  in 
Psalmody,  and  A  Collection  of  Statutes  relating  to  the  Admiralty,  for  the 
Use  of  the  Navy,  printed  in  the  year  1768,  by  Bashnett,  London— a  suffi- 
ciently miscellaneous  collection,  it  will  be  seen.  These  titles  show  Colonel 
Carter's  wide  reading,  and  are  instructive  as  affording  a  glimpse  of  a 
Virginia  gentleman's  library  at  this  period. 

From  the  wearing  apparel  which  was  to  be  bought  for  them  in  London 
we  may  picture  the  appearance  of  the  councillor's  family  in  all  the  quaint 
bravery  of  eighteenth  century  fashions.  The  mistress  of  the  house  with 
her  "  sack  if  worn  " — for  we  may  be  a  little  behind  the  times,  thinks  the 
good  lady,  in  our  far-off  Virginia — "  if  not  fashionable,  a  fashionable  undress 
to  cost  fifteen  pounds  sterling,"  a  cap,  handkerchief,  and  ruffles  of  "  some- 
thing slight  to  wear  with  the  clothes,"  a  slight  genteel  cloak  and  hat  for 
the  summer,  a  pair  of  straw-colored  satin  shoes,  and  white  gloves  or  mit- 
tens— for  both  are  worn,  and  six  pairs  of  each  are  ordered — thus  prepares 
herself  in  the  fall  of  1761  for  the  summer  season  following.  A  yellow  silk 
bonnet  goes  with  the  former  attire;  and  a  green  sarcenet  quilted  coat,  with 
green  silk  bonnet  trimmed  with  brown  lace,  and  a  silk  handkerchief  to 
wear  with  it,  black  velvet  shoes,  white  lamb  gloves,  and  colored  mittens, 
a  cap,  handkerchief,  tucker,  ruffles,  and  apron  of  lace  set  on  plain  muslin, 
to  cost  ten  pounds,  make  up  the  important  items  of  the  winter  costume. 
The  caps  worn  are  of  two  kinds,  a  "  muslin  dressed  mob  "  and  a  "  round 
eared  cap  dressed  with  ribbon."  The  little  boys  of  six  and  eight  years 
old  we  may  see  before  us  in  their  coats  with  gilt  buttons,  breeches,  silver 


ROBERT   CARTER   OF   VIRGINIA  1 27 

laced  hats,  and  shoe  and  knee  buckles.  As  to  the  little  girls,  we  must 
fancy  them  at  four,  and  two  and  a  half,  in  long  lawn  frocks,  stays,  red 
morocco  shoes,  and  lamb  mittens.  French  fillets,  or  bands  for  the  hair, 
colored  silk  bonnets,  silk  "  neckatees,"  colored  silk  shag  capuchins  to  be 
lined  with  sarcenet  (a  kind  of  silk),  fans,  red  glass  necklaces,  and  both 
silk  and  red  leather  shoes  are  ordered  for  the  little  sisters  Priscilla  and 
Ann,  while  Priscilla  has  in  addition  a  "  whisk,"  that  is  a  tippet  or  cape. 
How  the  councillor  himself  looked  when  in  gala  dress  we  may  gather 
through  the  following  letter  to  his  London  "  taylor,"  written  in  the  spring 
of  1765  :  "The  clothes/'  he  says,  "you  sent  my  neighbor  George  Wythe 
fitted  him  much  better  than  my  last  suit  did  me.  My  size  and  shape  of 
body  resemble  Captain  William  Fanquier  of  the  Guards.  Be  pleased  to 
make  me  a  French  frock,  a  waistcoat  and  two  pairs  of  breeches  of  scarlet 
cloth,  the  waistcoat  to  be  lined  with  silk  of  the  same  color,  the  coat  to 
have  no  lining,  and  the  pockets  to  be  made  of  scarlet  cloth.  The  button- 
holes of  the  suit  of  clothes  to  be  embroidered  with  gold,  and  handsome 
double  gilded  buttons."  Captain  Fanquier  sailed  from  Williamsburg  for 
London  about  this  time.  Colonel  Carter  was  intimate  with  the  governor 
and  his  family,  Mrs.  Fanquier  standing  sponsor  for  the  little  Ann  at  her 
baptism  in  1762. 

In  the  spring  of  1764  Robert  Carter  speaks  of  buying  a  little  place 
near  Williamsburg,  from  which  to  supply  himself  with  "  the  articles  to  be 
obtained  in  good  markets."  He  laments  the  custom  of  each  family  having 
a  little  farm  for  this  purpose,  as  barring  every  attempt  toward  improving 
the  markets,  but  is  forced  to  follow  the  example  of  his  neighbors.  The 
town  is  entertained  at  this  time  by  the  account  Mr.  Pelham  gives  of  a  new 
instrument  he  has  heard  in  Philadelphia,  where  he  stopped  on  his  way 
home  from  a  visit  to  New  York.  This  was  the  "  Armonica,"  and  the  per- 
former was  no  other  than  "  Mr.  B.  Franklin  of  Philadelphia."  Colonel 
Carter  writes  to  a  London  correspondent  :  "  The  instrument  pleased  Pel- 
ham  amazingly,  and  by  his  advice  I  now  apply  to  you  to  send  me  an 
Armonica  (as  played  on  by  Miss  Davies  at  the  great  room  in  Spring 
Garden),  being  the  musical  glasses  without  water,  framed  into  a  complete 
instrument,  capable  of  thorough  bass,  and  never  out  of  tune.  Charles 
James  of  Purpoole  [?]  Lane,  near  Gray's  Inn,  London,  is  the  only  maker 
of  the  Armonica  in  England.  Let  the  glasses  be  clear  crystal  and  not 
stained,  for  whatever  distinction  of  color  may  be  thought  necessary  to 
facilitate  the  performance  may  be  made  here.  The  greatest  accuracy 
imaginable  must  be  observed  in  tuning  the  instrument,  and  directions  pro- 
cured for  grinding  the  glasses.     They  must  be  packed  with  great  care,  for 


128  ROBERT   CARTER    OF   VIRGINIA 

if  a  glass  should  be  broke  the  instrument  will  be  rendered  useless  until  the 
accident  could  be  repaired  from  London.  The  case  or  frame  in  which  the 
instrument  is  fixed  is  to  be  made  of  black  walnut."  The  harmonica  was 
invented  by  Benjamin  Franklin,  though  it  seems  it  was  to  be  procured 
only  in  England,  and  the  special  instrument  ordered  by  the  music-loving 
councillor  arrived  safely  and  proved  durable,  for  it  may  still  be  seen  in  its 
venerable  black  walnut  case. 

Lord  Adam  Gordon  passed  through  Virginia  in  the  summer  of  1765, 
as  we  learn  from  Robert  Carter's  letters.  While  in  Williamsburg  Colonel 
Tayloe  of  "  Mount  Airy  "  was  appointed  to  attend  him  in  his  travels 
through  the  colony.  He  was  returning  from  Jamaica,  to  which  place  he 
had  carried  out  the  regiment  of  which  he  was  the  colonel,  in  1762.  Not 
content  with  his  harmonica,  Colonel  Carter  sends  for  a  German  flute, 
about  this  time,  with  a  book  to  instruct  him  in  this  instrument,  also  two 
small  flutes.  He  visits  Annapolis  in  July,  1766,  and  writes  to  Thomas 
Bladen,  Esq.,  on  his  return  to  Williamsburg,  giving  him  news  of  his  relatives 
there.  "  Miss  M.  Ogle  is  pretty,"  he  adds,  "  and  your  niece  (miss's  mama) 
has  consented  that  Mr.  I.  Anderson  jun.,  should  write  a  letter  to  his 
father  (who  resides  in  London)  requesting  his  permission  to  marry  miss. 
So  that  I  believe  you  will  see  her  shortly  at  your  house  in  Albemarle 
street."  Robert  Carter  fills  up  the  rest  of  his  letter  with  an  account  of  a 
tragic  affair  which  had  lately  happened  in  the  colony,  and  in  which,  as 
a  member  of  the  general  court,  he  has  a  professional  interest.  It  affords  a 
curious  glimpse  of  the  manners  of  the  age,  when  "Presbyterian  fellow" 
was  a  term  of  opprobrium,  it  seems,  in  Church  of  England  Virginia.  Here 
is  the  narration  in  Colonel  Carter's  words  :  "  Mr.  Routledge  and  some 
of  his  acquaintance  met  pretty  early  in  the  morning  of  the  third  day  of 
last  month  at  an  inn  in  Cumberland  county,  and  they  were  joined  the 
evening  following  by  Colonel  I.  Chiswell,  and  Colonel  C 11,  after  pass- 
ing some  time  with  the  company,  began  to  be  very  liberal  of  oaths  in  con. 

versation,  upon  which   Rut ge  who  was  a  friend  of  C 11  signified 

his  displeasure  ;  at  which  rebuke  C.  called  R.  a  fugitive  rebel,  a  villain 
who  came  to  Virginia  to  cheat  and  to  defraud  men  of  their  property,  and  a 
Presbyterian  fellow.  Upon  which  R.  threw  a  glass  of  wine  at  him,  and 
C.  in  return  attempted  to  throw  a  bowl,  a  candlestick  and  a  pair  of  tongs 
at  R.,  but  some  of  the  company  interposed.  C.  ordered  his  servant  to  go 
into  another  house  and  bring  to  him  his  sword,  and  the  servant  gave  it  to 
him  in  a  shed-room  adjoining  to  the  room  where  the  company  was  sitting. 
Then  C.  reentered  the  room,  and  one  of  the  company  attempted  to  take 
the  sword  from  him,  but  he  did  not  succeed.     C.  thus   armed   ordered    R. 


ROBERT   CARTER   OF   VIRGINIA  1 29 

to  go  out  of  the  company,  and  swore  if  he  stayed  there  he,  C,  would  kill 
him.  But  R.  did  not  go,  and  C.  stabbed  him  through  the  heart  across  the 
table.  It  has  been  said  that  C.  was  sober,  and  that  R.  was  not  sober. 
The  jury  of  inquiry  before  the  coroner  found  that  Robert  Routledge  was 
killed  by  a  sword  in  C.'s  hand,  and  the  examining  court  ordered  that  he, 
C,  should  be  carried  to  the  public  gaol,  to  be  legally  tried  there  (for  the 
county  courts  have  not  cognizance  of  white  people  under  criminal  prosecu- 
tion), and  they  refused  to  admit  C.  to  bail  upon  a  motion  made  by  his 
attorney.  John  Blair,  W.  Byrd,  P.  Thornton,  Esqs.  (three  gentlemen  of  the 
council)  did  admit  him,  C,  to  bail  (out  of  session)  upon  examining  two 
persons  who  were  present  at  the  examining  court  who  exculpated  C.  and 
blamed  the  deceased  R.  The- contrariety  of  opinion  as  to  the  fact  is  very 
alarming,  but  I  hope  the  whole  truth  will  come  out  at  the  future  trial. 
I  shall  neither  applaud  nor  censure  my  brethren's  act  in  the  case  just 
now.  But  the  only  point  I  beg  leave  to  examine  is,  whether  their  bailing 
was  legal  or  not." 

This  Colonel  Chiswell  was  the  son  of  Colonel  Charles  Chiswell,  the 
proprietor  of  the  mines  near  Germanna,  visited  by  William  Byrd  in  1732. 
The  Colonel  Byrd  of  1766  was  a  son  of  the  gentleman  who  was  entertained 
by  the  Chiswells  in  his  "  Progress  to  the  Mines,"  and  therefore  very 
naturally  wished  to  befriend  the  slayer  of  Mr.  Routledge.  The  latter 
did  not,  apparently,  hold  the  same  social  position  as  his  antagonist,  and 
this  fact,  probably,  had  its  effect  upon  John  Blair  and  the  other  gentlemen 
who  sought  to  vindicate,  in  Colonel  Chiswell,  one  of  their  order.  How- 
ever, popular  sentiment  was  against  Chiswell,  who  after  his  indictment 
committed  suicide  in  prison.  He  was  connected  by  marriage  with  John 
Robinson,  who  had  been  both  speaker  and  treasurer  of  the  house  of  bur- 
gesses, and  who  is  alluded  to  in  the  following  letter  from  Robert  Carter 
of  November  20,  1766.     He  writes  to  Edward  Hunt  and  son,  London  : 

"  The  legislature  of  this  province  are  now  met,  and  the  burgesses  have 
chosen  Peyton  Randolph,  Esq.,  for  their  speaker,  who  succeeds  John 
Robinson,  Esq.,  deceased  in  that  office.  But  they  have  resolved  that  the 
offices  of  speaker  and  treasurer  shall  not  be  united  in  the  same  person,  and 
they  have  nominated  Robert  Carter  Nicholas  treasurer.  The  separation  of 
these  offices  hath  created  an  expense  on  the  people  in  the  province,  for  the 
burgesses  have  resolved  to  pay  yearly  to  Peyton  Randolph,  Esq.,  the  sum 
of  five  hundred  pounds  sterling  for  his  care  and  trouble  to  discharge  the 
speaker's  office.  The  burgesses  believe  that  the  salary  which  they  have 
annexed  to  the  chair  will  induce  the  speaker  to  vacate  the  office  of  king's 
attorney.     And  if  he  should  I  hope  you  will  assist  to  have  my  townsman 

Vol.  XXX. -No.  3.-9 


130  ROBERT   CARTER   OF   VIRGINIA 

Mr.  George  Wythe  appointed  to  it.  He  is  a  member  of  the  house  of  bur- 
gesses, a  zealous  advocate  of  government,  a  prevailing  speaker,  an  able 
lawyer  and  a  worthy  man." 

In  April,  1767,  Colonel  Carter  writes  to  merchants  in  the  island  of 
Madeira,  as  he  hears  of  the  scarceness  of  bread  there,  sending  them  a 
quantity  of  corn  and  some  wheat,  to  be  exchanged  for  their  very  best 
wines,  one-third  to  be  put  in  pipes,  one-third  in  hogsheads,  and  the 
remainder  in  casks.  Two  pipes  of  the  wine  he  will  reserve  for  his  own 
use,  and  he  wants  also  one  hogshead  of  richest  "  Malmsey  Madeira."  He 
adds  :  "  By  this  conveyance  I  send  a  negro  woman,  Mary  Anne,  to  be 
exchanged  for  bullion  or  Madeira  wine.  I  do  prefer  the  former  if  it  should 
be  attended  with  some  loss.  She  is  banished  for  cruelly  beating  one  of 
my  children.  She  was  reared  in  my  nursery  and  is  a  good  seamstress." 
Robert  Carter  had  chartered  the  ship  Peggy  to  carry  eight  thousand  two 
hundred  and  seventy-two  bushels  of  grain  to  Madeira.  The  wines  to  be 
obtained  in  exchange  were  most  of  them  to  be  sold  to  Beverly  Robinson 
of  New  York,  at  which  port  the  ship  would  stop  first  on  its  return.  The 
wines  that  were  brought  to  Virginia  were  to  be  landed  at  the  College  land- 
ing, Williamsburg,  to  be  deposited  in  Colonel  Carter's  cellars  there. 

Mrs.  Carter,  who  appeared  at  the  palace  entertainments,  in  1767,  in  "  a 
suit,"  cap,  handkerchief,  tucker  and  pair  of  ruffles,  made  of  muslin,  "  laced 
with  Brussels  point,"  costing  about  twenty-two  pounds  sterling,  and  a  neg- 
ligee petticoat  of  slight  buff-colored  lutestring,  trimmed  with  silk  of  the 
same,  and  white  satin  shoes,  went  into  mourning  on  the  death  of  her 
father,  President  Tasker,  the  following  year,  and  ordered  from  London  the 
following  articles :  black  satin  cloak  to  be  lined  with  black,  black  satin 
bonnet,  black  quilted  petticoat,  black  silk  net  gloves,  black  lace  hood  and 
handkerchief,  with  two  black  feathers  to  wear  on  the  head.  Or  perhaps 
this  was  court  mourning  for  Governor  Fanquier  who  died  also  in  1768. 
He  had  been  ill  for  nearly  a  year,  we  may  infer  from  one  of  Colonel  Car- 
ter's letters,  and  his  death  on  the  7th  of  March,  1768,  is  thus  announced 
to  Thomas  Bladen  and  Sir  Jeffrey  Amherst : 

"  Williamsburg,  9th  March,  1768.  . 
"  Dear  Sir  :  The  body  of  the  honorable  Francis  Fanquier,  Esq :  late 
Governor  of  this  Colony,  was  interred  yesterday.  The  latter  part  of  his 
existence  was  embittered  with  numerous  and  painful  infirmities,  yet  no 
sigh  or  complaint  issued  from  his  lips.  During  his  administration  every 
royal  order  which  his  sovereign  caused  to  be  transmitted  here  was  spirit- 
uously  and  diligently  enforced.     He  was  vigilant  in  government,  moderate 


ROBERT   CARTER   OF   VIRGINIA  131 

in   power,    and   merciful  where   the   rigor   of  justice   could   be   dispensed 
with. 

"John  Blair,  Esq:  now  commands  in  chief.  He  is  president  of  his 
Majesty's  Council,  and  I  believe  is  disposed  to  govern  on  principles  which 
his  late  predecessor  adopted.  But  as  the  office  is  pretty  lucrative,  I  imag- 
ine that  the  present  possessor  will  enjoy  it  for  a  few  months  only,  and 
that  one  of  your  acquaintance  will  be  appointed  to  this  vacancy.  If  that 
should  be  the  case,  be  pleased  to  notify  that  circumstance  that  I  may 
serve  him  as  I  would  yourself,  for  my  happiness  depends  upon  the  peace, 
contentment,  and  prosperity  of  yourself  and  family  connection. 

"  I  should  be  glad  to  know  who  were  the  candidates  for  this  office  ;  trre 
stipulated  terms  betwixt  Sir  Jeffrey  Amherst  (who  has  his  Majesty's  com- 
mission for  this  government)  and  the  successful  gentleman,  his  character, 
family  and  party. 

"  I  should  be  sorry  if  any  person  had  a  higher  sense  of  past  services 
than  myself.  I  have  not  forgotten  one  moment,  and  hope  never  shall,  the 
personal  favors  thou  hast  honored  me  with. 

"Your  niece  has  seven  children.    She  joins  me  in  my  sincerest  respects 
to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bladen  and  affection  to  their  son  and  daughters. 
"  I  am,  dear  sir, 

"  Your  most  faithful,  obedient,  humble  servant, 

"  Robt.  Carter. 
"To  THOS.  Bladen,  Esq:  in  Albemarle  Street,  Piccadilly." 

"  March  9. 

"  SIR  :  The  remains  of  our  late  Lieutenant-Governor  F.  Fanquier,  Esq., 
were  interred  yesterday.  His  burial  was  not  pompous,  for  his  last  tes- 
tament directs  that  the  ceremony  should  be  performed  with  as  little 
expense  as  decency  can  possibly  permit,  he  believing  that  the  present 
mode  of  funeral  obsequies  was  contrary  to  the  spirit  of  Christ's  religion. 
He  acted  in  the  public  honorable  office  which  his  superiors  conferred  on 
him  with  grace  and  dignity.     He  was  vigilant,  etc. 

"  At  the  death  of  my  dear  friend  Mr.  Fanquier  the  reins  of  government 
devolved  to  John  Blair,  Esq:  President  of  his  Majesty's  Council  here, 
whose  disposition  is  very  commendable,  and  I  believe  will  endeavor  to 
govern  of  the  principles  of  his  late  predecessor. 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  be  nominated  an  executor  in  the  will  touching  the 
real  and  personal  estate  in  this  colony,  and  in  executing  that  trust  I  shall 
necessarily  know  the  testator's  written  contracts,  and  the  sundry  balances 
as  stated  in  his  books  of  account,   so  that   if   thou    shouldst    give  any 


15-  ROBERT   CARTER   OF   VIRGINIA 

instruction  regarding  pecuniary  matters  here  I  beg  leave  to  offer  my  ser- 
vice to  negotiate  it,  or  any  other  business  you  may  casually  have  on  this 
side  of  the  water. 

"  I  have  not  heard  that  any  gentleman  hath  notified  the  above  melan- 
choly accident  to  thee,  and  my  idea  is  that  you  should  be  informed  of  it 
as  soon  as  possible,  therefore  hope  that  this  letter  be  not  unacceptable. 
I  will  rest  my  apology,  to  the  last  period,  that  I  may  no  longer  engage 
thee  from  exercising  your  own  reflections,  and  am,  respectfully,  sir, 
"  Your  very  humble  and  obedient  servant, 

"  Robt.  Carter. 
"  To  Sir  Jeffrey  Amherst,  Baronet, 

"  Governor  of  Virginia,  in  London." 

Governor  Fanquier's  executors  were  William  Nelson,  Robert  Carter, 
Peyton  Randolph,  and  George  Wythe.  Frequent  letters  pass  between 
these  gentlemen  and  Francis  Fanquier,  Esq.,  in  London,  in  relation  to  his 
father's  affairs.  "  His  Excellency  Lord  Botetourt,"  they  write,  December 
12,  "  hath  bought  almost  every  article  belonging  to  the  estate.  The  coach 
and  the  remainder  shall  be  sold  immediately,  except  the  particulars  which 
you  desire  to  be  sent  to  London,  also  whatever  the  late  governor  directs 
shall  not  be  sold,  which  said  goods  are  packed,  and  shall  be  forwarded  by 
a  proper  opportunity."  Lord  Botetourt,  the  new  governor,  wanted  to 
buy  some  of  the  old  wine  that  was  in  the  palace  also,  and  Governor  Fan- 
quier's executors  agree  that  he  should  have  four  pipes  of  the  Madeira, 
while  two  pipes  are  to  be  sent  to  the  two  sons  and  the  brother  of  the  late 
executive,  for  whom  it  was  understood  they  were  imported.  However, 
this  arrangement  apparently  interfered  with  Mr.  Francis  Fanquier's  dispo- 
sition of  this  "  particular,"  and  Robert  Carter  in  a  later  letter  says:  "I 
imparted  to  his  lordship  the  information  contained  in  your  favor  to  me 
dated  the  15th  day  of  last  February,  touching  the  Madeira  wine,  and 
his  idea  is  to  use  two  pipes  of  it  only,  and  to  return  the  remainder,  his 
lordship  saying  as  Mr.  Fanquier  had  engaged  all  the  Madeira  to  his  friends 
in  Britain  before  his  application  had  reached  him,  except  two  pipes,  that 
he  did  not  wish  to  disappoint  them,  but  on  the  contrary  was  very  desirous 
to  gratify  those  persons,  and  at  the  same  time  rejoiced  to  part  with  the 
thing  which  enabled  you  to  comply  with  your  engagements  punctually. 
We  hope  to  send  eight  pipes  of  the  wine  by  the  Randolph,  Captain  Rob- 
ert Walker,  which  are  all  that  remain  at  the  palace  to  be  sent."  This 
little  incident  testifies  to  the  courtesy  and  amiability  for  which  Lord 
Botetourt  was  noted,  and  which  endeared   him  to  the  Virginians.     A  list 


ROBERT   CARTER   OF   VIRGINIA  1 33 

of  Governor  Fanquier's  effects  which  went  back  to  his  son  in  London 
included  two  violoncellos  and  a  "  tenor  violin,"  with  three  bows  for  each 
instrument,  a  telescope,  two  French  horn  mouthpieces,  a  box  of  violin 
strings,  two  miniature  pictures  in  shagreen  cases,  three  shagreen  spectacle 
cases  and  two  pairs  of  spectacles,  three  pairs  of  mourning  shoes  and  knee 
buckles,  two  gold  watches,  five  gold  seals,  two  mourning  rings,  gold 
watch  chain,  gold  sleeve  buttons,  two  pairs  of  steel  spurs,  ten  razors,  a 
silver  shaving  brush,  a  bundle  of  printed  coats-of-arms,  and  one  worked 
Prayer  Book.  Other  articles  in  this  inventory  which  would  have  an  his- 
torical value  if  still  preserved  were  the  papers  and  letters  of  Governor 
Fanquier.  These  consisted  of  a  case  containing  seven  volumes  of  manu- 
script letters,  many  loose  papers,  nineteen  books  "  partly  wrote,"  two 
ledgers,  and  two  boxes  containing  private  letters. 

Of  the  political  troubles  which  were  agitating  the  colonies  after  the 
close  of  the  war  with  France,  the  discreet  Virginia  councillor  makes  no  men- 
tion up  to  1769.  But  in  a  letter  to  London,  of  May  20  in  this  year,  he 
observes  guardedly  :  "  The  General  Assembly  of  this  Province  met  last 
Monday  sevennights,  in  obedience  to  the  Governor's  proclamation,  and 
by  command  of  his  Excellency  the  Speaker  and  Fiouse  of  Burgesses 
attended  him  last  Wednesday  in  the  council  chamber.  The  Governor  in- 
formed them  that  their  late  resolves  (passed  yesterday)  had  made  it  his  duty 
to  dissolve  them,  and  did  dissolve  them."  In  writing  to  Mrs.  Tasker  and 
Mrs.  Ogle  at  Annapolis,  in  June,  Robert  Carter  gives  his  correspondents 
the  following  items  of  news  :  "  His  Excellency  Colonel  Tryon,  Governor 
of  North  Carolina,  and  his  lady  are  here  on  a  visit  to  Lord  Botetourt. 
Colonel  and  Mrs.  Tryon  ride  daily,  and  say  that  the  weather  is  very  tem- 
perate, when  our  thermometers  have  never  been  lower  than  eighty  degrees 
and  up  to  eighty-eight  since  their  arrival  here.  ...  I  shall  deliver  this 
letter  to  Peyton  Randolph,  Esq  :  the  late  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Bur- 
gesses, who  is  one  of  the  commissioners  named  to  establish  part  of  a 
boundary  between  the  governments  of  Jersey  and  New  York.  He  will 
pass  through  Annapolis,  and  I  do  now  anticipate  his  pleasure  during  that 
period,  knowing  that  your  contention  there  is  who  shall  be  most  civil  to 
strangers."  Colonel  Carter  was  having  much  correspondence  about  this 
time  with  the  fellow-heirs  of  his  wife  in  Benjamin  Tasker's  estate.  To 
Daniel  Dulany,  his  brother-in-law,  he  says  in  one  of  his  letters :  "  Mrs. 
Carter  and  I  rejoice  at  your  great  humanity,  and  hope  that  the  negroes  who 
have  alliances  at  '  Bel  Air  '  may  not  be  sold  till  those  slaves  be,  and  that 
the  negroes  be  sold  with  wife  and  husband.  We  desire  that  you  will  draw 
for  us,  when  the  allotment  of  the  slaves  (who  are  not  to  be  sold)  shall  be 


134  ROBERT   CARTER   OE   VIRGINIA 

agreed  on.  When  that  lottery  shall  be  drawn,  be  pleased  to  inform  me 
how  many  of  the  male  and  female  negroes  belong  to  me,  their  ages  and 
qualifications,  and  estimate  the  whole.  My  wife  and  I  had  rather  let 
those  slaves  chuse  masters  in  Maryland  than  send  them  to  plantations, 
for  we  cannot  employ  them  in  our  family."  Robert  Carter  writes  to  his 
London  merchants  in  July,  1769:  "  It  appears  by  an  English  newspaper, 
dated  the  nth  day  of  last  April,  that,  government  proposes  to  discharge 
part  of  the  civil  list  debts  by  a  lottery.  Buy  me  two  of  the  tickets  and 
note  the  number  of  them  to  me.  The  article  of  intelligence  just  men- 
tioned does  not  say  whether  the  fortunate  adventurers  are  to  claim  the 
prizes,  or  a  yearly  interest  on  them.  If  they  be  entitled  to  the  latter 
only,  then  I  will  not  be  the  public's  creditor  for  any  sum  less  than  one 
thousand  pounds  sterling,  but  if  I  shall  be  entitled  to  that  sum,  or  more, 
let  it  stand  in  my  own  name,  so  that  you  will  sell  or  not  accordingly." 
In  June,  1770,  Colonel  Carter  writes  to  the  same  correspondents:  "I 
was  at  my  house  in  Westmoreland  County  when  your  letter  of  the 
26th  of  last  April  was  put  into  my  hands.  .  .  .  Sir  William 
Draper,  Capt.  Collins,  his  lady  (and  niece  of  Sir  William)  and  Master 
Barrisford,  are  now  here.  They  intend  to  call  at  Annapolis,  purposing 
to  see  all  the  Governments  northward  of  it,  before  they  embark  for 
England,  except  Master  B.  who  Sir  William  will  enter  at  the  Academy 
in  Philadelphia.  His  parents  live  in  Charles  Town  in  South  Carolina. 
Sir  William  is  a  schoolfellow  of  Mr.  D.  Dulany.  We  think  that  the  party 
is  very  entertaining  and  full  of  good  humour.  The  lady  sings  masterly." 
Sir  William  Draper  went  to  Annapolis  and- to  Baltimore  on  his  tour 
through  the  colonies.  The  rapid  progress  of  the  town  of  Baltimore  struck 
him  with  astonishment,  and  he  accosted  its  founder,  Mr.  John  Stevenson, 
we  are  told,  as  the  American  Romulus.  Four  years  later,  in  1774,  we  hear 
of  a  proposal  of  his  to  the  British  ministry,  for  emancipating  the  negroes  in 
America  and  arming  them  against  their  owners.  Another  British  visitor 
to  America  in  the  summer  of  1770  was  Sir  Thomas  Adams  of  the  armed 
frigate  Boston.  Robert  Carter  mentions  him  as  ordering  the  detention  of 
two  Maryland  vessels,  which  were  afterward  released  without  any  legal 
examination.  While  in  the  Potomac,  Sir  Thomas  Adams  was  entertained 
by  Colonel  Fairfax  at  "  Belvoir,"  and  Colonel  George  Washington  at 
"  Mount  Vernon,"  and  these  gentlemen  drank  tea  with  him  aboard  the 
Boston.  Sir  Thomas  Adams  also  visited  the  Bath  springs  in  Virginia,  in 
company  with  George  William  Fairfax. 

In  the  fall  of   1770  Virginia  mourned   the  loss  of  her  good  governor, 
Lord   Botetourt,  the  news  of  whose  illness  and  death  was  announced  to 


ROBERT   CARTER   OF   VIRGINIA  1 35 

his  nephew,  the  Duke   of  Beaufort,  in  the  following  letters  of  Councillor 
Carter : 

"  October  9,  1770. 
"My  Lord  Duke: 

"On  Sunday,  the  23d  of  last  month,  your  uncle  Lord  Botetourt  was 
at  my  house  here,  who  complained  of  being  a  little  indisposed.  The 
next  morning  his  Lordship  took  a  dose  of  salts  and  went  to  the  college 
chapel  immediately  after  it,  but  did  not  stay  the  service  out.  Tuesday, 
the  third  day,  John  de  Sequayra,  physician  and  pestere,  surgeon  and 
apothecary,  attended  him.  They  say  that  his  Lordship's  complaint  is 
two-fold,  a  bilious  fever  and  Anthony's  fire,  that  the  first  is  not  dangerous, 
and  that  the  medicines  given  for  the  latter  have  had  no  visible  operation, 
which  is  a  circumstance  very  alarming  to  them.  I  shall  write  to  your 
Grace  from  time  to  time,  stating  the  condition  of  my  noble,  worthy  and 
near  neighbor  who  has  effectually  obtained  the  love  and  affection  of  every 
person  residing  in  his  government,  all  of  whom  are  now  praying  to  the 
Almighty  for  his  recovery.  I  am,  with  great  respect,  my  Lord  Duke, 
"  Your  Grace's  most  obedient  and  most  humble  servant, 

"  R.  Carter." 

To  his  Grace  the  Duke  of  Beaufort,  at  his  house  in  Grosvenor  Square, 
London. 

"  October  15. 
"May  it  please  your  Grace  : 

"  I  addressed  a  letter  to  your  Grace  last  Tuesday,  saying  therein 
that  Lord  Botetourt  was  dangerously  ill,  who  died  a  few  hours  ago.  The 
October  General  Court  term  began  last  week,  and  appointed  the  treasurer 
and  three  practising  attornies  at  their  bar,  to  search  among  the  late 
Governor's  papers  for  his  last  will  or  copy  thereof  and  report  the  truth 
of  the  case  to  the  court.  It  is  believed  that  his  Lordship  made  not 
a  will  since  his  arrival  into  this  province.  He  said  very  lately  that  he 
would  make  a  codicil  to  a  will  he  made  some  time  ago,  and  then  mentioned 
where  it  lay  and  directed  Marshman  (a  very  honest  and  intelligent  ser- 
vant) to  bring  it  to  him,  but  Marshman  did  not  find  the  paper,  and  I 
understand  that  if  the  will  had  been  found  then,  the  Governor  was  not  at 
that  time  of  mind  and  memory  to  have  altered  or  made  a  will.  The  com- 
mittee mentioned  above  will  write  a  letter  to  your  Grace,  to  which  1  beg 
leave  to  refer  your  Grace.     I  am  with  great  respect, 

"  May  it  please  your  Grace, 

"  Your  Grace's  most  humble  servant, 

"R.  Carter." 


I36  ROBERT   CARTER   OF   VIRGINIA 

One  is  amused  at  the  number  of  times  the  councillor  says  "  your 
Grace  "  in  the  above  epistle.  He  writes  the  same  details  to  his  merchants 
in  London,  and  speaks  of  the  "  province  "  as  "  deeply  afflicted  "  at  the 
death  of  Lord  Botetourt,  "  our  late  worthy  and  excellent  governor." 

In  one  of  John  R.  Thompson's  colonial  sketches,  he  quotes  from  an 
inventor}'  then  in  his  possession  of  the  furniture,  wardrobe,  equipages,  and 
retinue  of  Lord  Botetourt  as  left  at  his  death  in  1770  ;  and  in  the  wine 
cellar,  in  addition  to  one  hundred  and  sixty-two  dozen  of  assorted  wines, 
a  quantity  of  arrack,  and  a  hogshead  of  rum,  there  are  six  pipes  of  fine  old 
Madeira,  some  of  which  is  put  down  in  the  schedule  as  "  Mr.  Fanquier's 
Madeira."  All  of  this  stock  of  wines,  it  seems,  was  sent  to  England  to  the 
Duke  of  Beaufort  for  his  own  use.  Fourteen  gross  of  empty  bottles  re- 
mained in  the  "  binn  cellar,"  showing  that  the  governor  kept  a  hospitable 
table.  And  a  significant  item  also  is  the  twelve  dozen  packs  of  playing 
cards  found  in  the  inventory.  Lord  Botetourt's  body  servant,  the  faithful 
Marshman  (or  Marsham  as  Thompson  gives  his  name),  went  back  to  Eng- 
land with  a  supply  of  his  master's  clothes  which  were  given  to  him.  These 
articles  included  twenty-seven  coats,  most  of  them  very  handsome,  of  gold 
and  silver  tissue  covered  with  embroidery  ;  fifty-two  ruffled  shirts  ;  a  quantity 
of  small-clothes  of  satin  and  velvet  ;  a  hundred  or  more  cambric  and  silk 
handkerchiefs  ;  six  wigs  and  six  hats,  with  three  black  cockades.  The  cat- 
alogue preserved  of  the  governor's  library  numbers  three  hundred  and 
twenty  volumes.  Six  classical  authors  are  found  in  this  list — Cicero,  Demos- 
thenes, Caesar,  Virgil,  Pliny,  and  Epictetus.  In  French  literature  there  are 
Voltaire,  Moliere,  Fenelon,  Montesquieu,  and  Madame  de  Maintenon's  Let- 
ters and  Memoirs.  Strange  to  say,  Shakespeare,  Milton,  and  Pope  are  the 
only  English  poets  on  Lord  Botetourt's  bookshelves,  while  of  historians  he 
has  Raleigh,  Hume,  Smollett,  Rapin,  Robertson,  and  Stith,  and  of  philoso- 
phers Locke  and  Bacon.  Joscpli  Andrews  and  Tom  Jones  are  among  the  few 
novels  in  this  library,  while  there  are  eight  volumes  of  the  sermons  of 
Sherlock  and  Atterbury. 


GREENWAY   COURT 


By  Walker  Y.  Page 

Fairfax  Coat-of-Arms 

Shield  supported  by  two  lions. 

A  lion  on  the  shield. 

Crest — a  lion  rampant. 
Motto  :   "  Je  le  ferais  durant  ma  vie."     Translated  :   "  I  will  do  it  during  my  life." 
Beneath  as  follows  :  In  memory  of  Thomas  lord    Fairfax,  who   died  in  1782,  and 
whose  ashes  repose  underneath  this  church,  which  is  endowed. 

More  of  historic  interest  perhaps  attaches  to  this  old  homestead  than 
to  any  other  in  the  famous  valley  of  Virginia — it  having  not  only  been  the 
residence  of  Lord  Fairfax,  whose  name  and  fortunes  form  no  inconsider- 
able feature  in  the  early  history  of  the  state,  but  also  from  its  having  been 
the  headquarters  of  the  then  youthful  surveyor,  the  embryo  Father  of  his 
Country. 

Little  as  his  lordship  could  forecast  the  great  future  of  his  protege 
whom  he  had  invited  under  his  roof,  and  who  almost  as  a  boy  had  been 
intrusted  with  the  survey  of  his  vast  estates,  yet  he  was  not  slow  to  recog- 
nize in  the  young  surveyor  those  characteristics  of  mind  and  heart  which 
in  after  years  were  destined  to  shine  on  a  far  broader  arena.  But  it  was 
no  light  honor  for  a  young,  comparatively  unknown  man  to  be  admitted 
to  the  ravor  and  friendship  of  the  great  colonial  lord.     A  sketch  of  the 


I  5S  GREEN  WAY    COURT 

old  manor  house  of  Greenway  Court  would  be  incomplete  without  special 
mention  of  its  lordly  founder.  History  knows  Lord  Fairfax  now  less  for 
what  he  was  in  his  own  times  in  general  than  as  the  patron  and  host  of 
Washington.  This  lonely  old  earl  had  come  to  reside  at  Greenway  Court 
in  the  Shenandoah  valley  early  in  the  eighteenth  century,  and  here  the 
youthful  Washington  often  stopped  as  he  journeyed  to  and  from  eastern 
Virginia,  his  own  home,  to  the  valleys  of  the  Alleghany  and  Monongahela 
where  he  was  destined  afterward  to  win  his  first  laurels  in  gathering  up 
the  fragments  that  remained  after  Braddock's  frightful  defeat. 

Lord  Fairfax  was  a  man  of  the  world,  had  seen  life  in  every  form,  had 
passed  his  youth  as  a  fine  gentleman  at  the  court  of  St.  James,  had  been 
the  friend  of  Addison  and  Steele,  and  having  sounded  all  the  depths  and 
shallows  of  court  life  had  come,  a  disappointed  and  disgusted  old  man,  to 
the  wild  woods  of  the  valley  of  Virginia,  there  to  settle  and  rear  himself 
a  home  in  the  midst  of  his  princely  inheritance — a  grant  from  the  crown 
— the  great  Northern  Neck  of  Virginia. 

The  region  surrounding  this  old  manor  was  one  of  rare  beauty,  and  it 
was  not  long  before  a  small  English  colony,  attracted  by  its  fertile  soil,  its 
enchanting  sylvan  scenes,  transparent  streams,  and  majestic  panorama  of 
mountain  and  forest,  had  come  from  the  colonial  lowlands  to  settle  around 
Greenway  Court,  bringing  with  them  their  firm  adherence  to  the  Church  of 
England,  which  was  not  long  in  finding  its  exponent  in  the  building  of  the 
"  Old  Chapel,"  a  plain  and  unpretentious  stone  structure  which  still  stands, 
an  impressive  monument  to  the  departed  worthies  of  that  olden  time  who 
once  thronged  its  sacred  aisles  and  knelt  in  holy  fervor  at  its  chancel  rail. 
These  were  the  veritable  days  of  "  church  and  king "  in  Virginia,  and 
although  there  was  always  something  to  distinguish  the  cavaliers  of  Clarke 
and  Frederick  and  those  other  Shenandoah  counties  from  their  more  easy- 
going cousins  of  the  Potomac  and  the  James,  yet  the  social  unity  of  the 
colony  was  well  preserved.  The  Old  Chapel  was  to  the  descendants  of 
these  men  what  Blandford,  immortalized  in  the  poem  of  Tyrone  Power, 
is  to  the  scions  of  the  southside  cavaliers.  It  was  a  pillar  in  the  plain,  as 
it  were — a  sort  of  colonial  shrine — and  to  this  day  the  hand  would  be 
indeed  esteemed  sacrilegious  which  should  lay  leveling  pick  or  axe  upon 
the  faded  greatness  of  the  Old  Chapel. 

To  these  early  settlers  around  Greenway  Court  Lord  Fairfax  sold  from 
time  to  time  the  rich  fair  fields  and  towering  forests,  some  of  the  choicest 
portions  of  his  princely  inheritance,  for  what  would  now  be  considered 
the  ridiculous  price  of  forty  shillings  an  acre.  But  these  settlers  were 
cavaliers  themselves,   and  therefore  naturally   congenial  to  Fairfax,  who 


GREENWAY   COURT  1 39 

thus  seems  to  have  sought  to  rear  another  society  in  the  colonial  wild 
woods  which  should  boast  much  of  the  refinement  of  that  court  life  which 
he  had  left  forever,  without  being  tainted  with  its  heartlessness  and 
hollowness.  America  was  in  fact  a  good  way  in  which  Charles  the  Second 
and  the  later  Stuarts  got  rid  of  subjects  whose  manners  and  morals  were 
a  reproach  to  their  own  laxity,  and  whose  presence  at  court  was  therefore 
irksome. 

One  mile  from  Greenway  Court  Lord  Fairfax  had  caused  to  be  erected, 
at  the  intersection  of  four  neighborhood  roads,  a  post  directing  his  tenan- 
try, and  especially  intending  purchasers  of  land,  to  his  land  orifice  at 
Greenway  Court.  Around  this  post  houses  began  from  time  to  time  to  be 
built,  which,  as  the  years  rolled  by  and  the  lands  became  more  thickly  set- 
tled, developed  into  the  village  of  "  White  Post,"  which  at  this  present  writ- 
ing, after  a  century  or  more  of  industrial  desuetude,  boasts  of  its  churches, 
its  storehouses,  its  mechanic  arts,  and  its  railway  depot.  The  original  post, 
which  the  writer  of  this  sketch  well  remembers,  has  long  since  yielded  to 
that  leveler  of  all  human  structures,  time;  but  the  worthy  citizens  of  this 
old  Virginia  village,  not  willing  that  this  chronicler  of  their  name  and  fame 
should  be  "  consigned  to  cold  oblivion  there  to  rot,"  have  planted  a  much 
more  imposing  post  upon  the  site  of  the  old  one — a  posthumous  post  far 
in  advance  of  its  historic  predecessor,  as  it  forms  a  conspicuous  object 
as  one  approaches  the  village  from  north,  south,  east,  or  west.  There  was 
a  time,  within  the  memory  of  the  writer,  when  the  original  post  served  a 
purpose  other  than  that  of  index  to  the  land  office  of  Lord  Fairfax,  stand- 
ing there  for  half  a  century  a  terror  to  all  evil-doers  regardless  of  race, 
color  or  previous  condition — a  moral  as  well  as  physical  pillory  for  the 
luckless  wights  who  failed  to  appreciate,  for  instance,  the  sacredness  of  the 
hen-roost  or  the  inviolability  of  the  corn-crib  ! 

Greenway  Court  is  situated,  as  has  been  said,  in  one  of  the  most  pict- 
uresque and  fertile  regions  of  Virginia,  the  far-famed  valley  of  the  Shenan- 
doah. Its  commanding  location,  the  varied  beauty  of  its  surrounding 
scenery,  the  wavy  outline  of  undulating  fields  and  forests,  with  the  well- 
defined  course  of  the  majestic  Shenandoah  ("  river  of  the  woody  banks  "), 
with  the  long,  unbroken  line  of  the  Blue  Ridge  mountains  in  the  fore- 
ground, forms  a  picture  which  well  attests  the  taste  and  wisdom  of  the 
lordly  possessor  in  its  selection. 

Nothing  could  be  more  beautiful  in  scenic  effect  than  the  eastern  out- 
look from  this  historic  old  pile,  which  notwithstanding  the  lapse  of  more 
than  half  a  century,  when  the  writer  as  a  boy  sported  upon  its  ample  lawn 
or  played  familiar  with  every  nook  and  corner  of  this  relic  of  "  ye  olden 


140  GREEN  WAY   COURT 

time,"  is  still  an  undimmed  picture  on  the  walls  of  memory  from  which  so 
many  others  have  been  long  since  obliterated. 

The  house  itself,  quaint  and  curious  in  the  extreme,  was  doubtless 
modeled  after  the  fashion  of  the  old  English  country  farmhouse  of  that 
day,  with  its  sloping  roof  and  shed-like  porches  running  the  entire  length 
of  the  building.  Everything  about  it  was  low,  viewed  from  a  more  modern 
standpoint — a  long,  rambling  building,  sitting  almost  flat  upon  the  ground, 
consisting  of  only  one  story  and  an  attic,  massive  outside  chimneys,  squat 
and  low,  stuccoed  gables  into  which  small  stone  had  been  pressed  when 
the  mortar  was  yet  soft  and  yielding,  giving  to  the  whole  gable,  chimney 
and  all,  the  appearance  of  mosaic,  and  which  we  may  readily  imagine  has 
not  its  like  upon  the  American  continent. 

The  low-pitched  roof,  surmounted  with  three  belfries,  gives  an  addi- 
tionally unique  appearance  to  the  building,  and  these,  together  with  the 
line  of  dormer  windows  which  look  out  from  the  slant  roof  like  so  many 
quaint  and  curious  eyes,  add  not  a  little  to  the  antique  impressiveness  of  the 
whole,  and  serve  well  to  illustrate  the  fashion  of  an  age  and  an  architecture 
long  obsolete. 

The  interior  of  the  building  is  (or  was)  after  the  same  antiquated  order. 
One  did  not  ascend  into  the  house,  but  descended  by  a  step  or  two  to  the 
narrow  hallway  and  the  first-floor  rooms,  which  were  by  that  much  lower 
than  the  floor  of  the  porch  outside.  These  rooms  were  large  and  com- 
modious, with  low,  very  low,  ceilings,  high  mantels,  and  wide  fire-places, 
stoves  being  a  comparatively  modern  luxury  and  unknown  at  that  day. 

The  porch  in  the  rear,  which  corresponded  with  that  in  front,  looked 
out  upon  an  open  court  or  oblong  open  square,  surrounded  by  the  houses 
of  the  domestics  and  retainers  of  his  lordship,  except  at  the  far  end  where 
stood  his  kitchen.  This  kitchen  was  connected  with  the  mansion  by  a 
covered  plankway,  which,  while  it  protected  his  lordship's  "  bacon  and 
greens  "  in  transitu  to  the  hall  from  rain  or  snow,  was  no  guarantee  against 
cold  bread  and  chilled  coffee  in  its  journey  of  fifty  yards  or  more. 

Just  in  the  rear  of  these  a  gate  led  from  the  surrounding  grounds  into 
a  majestic  forest  of  oak,  walnut,  and  hickory,  which  doubtless  had  been 
the  special  care  of  its  lordly  owner,  as  even  at  the  time  spoken  of  it  bore 
but  few  marks  of  the  woodman's  axe  and  stood  in  almost  primeval  growth 
and  grandeur.  In  the  edge  of  this  wood,  in  a  spot  where  the  shade  and 
gloom  were  deepest,  stood  an  old  stone  mausoleum  or  dead-house,  at  that 
time  itself  an  emblem  of  decay.  The  roof  had  fallen  in,  the  niches  where 
memorial  tablets  had  once  stood  were  all  empty,  and  there  was  no  one 
then   living  to  tell  who  had  been   buried  there.     It  was  an  uncanny  spot, 


GREENWAY   COURT  141 

and  the  writer  well  remembers  one  occasion,  and  only  one,  when,  under 
the  twofold  influence  of  the  raillery  of  his  companions,  who  did  not  dare 
go  themselves,  and  shame  at  his  own  superstitious  dread  of  the  place,  he- 
was  induced  to  intrude.  That  one  hasty  glance,  however,  so  sufficed  to 
impress  the  scene  upon  a  boyish  imagination  which  had  been  previously 
wrought  on-  by  plantation  ghost  stories,  that  it  remains  an  unfading 
memory. 

It  is  probable  that  the  remains  of  Lord  Fairfax  were  first  deposited  in 
this  old  dead-house.  It  is  true,  however,  that  a  new  tablet  to  his  memory 
is  affixed  to  the  eastern  wall  of  the  Episcopal  church  in  Winchester,  Fred- 
erick county,  of  which  church  he  was  a  member  and  the  probable  founder, 
while  he  himself  sleeps  beneath  its  chancel. 

Greenway  Court  was  devised  by  will  to  a  certain  Miss  Martin,  who 
afterward  married  a  Mr.  Carnegge,  and  by  whom  she  had  one  child,  a 
daughter,  who  married  the  Rev.  Thomas  Kennedy  of  the  Methodist 
church.  Their  son,  Mr.  Joseph  Kennedy,  is  the  present  owner  of  Green- 
way  Court.  A  spacious  brick  mansion  about  fifty  yards  away  now  looks 
down  upon  the  old  manor  house,  which  (notwithstanding  its  memories  of 
the  old  colonial  regime,  when  its  lordly  owner  dispensed  his  hospitalities 
not  only  to  Washington  and  his  compeers,  but  to  the  swearing,  blustering, 
blundering  Braddock  with  his  redcoats  as  well)  has,  in  all  probability, 
been  relegated  to  the  owls  and  to  the  bats. 

One  little  incident  before  closing  this  cursory  sketch  may  be  of  interest, 
at  least  to  the  antiquary. 

There  was  a  meadow  beyond  the  lawn  and  in  front  of  the  old  mansion. 
This  meadow  within  the  memory  of  man  had  never  known  the  plow. 
The  elder  Kennedy,  who  though  a  minister  of  the  gospel  was  a  utilitarian 
besides,  determined,  for  the  improvement  of  this  tract,  to  have  it  plowed. 
One  day  the  plowshare  turned  to  the  light  a  large  leathern  pocket-book, 
decayed,  and  scarcely  held  in  shape  by  its  heavy  golden  clasp,  which  con- 
tained, if  my  memory  serves  me  right,  fifty-eight  gold  pieces.  I  have  no 
recollection  of  their  value  or  denomination,  but  what  most  impressed  itself 
upon  my  memory  was  the  peculiar  shape  of  these  coins — they  were  hex- 
agonal or  octagonal.  I  had  never  seen  the  like  before,  nor  have  I  since. 
How  they  came  to  be  there  or  to  whom  they  belonged  was  never  found 
out.  The  secret  died  with  him  who  lost  or  him  who  placed  them  there. 
Baltimore,  Maryland. 


THE    HUGUENOT   REFUGEES    OF    NEW    PALTZ 
By  Edmund   Eltinge 

These  refugees  came  to  this  locality  and  settled  here  in  1677  from 
Esopus,  now  Kingston,  where  they  arrived  in  1660  and  the  few  years  pre- 
vious. The  proposed  monument  is  being  projected,  and  there  is  a  fair 
prospect  for  its  erection.  We  are,  you  know,  in  Southern  Ulster,  a  coun- 
try at  that  time  an  unbroken  wilderness,  save  the  openings  in  the  extensive 
forest,  which  were  used  by  the  savages  for  growing  corn,  also  affording 
places  for  the  burial  of  their  dead.  Their  hunting  grounds  took  in  the 
lands  subsequently  patented  by  the  Huguenot  refugees.  The  bear,  deer, 
and  other  favorite  game  abounded,  and  we  may  well  infer  that  as  pos- 
sessors of  these  valuable  regions  they  enjoyed  homes  they  considered 
precious.  Of  course  they  beheld  with  jealous  eyes  the  progress  of  the 
settlements  of  Esopus  by  the  Hollanders,  and  latterly  the  Huguenots. 
The  former  had  located  there  many  years  anterior  to  the  arrival  of  the 
latter.  The  hostility  of  the  Indians  had  been  manifested  by  their  attacks 
upon  them,  resulting  in  massacres  and  wars,  to  expel  them  from  the  coun- 
try. When  the  French  refugees  came  to  Ulster  they  were  received  with 
open  arms  by  the  Hollanders  resident  there.  The  desire  of  these  emigrants 
led  them  to  the  homes  of  the  Hollanders,  for  they  had  learned  to  love  and 
respect  them  in  the  lowlands  of  their  nativity.  Their  regard  and  fellow- 
ship had  been  kindled  and  cemented  by  the  persecutions  both  had  suffered 
in  the  old  country,  and  by  the  battles  fought  side  by  side  against  the 
Spanish  invaders.  There  they  both  sought  in  vain  to  enjoy  proper  civil 
and  religious  privileges.  Their  courage,  valor,  and  determination  had 
felt  the  inspiration  of  that  greatest  of  rulers,  who  had  been  cruelly  mur- 
dered during  the  previous  century,  William  the  Silent.  His  memory  was 
still  fragrant,  and  even  to  this  day  shines  forth  to  the  descendants  of 
these  God-like,  liberty-loving,  Christian  people  as  a  beacon  light  to  high 
and  noble  endeavor. 

The  French  refugees  dwelt  at  Esopus  for  a  brief  period  while  deter- 
mining where  to  locate.  Love  and  affection  for  the  Hollanders  was  with 
them  a  dominant  principle.  A  kind  providence  hovered  over  them,  and 
ere  long  led  them  to  the  promised  land,  but  as  it  were  through  fire  and 
blood.     The  savages  had  attacked  successfully  the  settlers  at  Esopus,  and 


THE   HUGUENOT   REFUGEES   OF  NEW    PALTZ  143 

taken  many  prisoners  in  1663;  among  them  the  wife  of  Louis  Du  Bois,  the 
great  ancestral  Huguenot,  and  three  other  women  had  been  carried  off  by 
a  detachment  of  the  savages.  In  the  conflict  an  Indian  had  been  cap- 
tured by  the  settlers.  It  was  determined  by  Du  Bois  and  neighbors  to 
hold  him  as  a  hostage  for  the  return  of  the  captured  women.  The  Indian 
knew  in  what  direction  the  prisoners  had  been  taken,  and  he  was  compelled, 
by  fear  of  his  own  execution,  to  make  known  the  route  taken  and  where 
they  could  be  found.  He  told  his  captors  to  go  to  the  first  big  water,  the 
Rondout ;  to  follow  that  stream  to  the  second  big  water,  the  Wallkill ;  to 
follow   that  to  the  third   big  water,  the  Shawangunk,  and  not  far  up  that 


:"«'CSi:'S?rV' ;'^/^s:&: ■  ■'■~;*-; '  . .- ^rfSf 


ELTINGE    HOUSE.       BUIL1 


stream  they  would  find  the  women.  Louis  Du  Bois  and  his  associates, 
armed  with  suitable  weapons,  followed  the  route  marked  out  by  the  cap- 
tured Indian,  who  was  held  a  prisoner  by  the  settlers.  No  difficulty 
was  had  in  following  the  different  streams,  except  such  as  the  wilds  of 
the  country  presented  in  the  rocky  region  of  the  Rondout  and  the  almost 
impenetrable  forests.  The  rich  lands  of  the  Wallkill  valley  were  thus 
explored,  but  at  the  time  no  pause  was  made  in  their  rapid  pursuit. 
Louis  Du  Bois  led  the  party  with  greatest  ardor  and  courage  along  the 
waters  of  the  Shawangunk.  An  Indian,  secreted  behind  a  tree,  just  at  the 
moment  he  was  discovered  by  Du  Bois,  let  go  his  arrow  upon  him  ;  it 


144  THE    HUGUENOT    REFUGEES    OF   NEW   PALTZ 

missed  its  mark,  and  Du  Bois  sprang  upon  him  with  his  sword  and  killed 
him  on  the  spot.  No  pause  was  made.  Forzvard  was  the  command.  Soon 
the}-  came  in  sight  of  the  camping  ground.  The  Indians  first  discovered 
the  dogs  and  exclaimed,  "  Swanakers  and  Deers!  Swanakers  and  Deers  !  " 
which  meant  the  white  man's  dogs.  At  the  Wilderbergh  they  came  in 
sight  of  an  Indian  and  squaw,  who  ran  to  the  camp  and  made  known 
that  the  whites  were  approaching.  The  Indians  at  once  took  flight,  as 
most  of  the  warriors  had  gone  off  on  a  hunting  expedition.  The  cap- 
tive women  first  moved  off  in  the  direction  of  their  unnatural  and 
unfriendly  protectors,  bewildered  as  to  the  true  cause  of  the  alarm. 
Soon,  however,  the  stentorian  voices  of  their  husbands  fell  upon  their 
ears  ;  and,  turning  suddenly,  they  ran  with  quickened  step  to  their 
embrace.  Then  tears  of  joy  were  mingled  in  hearts  beating  in  unison 
with  each  other.  What  emotions  shot  through  every  muscle  of  the  heart 
and  fibre  of  the  frames  of  loving  ones  as  they  were  clasped  in  each 
other's  arms,  and  in  sight  of  the  pile  of  fagots  ready  to  be  lighted  for 
their  execution  !  They  were  lighted,  however,  not  for  cruelty,  torture,  and 
death,  but  for  warmth  and  comfort  during  the  chilly  hours  of  the  night 
that  followed. 

At  the  rising  of  next  morning's  sun,  no  doubt  an  offering  of  prayer  and 
thanksgiving  ascended  on  high,  and  the  journey  homeward  was  entered 
upon.  On  their  return  to  Esopus,  glad  notes  of  welcome  came  forth  from 
every  cottage.  The  female  prisoners  were  restored.  The  captive  Indian 
again  joined  his  companions  in  the  forest.  Not  long  after,  the  minds  of 
these  brave  men  again  turned  to  the  discovered  land  of  promise  in  the 
beautiful  valley  of  the  Wallkill — the  rich  flats  of  New  Paltz.  Within  three 
years,  in  May,  1666,  Louis  Du  Bois  and  partners  purchased  from  the 
Indians  a  large  tract  of  land  between  the  Shawangunk  mountains  and  the 
Hudson  river,  comprising,  as  is  estimated,  about  thirty-six  thousand  acres. 
The  price  paid  was  forty  kettles,  forty  axes,  forty  adzes,  forty  shirts,  four 
hundred  strings  of  beads,  three  hundred  strings  of  black  beads,  fifty  pairs 
of  stockings,  one  hundred  bars  of  lead,  one  keg  of  powder,  one  hundred 
knives,  four  quarter  casks  of  wine,  forty  jars,  sixty  splitting  or  cleaving 
knives,  sixty  blankets,  one  hundred  needles,  one  hundred  awls,  and  one 
clean  pipe.  This  contract  was  faithfully  observed  by  the  Indians,  and 
these  Huguenot  refugees  were  never  again  molested  by  them  on  this  soil. 

Subsequently  the  title  to  these  lands  was  confirmed  to  the  Huguenots 
by  letters  patent  from  Edmund  Andros,  governor  of  the  colony  of  New 
York,  September  29,  1677,  and  was  named  New  Paltz;  the  considera- 
tion being  "  the   rendering  and  paying  each  and  every  year  to  his  Royal 


THE   HUGUENOT    REFUGEES   OF   NEW    PALTZ 


145 


Highness  the  rightful  acknowledgement,  or  rent,  of  five  bushels  of  wheat 
payable  at  the  Redoubt  at  Esopus  to  such  officers  as  shall  have  power  to 
receive  it." 

In  the  early  part  of  the  season  these  patentees  removed  from  the  set- 
tlements at  Esopus,  and  located  upon  the  newly  acquired  territory.  The 
renowned  "  Tri  Cor,"  or  three  carts,  were  loaded  with  their  families,  house- 
hold goods,  implements,  and  supplies,  and  started  for  the  rich  flats  near 
the  present  village  of  New  Paltz,  which  were  reached  in  safety.  The 
Indians,  respecting  their  contract  of  sale,  offered  no  obstacles  to  their 
undertaking.     We  may  imagine    that,  after   providing   shelter    for   their 


DUBOIS   HOUSE. 

[Date  1705  on  house  in  iron  figures!\ 

heads  from  the  inclemency  of  the  weather,  on  some  Sunday  morning  when 
the  sun  was  lighting  up  into  beauty  all  the  varied  hues  of  an  Indian  sum- 
mer, they  gathered  around  some  rude  altar,  unclasped  the  huge  Protestant 
Bible  brought  by  one  of  their  number  through  the  surges  of  the  sea  and 
the  perils  of  the  wilderness,  and  read  the  twenty-third  Psalm  in  devout  and 
reverent  tones,  carrying  their  devotions  on  angels'  wings  to  heaven.  This 
manifested  a  true  type  of  their  Christianity.  Their  holy  lives  and  future 
career  ever  bore  evidence  of  the  plane  of  moral  and  religious  dignity  thus 
inaugurated.     I  think  it  is  well  for  me  to  transcribe  words  spoken  by  the 

Vol.  XXX.— No.  10.— 3 


I46  THE    HUGUENOT    REFUGEES    OF   NEW    PALTZ 

long  lamented  and  respected,  the  Hon.  A.  B.  Hasbrouck,  before  the  Ulster 
Historical  Society  in  1859,  m  an  address  made  by  him  as  its  first  president. 
In  the  course  of  laying-  out  the  work  of  the  society  he  said:  "  There  is 
another  field  of  research  to  which  I  cannot  refer  without  a  peculiar  and 
personal  interest.  I  mean  the  history  of  the  Huguenots  seeking  shelter 
here  among  the  kind  sympathies  of  the  Dutch  colonists  from  the  fiery  per- 
secutions of  their  native  France.  To  the  manor  born — a  native  of  the 
count}- — I  bear,  I  trust,  to  it  a  becoming  loyalty  ;  and,  though  I  do  not  love 
the  county  less  that  I  love  New  Paltz  more,  I  cannot  but  feel  for  that 
ancient  village  the  special  reverence  which,  by  an  impulse  of  our  nature, 
ever  clings  to  the  early  homes  and  sepulchres  of  our  fathers.  In  the  words 
of  the  great  moralist  of  English  literature,  '  Far  from  me  and  my  friends 
be  such  frigid  philosophy  as  may  conduct  us  indifferent  and  unmoved  over 
any  ground  which  has  been  dignified  by  wisdom,  bravery,  or  virtue.'  ' 

The  immortal  twelve  who  received  letters  patent  from  Edmund 
Andros,  the  colonial  governor,  were  Louis  Du  Bois,  Christian  Doyan, 
Abraham  Hasbrouck,  Andries  Lefever,  Jean  Hasbrouck,  Pierre  Doyan, 
Louis  Bevier,  Anthonie  Crispel,  Abraham  Du  Bois,  Hugue  Frere,  Isaac 
Du  Bois  and  Simon  Lefevre.  It  is  to  the  memory  of  these  patentees  that 
it  is  proposed  to  erect  a  monument.  What  the  size  and  character  of  it 
shall  be,  is  as  yet  undetermined.  The  project  has  not  been  fully  made 
known  to  their  numerous  and  widespread  descendants.  It  is,  however, 
being  considered.  Very  favorable  and  encouraging  opinions  have  been 
secured  from  prominent  men.  Ere  long  it  is  hoped  that  an  organization 
will  be  effected.  It  is  best  to  move  slowly,  as  the  times  do  not  favor 
the  scheme  in  a  hasty  manner.  No  doubt  the  society  whose  organ  is 
the  Magazine  of  American  History  will  be  interested  and  in  sympathy  with 
it.     We  confidently  rely  upon  its  co-operation. 

The  refugees  made  a  temporary  home  on  the  rich  flats  where  the 
"  Tri  Cor  "  halted,  but  before  the  winter  came  they  removed  from  the 
internal  land  to  the  east  bank  of  the  Wallkill  opposite.  They  made  erec- 
tions for  dwellings,  and  a  house  for  worship  which  was  a  rude  structure 
designed  for  both  church  and  schoolhouse.  Subsequently  ground  was 
broken,  and  substantial  stone  dwellings  erected  on  what  is  now  called 
Huguenot  street.  These  buildings  are  now  frequently  visited  out  of 
regard  to  and  interest  in  the  enterprise  of  the  grand  old  Huguenots.  I 
send  you  a  few  photographs  giving  their  present  appearance.  Bricks 
for  chimneys  were  brought  from  Holland.  The  date  of  the  old  Hasbrouck 
house,  1 71 2,  is  found  on  its  walls.  That  of  the  Du  Bois  house  placed 
on    its   gable    in    large   iron   figures  is   1705.     The    Huguenots   worshiped 


THE    HUGUENOT   REFUGEES   OF   NEW    PALTZ 


147 


in  their  first  rude  church  until  1720,  when  the  second  church  substantially 
built  of  stone  was  erected,  and  dedicated  December  29th  in  that  year. 
Domine  Johannes  Van  Driesen  a  few  years  later,  when  ordaining  elders 
and  deacons,  styled  it  '*  our  French  Church."  Subsequently,  under  the 
fostering   care  of   Dutch  Reformed  Church  of  Kingston,  this    congrega- 


lite., 


HASBROUCK    HOUSE.       BUILT   IN    1712. 


tion  of  the  French  Church  became  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church  of  New 
Paltz.  A  new  stone  building,  the  third  church,  was  put  up  in  1773.  The 
fourth  building  was  erected  in  1832,  cost  eighteen  thousand  dollars.  The 
next  generation  enlarged  it,  adding  an  annex,  the  whole  making  a  fine, 
commodious  church,  at  a  cost  of  near  thirty  thousand  dollars. 


EPISCOPAL     CHURCH     AND     SOLDIERS'     MONUMENT, 
GEORGETOWN,    SOUTH    CAROLINA 

GENERAL    FRANCIS    MARION 

THE    "  SWAMP   FOX  "    OF   THE   OLD    SOUTH    STATE 

By  F.  A.  Hagadorn 

"  The  Eritish  soldier  trembles 
When  Marion's  name  is  told." — Bryant. 

The  recent  erection  of  a  new  monument  over  the  grave  of  General 
Francis  Marion,  in  place  of  the  one  which  had  marked  the  spot  for 
nearly  a  century,  calls  to  mind  the  daring  exploits  of  one  of  the  most 
distinguished  heroes  of  the  American  Revolution.  The  original  tomb  was 
built  of  brick  surmounted  with  a  marble  slab  bearing  an  elaborate  inscrip- 
tion. Several  years  ago  a  large  tree  was  blown  down,  and  falling  directly 
across  the  tomb  wrecked  it  completely,  breaking  the  slab  into  fragments. 
The  inscription,  too,  had  become  almost  obliterated  by  the  action  of  the 
elements.  It  was  time,  therefore,  that  a  new  monument  were  erected, 
even  if  the  accident  had  not  occurred. 

The  new  memorial  erected  by  the  general  assembly  of  the  state  is  of 
solid  Winnsboro  granite.  The  base  block  is  thirty  inches  wide,  six  and  a 
half  feet  long,  and  fifteen  inches  high  ;  upon  this  rests  the  centre,  or  die- 
block,  thirty  inches  high,  and  weighing  about  three  tons,  upon  which  are 
the  inscriptions,  wrought  upon  bronze  panels  sunk  in  the  sides  of  the  block 
and  permanently  secured.  At  the  ends  of  the  die-block  are  the  dates  of 
his  birth  and  death — "  1732,"  "  1795  " — cut  into  the  granite. 

The  material  of  the  old  structure  has  been  used  up  entirely  in  the 
concrete  foundation  of  the  new  work — thus  identifying  the  old  with 
the  new  monument — excepting  only  the  fragments  of  the  old  slab, 
which  have  been  carefully  preserved  for  the  further  action  of  the  state 
authorities. 

It  is  gratifying  to  notice  that  the  original  epitaph  upon  the  old 
tomb  has  been  carefully  transcribed  upon  the  bronze  panel  of  the  new,  as 
follows  : 


SOLDIERS'    MONUMENT   TO    GENERAL    FRANCIS   MARION  149 

Sacred  to  the  Memory 
of 
GENERAL   FRANCIS    MARION 
Who  departed  this  life  on  the 

27th  February  1795, 

in  the  63rd  year  of  his  age, 

Deeply  regretted  by  all  his  fellow  citizens. 

History  will  record  his  worth 

and  rising-  generations  embalm  his 

memory  as  one  of  the  most 

distinguished  Patriots  and  Heroes  of 

The  American  Revolution, 

which  elevated  his  native  country 

to  Honor  and  Independence 

and  secured  to  her  the  blessings  of 

Liberty  and  Peace. 


This  tribute  of  veneration  and  gratitude 

is  erected  in  commemoration  of 

the  noble  and  disinterested 

virtues  of  the  citizen  and  the 

gallant  exploits  of  the  soldier 

who  lived  without  fear 
and  died  without  reproach. 

The  opposite  side  of  the  die-block  bears  another  panel  in  bronze,  with 
the  coat-of-arms  of  the  state,  and  the  following  inscription : 

To  preserve  to  posterity 

this  burial  place  of  an  honored  son 

The  General  Assembly  of  South  Carolina 

replaces  the  crumbling  and  broken  tomb 

nearly  a  century  old, 

with  this  enduring  memorial 

cut  from  her  own  granite  hills. 

Esto  perpetua. 

1893. 

Marion's  first  military  experience  was  in  the  Cherokee  war  of  1761, 
which,  however,  was  of  short  duration.  But  in  1775,  when  war  was 
declared  with  England,  he  promptly  took  the  field  as  a  captain  in  the 
second  Carolina  regiment.  But  he  was  without  men  or  money,  and 
linking  his  fortunes  with  another  as  destitute  as  himself,  and  finding  they 
could  get  nothing  from  the  assembly  or  from  their  friends  in  Charleston, 
they  boldly  ordered  appropriate  uniforms,  and  thus  equipped  made  another 


150 


SOLDIERS'    MONUMENT   TO    GENERAL   FRANCIS    MARION 


TOMB    OF   GENL.    MARION. 


appeal,  and  procured  contributions  to  the  amount  of  one  hundred  dollars, 
paid  for  their  regimentals,  and  started  for  Georgetown  to  recruit  their  com- 
panies. In  a  little  while  they  had  enrolled  sixty  men  each  and  returned 
to  Charleston  harbor,  arriving  in  time  to  participate  in  driving  off  the 
British  fleet  (June  28,  1776),  Marion  in  the  meantime  being  promoted  to 
the  rank  of  major. 

It  is  said  that  it  was  reserved  for  him  to  fire  the  last  shot  at  the  retreat- 
ing commodore's  ship,  the  gun  being  ready,  loaded,  and  nothing  to  be 
done  but  to  level  it  and  apply  the  match.  Such  was  the  havoc  effected 
by  this  one  shot,  as  reported  by  five  impressed  seamen  who  managed  to 
escape  in  the  confusion,  that  two  officers  were  killed  in  the  cabin,  three  sail- 
ors on  the  main  deck  were  wounded,  and  the  forecastle  was  badly  wrecked 
before  the  force  of  the  shot  was  spent  and  it  fell  sullenly  into  the  sea. 

News  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  did  not  reach  Charleston 
until  the  20th  of  September.  Savannah  was  now  threatened,  and  finally 
surrendered  to  the  British,  and  Charleston  soon  encountered  the  same 
fate.  Marion  meantime,  having  accidentally  broken  an  ankle,  escaped  in 
a  litter  to  his  seat  in  St.  John's  parish,  and  as  soon  as  he  could  be  moved 
set  out  for  the  north,  for  such  reinforcements  as  he  could  procure.  With 
the  first  ten  men  he  started  to  retrace  his  steps.  These  were  soon  joined 
by  others  to  the  number  of  thirty,  well  mounted  and  well  armed;  and 
now  began  his  history  as  a  partisan  leader. 


SOLDIERS'    MONUMENT   TO   GENERAL   FRANCIS   MARION  151 

He  adopted  tactics  of  his  own — living  on  the  enemy,  depending  on 
him  for  arms,  ammunition,  camp  equipage,  horses,  and  forage.  Allowing 
his  men  frequent  paroles,  subject  to  summons,  his  force  was  economically 
maintained,  and  readily  augmented  on  emergency,  varying  from  thirty  or 
forty  to  two  hundred  men,  with  which  latter  number  he  at  one  time 
surprised  six  hundred  of  the  enemy,  seized  their  arms,  equipments,  and 
stores,  and  marched  them  off  as  prisoners. 

On  another  occasion,  with  a  force  of  only  thirty  men,  he  surprised  a 
British  guard  of  ninety,  having  two  hundred  American  prisoners  on  their 
way  to  Charleston,  seizing  their  arms,  which  were  all  stacked  near  the 
gate,  and  made  prisoners  of  the  whole  party  without  having  been  obliged 
to  kill  more  than  three  of  them.  After  everything  had  been  secured,  on 
searching  for  the  captain  of  the  party,  he  was  found  up  the  chimney. 
Strange  to  say,  not  one  of  the  two  hundred  prisoners  he  had  rescued  could 
be  persuaded  to  shoulder  a  musket.  All  were  anxious  to  be  relieved  and 
go  home,  and  Marion  had  no  desire  to  recruit  his  little  force  with  such 
material.  He  now  had  more  arms  and  munitions  of  war  than  he  knew 
what  to  do  with,  and  so  retreated  to  Britton's  Neck  with  his  plunder,  and 
established  a  little  arsenal  there. 

After  a  brief  rest  at  this  place,  learning  that  the  tories  were  mustering 
in  force  on  the  Pedee,  he  mounted  his  men,  and,  after  a  brisk  ride  of  about 
forty  miles,  came  upon  their  encampment  in  the  dead  of  night  when  all 
were  asleep.  Not  a  shot  was  fired  on  either  side  until  Marion  and  his  men 
were  in  the  camp,  loading  the  arms  and  ammunition  upon  the  captured 
horses  of  the  party.  Of  the  forty-nine  men  who  composed  the  company, 
Marion's  men  killed  and  took  about  thirty,  and  fell  back  in  good  order  to 
Britton's  Neck,  each  leading  a  horse  loaded  with  plunder,  and  without  the 
loss  of  a  man. 

News  of  these  repeated  exploits  spread  like  wildfire  over  the  country, 
to  the  dismay  of  the  British  and  their  allies,  who  soon  sent  three  well- 
mounted  companies  to  smoke  out  the  "  Swamp  Fox  "  and  his  followers. 
But  Marion  made  a  masterly  retreat  to  the  north,  the  British  falling  back 
upon  Georgetown  and  the  tories  to  Black  Mingo,  where  they  made  a  stand. 
But  Marion's  scouts  soon  brought  him  news  of  the  camp,  and  he  promptly 
turned  and  attacked  them  at  night,  as  usual,  although  the  tories  were  twice 
his  strength  and  well  posted.  Nothing  could  withstand  the  fury  of  the 
attack ;  the  commanding  officer  was  soon  killed,  and  two-thirds  of  his  men 
were  hors  de  combat  when  the  survivors  mounted  their  horses  and  escaped. 

Loading  his  horses  with  such  plunder  as  could  be  secured,  and  destroy- 
ing the  fragments,  he  now  promised  his   men  a  little  rest,  and  led  them 


152  SOLDIERS     MONUMENT   TO    GENERAL  FRANCIS    MARION 

down  to  Waccamaw,  where  he  had  some  wealthy  patriot  friends  among 
the  planters.  The  descendants  of  the  Hugers,  Trapiers  and  Alstons  are 
very  fond  of  relating  how  their  ancestors  feasted  General  Marion  and  his 
men  after  this  adventure. 

But  Marion  and  his  men  were  a  band  of  heroes,  and  their  reputation 
was  such  that  neither  friends  nor  foes  allowed  them  much  time  for  "  rest," 
however  well  deserved.  After  a  very  few  days  of  their  rest  and  high  feed- 
ing at  Waccamaw,  they  were  in  their  saddles  again,  sixty  strong,  headed 
for  the  Pedee,  where  the  tories  were  again  mustering  a  force  to  surprise 
the  "  Swamp  Fox  "  and  treat  him  and  his  men  to  some  of  their  own  music. 
Halting  within  a  few  miles  of  the  place,  he  sent  forward  two  trusty  scouts 
who  secreted  themselves  at  the  side  of  the  public  road  leading  to  the  tory 
camp,  carefully  noting  all  they  could  hear  and  see,  and  returning  to  the 
Marion  bivouac  at  night,  confirmed  the  news  that  had  been  given. 

Soon  as  the  night  had  well  set  in,  the  eager  little  band  were  again  on 
the  backs  of  their  horses,  and,  riding  at  a  nimble  gait,  soon  came  within  sight 
of  the  three  fires  of  the  enemy  ;  for  so  little  thought  had  they  of  Marion  or 
his  men  that  they  had  not  posted  a  single  sentinel.  Marion  now  picketed 
his  horses  at  a  convenient  distance,  and,  dividing  his  men  into  three  parties, 
proceeded  cautiously  until  they  could  hear  the  voices  of  the  tories  as  they 
sat  at  cards  or  occupied  themselves  with  singing,  dancing,  cooking,  etc., 
when  he  fired  his  pistol  as  a  signal,  and  a  deadly  volley  responded  from 
sixty  well-aimed  rifles,  killing  twenty-three,  wounding  as  many  more,  and 
ensuring  more  spoil  than  they  wanted.  Eighty-four  stand  of  arms,  one 
hundred  horses  and  their  equipments,  camp  equipage,  a  plentiful  supper 
ready  cooked,  a  half  barrel  of  old  peach  brandy,  and  thirteen  half-drunken 
prisoners  were  the  result  of  this  frolic. 

Loading  up  their  pieces  and  loading  the  captured  horses  with  the 
plunder,  the  victorious  little  band  now  returned  to  their  camp  in  the 
swamp   and   prepared  to  enjoy  a  season  of   actual  rest. 

A  surprise,  however,  was  in  store  for  Marion  and  his  officers,  in  the 
shape  of  an  express  from  Governor  Rutledge  with  a  general's  commission 
for  Colonel  Marion  and  full  colonelcies  for  his  two  captains.  But  there 
was  not  a  man  added  to  the  force  nor  a  dollar  to  their  exchequer.  Marion 
called  his  officers  about  him  and  told  them  the  governor  had  given  them 
dominion  over  the  land  and  sea  from  Charleston  to  Georgetown,  and 
thence  westerly  to  Camden  and  back  to  Charleston  again,  if  they  could 
take  it  from  the  British,  which  they  must  now  proceed  to  do.  And,  said 
he  :  "  We  are  to  be  generals  and  colonels  now  from  this  time  forth  and 
forever." 


SOLDIERS     MONUMENT   TO    GENERAL   FRANCIS    MARION  1 53 

The  chivalry  of  Georgetown  and  its  vicinity  now  flocked  to  the  standard 
and  the  camp  of  Marion,  anxious  to  be  enrolled  upon  his  staff,  or  to  enlist 
in  the  ranks  and  participate  in  the  crusades  of  "  Marion's  men."  Their 
numbers  were  increased  by  new  enlistments,1  and  notwithstanding  the 
proclamations  of  Lord  Cornwallis  and  the  cruelties  of  his  "  deluded  fol- 
lowers," as.  Marion  styled  the  tories,  "  Marion's  men  "  were  a  constant 
menace  and  terror  to  the  British  forces  to  the  very  close  of  the  war. 

"  The  British  soldier  trembled 
When  Marion's  name  was  told." 

MARION'S   FLIGHT   TO   NORTH    CAROLINA. 

Early  in  December,  1780,  Cornwallis  determined,  if  possible,  to  cut 
short  the  career  of  Marion,  and  despatched  Lieutenant-Colonel  Tarleton 
with  a  superior  force,  which  was  to  have  been  joined  by  a  legion  from 
Camden  for  the  purpose.  But  Marion  got  wind  of  the  matter  and  sent 
Major  James  to  reconnoitre.  James  reported  the  enemy  in  such  force  that 
an  order  was  promptly  given  to  break  camp  and  fall  back  to  Lynch's 
Creek,  and  the  next  evening  Marion  commenced  his  "  flight  to  North  Car- 
olina," accompanied  by  only  sixty  men,  pitching  his  camp  finally  near  the 
head  of  the  Waccamaw.  In  the  meantime  he  had  sent  his  men  back  to 
South  Carolina  to  rally  the  militia  prepared  to  rejoin  him  on  signal,  and 
determined  on  his  part  to  decoy  Tarleton  into  some  morass  where  his 
cavalry  and  artillery  would  be  of  no  avail,  and,  perhaps,  take  him  back  a 
prisoner. 

This  brief  campaign  of  December,  1780,  proved  to  be  one  of  the  most 
active  of  the  war.  Taking  advantage  of  the  absence  of  Marion,  the 
Tories  and  their  allies  had  committed  every  description  of  outrage  upon 
the  people,  and  especially  upon  such  as  were  attainted  of  treason. 
The  result  was,  that  as  soon  as  Marion's  signals  had  been  given  out,  the 
little  "  brigade  "  seemed  to  rise  up  out  of  the  very  earth,  with  the  face 
of  every  man  turned  toward  Snow's  island. 

"  Each  valley,  each  sequestered  glen, 
Sent  forth  its  little  band  of  men." 

And  Marion  and  his  captains  in  their  turn,  fighting  their  way  back  as 
they  had  opportunity,  were  soon  under  the  leafy  canopy  of  the  rendez- 

1  The  house  is  still  standing,  and  in  good  repair,  at  the  corner  of  Bay  and  Broad  streets, 
Georgetown,  where  John  James,  being  grossly  insulted  by  a  British  officer,  seized  a  chair  and 
struck  him  to  the  floor,  and  springing  to  the  back  of  his  horse,  standing  at  the  door,  made  good 
his  e-cape  before  his  antagonist  had  gained  his  legs.  The  result  of  this  little  affair  was  four  new 
companies  of  Marion's  men,  with  John  James  at  the  head  of  them  as  major.     (See  illustration.) 


154  SOLDIERS'    MONUMENT   TO    GENERAL   FRANCIS    MARION 

vous.  Several  of  these  running  engagements  were  of  signal  importance. 
The  whole  south  state  seemed  to  be  aroused,  and  Cornwallis  sent  an 
express  to  recall  Colonel  Tarleton  from  his  fruitless  beating  of  the  bushes 
and  marshes  in  his  search  for  Marion,  who,  he  said,  "  has  so  wrought 
upon  the  minds  of  the  people  that  there  is  scarcely  an  inhabitant  between 
the  Santee  and  Pedee  that  is  not  in  arms  against  us.  Some  parties  have 
even  crossed  the  Santee  and  carried  terror  to  the  gates  of  Charleston." 

Tarleton,  already  jaded  out  and  sick  of  his  muddy  chase  of  Marion, 
and  discouraged  at  the  sight  of  "  Ox  swamp,"  to  which  he  had  been 
lured,  was  only  too  happy  to  obey  the  summons ;  and,  turning  to  his  men, 
exclaimed  :  "  Come,  boys,  let  us  go  back.     We  will   soon  find   the   Game 

Cock   (Sumter),    but    as   for  this  d d   Swamp  Fox,   the    devil    himself 

couldn't  catch  him." 

It  was  from  this  circumstance,  it  is  said,  that  Sumter  and'  Marion 
derived  the  popular  appellations  by  which  they  were  ever  after  known. 
Sumter's  men  adopted  the  game  cock  as  their  badge,  and  Marion's  men 
wore  a  fox-tail  in  their  caps. 

Tarleton  now  obtained  leave  to  hunt  in  the  other  direction  for  "  the 
game  cock,"  but  from  this  time  forth  Tarleton  proved  unfortunate  and 
Marion's  star  was  in  the  ascendant.  Several  expeditions,  more  or  less 
formidable,  were  sent  against  him,  but  he  either  eluded  them  or  lured 
them  to  their  own  destruction.1  The  war  was  now  drawing  to  a  close, 
but  was  prosecuted  with  untiring  vigor  and  energy  upon  both  sides  until 
the  final  evacuation  of  Charleston  in  1782. 

THE    SWORD    OF    MARION. 

Found  on  Snow's  Island,  South  Carolina,  by  Captain  T.  N.  Britton,  in  the  year 

1826  or  1827. 

Captain  Britton,  in  forwarding  this  valuable  relic  to  Mr.  S.  Emanuel 
of  Georgetown  (June  20,  1876),  in  order  that  it  might  be  present  at  the 
Fort  Moultrie  Centennial  (June  28th),  said: 

"  I  found  this  sword  in  a  limb  of  a  large  sycamore  tree  on  Snow's 
Island,  the  tree  having  been  blown  down.  The  negroes  made  a  fire  in 
a  large  limb;  when  the  limb  burnt  into  the  tree,  it  exposed  the  point  of 
the  sword,  which  was  in  the  hollow  of  the  limb.  The  fire  and  weight 
of  the  limb  broke  the  scabbard  and  bent  the  blade  so  that  I  cut  a  part  of 
the  blade  and  scabbard  off.     I  see  marked  on  the  handle  "  F.  M.  1776," 

J  He  was  sometimes  called  the  ignus  fatnus  of  the  war. 


SOLDIERS'    MONUMENT   TO    GENERAL   FRANCIS    MARION 


55 


which  I  saw  on  it  the  day  after  I  found  the  sword.     You  can  make  what 
disposition  of  it  you  see  proper.  Very  respectfully  yours, 

T.  N.  Britton." 


GEN.  MARIONS 
SWORD. 


The  inscription  spoken  of  is  on  the  back  of  the  hilt,  and  has"  evidently 
been  scratched  in  with  the  point  of  a  penknife,  probably  by  Marion  him- 
self. The  blade  is  a  French  cut-and-thrust,  the  scabbard  of 
copper,  the  grip  of  ivory,  and  all  the  mountings  originally 
plated  with  silver,  traces  of  which  remain.  It  is  unmistakably 
an  officer's  sword,  and  was  originally  a  stylish  affair — more  of 
a  dress  sword,  however,  than  a  weapon  for  service,  and  was 
probably  hung  upon  the  tree  and  left  behind  on  Snow's 
island  while  Marion  and  his  men  were  off  on  some  of  their 
raids.  It  was  deeply  embedded  in  the  wood  of  the  tree  when 
discovered  by  Captain  Britton,  and  nothing  but  fire  or  the 
woodman's  axe  would  ever  have  released  it. 

Two  other  circumstances  concur  in  assisting  us  to  identify 
this  as  the  veritable  sword  of  Marion.  (See  Note  to  Simms' 
Life  of  Marion,  p.  178.)  Simms  says:  "The  dislike  or  indif- 
ference of  Marion  to  anything  like  mere  military  display  was  a 
matter  of  occasional  comment  and  some  jest  among  his  fol- 
lowers. Among  other  proofs  which  are  given  of  this  indifference,  we 
are  told  that,  on  one  occasion,  attempting  to  draw  his  sword  from  the 
scabbard,  he  failed  to  do  so,  in  consequence  of  the  rust,  the  result  of  his 
infrequent  employment  of  the  weapon.  (Certainly  a  rich  event  in  the 
life  of  a  military  man.)  ....  Long  swords  were  then  in  fashion,  but 
he  continued  to  wear  the  small  cut-and-thrust  of  the  second  regiment.  Such 
a  weapon  better  suited  his  inferior  physique,  and  necessarily  lessened  the 
motives  to  personal  adventure." 

Now,  this  sword  is  a  "  small  cut-and-thrust  ;  "  it  is  very  slightly  rusted, 
even  after  all  these  years,  there  being  no  affinity  between  the  steel  blade 
and  the  copper  scabbard,  but  it  is  very  snugly  fitted,  and  is  therefore  diffi- 
cult to  draw.  Marion  wore  it  as  a  designation — more  for  ornament  than 
use — and,  owing  to  "  his  inferior  physique,"  as  above  quoted,  the  pistol 
was  his  favorite  weapon. 

It  was  discovered  by  Captain  Britton  himself,  and  remained  in  his  pos- 
session fifty  years  before  he  sent  it  to  Mr.  Emanuel  to  be  loaned  to  the 
Fort  Moultrie  Centennial,  June  28,  1876;  and  has  been  in  the  possession 
of  Mr.  Emanuel  ever  since.  The  peculiar  character  of  the  sword  and  the 
remarkable  manner  of  its  preservation  admit  of  no  doubt  in  the  mind  of 


I  $6  SOLDIERS'    MONUMENT   TO    GENERAL   FRANCIS   MARION 

any  expert  that  it  is  the  veritable  "  cut-and-thrust  "  sword  worn  by  Gen- 
eral Marion,  who  probably  scratched  his  initials  upon  it  himself  with  the 
blade  of  a  penknife,  and  hung  it  upon  that  sycamore  tree  within  his  camp 
on  Snow's  island  about  fifty  years  before  it  was  discovered  by  Captain 
Brit  ton. 

Georgetown  is  largely  peopled  with  the  descendants  of  Marion's  men. 
It  was  here  that  he  and  his  friend  Horry  raised  their  first  two  companies 
for  the  second  regiment  (June,  1785).  Many  of  these  were  buried  in  the 
old  burial  place  just  at  the  eastern  limits  of  the  town,  and  many  others  in 
the  churchyard  of  the  old  Episcopal  church,  which  stands  about  in  the 
centre  of  the  town,  at  the  junction  of  Highmarket  and  Broad  streets. 
This  church,  however,  is  not  quite  so  old  as  has  been  claimed.  It  was  not 
built  in  "  1700,"  but  in  1736,  the  corner-stone  having  been  laid  about  ten 
years  previously.  No  trace  of  this  is  now  to  be  found  ;  it  is  supposed  to 
rest  under  the  northeast  corner.  The  venerable  old  pile  was  used  for  a 
stable  by  the  British  during  the  Revolutionary  war,  the  pews  for  kindling 
wood,  and  the  churchyard  for  a  pasture  lot.  But  this  has  all  been  restored. 
The  ivy  cultivated  from  slips  sent  from  Melrose  Abbey  (not  Westminster 
as  has  been  stated)  completely  covered  at  one  time  the  venerable  walls, 
and  even  ran  into  the  belfry.  But  of  this  very  little  now  remains,  some 
one  having  heard  that  such  growths  are  inimical  to  bricks  and  mortar. 
The  original  communion  service,  presented  in  1736  by  Thomas  Morrits, 
came  very  near  being  melted  up  a  few  years  ago  at  the  suggestion  of  an 
ambitious  rector,  who  wished  to  have  something  modern.  The  proposition 
was  defeated  by  one  vote,  and  the  venerable  relics  still  remain.  With  the 
exception  of  this  church,  cases  of  vandalism  were  rare  in  Georgetown 
during  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  so  the  lovely  old  town  remains  in  more 
than  its  pristine  beauty.  The  stately  oaks  and  magnolias  which  line  its 
broad  avenues,  having  taken  on  giant  proportions  since  that  time,  and 
many  of  the  old  mansions,  preserved  by  the  pious  cares  of  the  descendants 
of  the  men  who  built  them  and  who  in  some  cases  lie  buried  in  the  door- 
yards,  remain  very  much  as  when  first  erected. 

The  descendants  of  Marion's  men  are  rightfully  proud  of  the  record  of 
their  ancestors.  They  were  emphatically  "  minute  men,"  ready  to  assem- 
ble on  signal  for  enterprises  known  only  to  their  wary  and  intrepid  leader, 
and  proud  to  share  with  him  the  perils  of  every  adventure.  He  had  been 
an  apt  student  in  Indian  warfare,  and  had  practiced  under  competent 
authority  the  discipline  of  camps.  This  was  his  only  military  education. 
In  these  regards  Washington  had  the  environments  of  a  like  experience. 
Washington    was    in    addition,    however,    something    of    a    topographical 


SOLDIERS'    MONUMENT   TO    GENERAL   FRANCIS    MARION  1 57 

engineer — a  surveyor.  The  tories  were  prone  to  call  him  "  the  old  sur- 
veyor." He  had  actually  measured  much  of  the  ground  he  fought  over, 
extending  all  the  way  from  the  great  lakes  to  the  Potomac  river.  But 
Marion  knew  equally  well  the  ground  he  fought  over,  and  was  master  of 
the  situation.  Each  knew  well  how  to  handle  a  small  force  to  the  best 
advantage.  The  people  of  this  locality  are  very  prone  to  insist  upon  the 
comparison  of  these  two  illustrious  men.  Both  were  born  in  the  same 
year,  both  lost  their  fathers  in  early  life,  both  were  volunteers  in  the 
perilous  lines  of  Indian  warfare.  Neither  were  ever  surprised  by  an 
enemy  nor  wounded  in  battle.  Both  married  wealthy  and  accomplished 
women,  both  left  widows,  both  died  childless,  peacefully  in  their  own 
homes,  and  were  buried  on  their  own  estates.  It  may  safely  be  said  that 
history  has  never  furnished  the  superior  of  Marion  as  a  partisan  officer, 
nor  the  equal  of  Washington  as  a  general  and  a  magistrate. 

THE   OLD   CHURCH   AT   GEORGETOWN1 

The  descendants  of  Marion's  men  have  recently  erected  a  beautiful 
monument  in  the  grounds  of  the  old  church,  to  the  memory  of  Dr.  Alexius 
M.  Foster,  the  surgeon  of  their  troop.  It  was  quite  rare,  however,  that 
Marion's  men  had  the  benefit  of  surgical  attendance.  One  case  is  men- 
tioned where  a  brave  young  soldier  was  allowed  to  bleed  to  death  in  presence 
of  a  surgeon  prisoner  in  the  partisan's  camp  who  refused  to  tie  the  artery 
or  dress  the  wound,  and  who  would  have  been  shot,  and  buried  in  the  same 
grave  with  his  victim,  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  intervention  of  Marion — 
an  instance  of  his  characteristic  forbearance  toward  prisoners  under  very 
grave  aggravation.  He  would  never  allow  the  least  indignity  or  cruelty  to 
be  exercised  toward  those  who  had  fallen  into  his  power,  although  his 
favorite  nephew  had  been  deliberately  murdered  in  the  hostile  camp  as 
soon  as  it  was  ascertained  that  his  name  was  Marion. 

1  Established  March,  1 721  ;  church  edifice  begun  1726  ;  Rev.  Mr.  Thomas  assumed  charge 
1728.  Number  of  white  inhabitants  of  parish  five  hundred.  In  1737  the  assembly  directed 
that  a  new  church  [the  present  edifice]  be  built,  and  in  1741-42  appropriated  all  the  duties  paid  in 
at  the  custom  house  at  Georgetown  for  five  years,  to  be  applied  to  the  building.  There  is  no 
record  of  the  completion  of  the  building  extant.  The  interior  of  the  church  was  destroyed  by  fire 
during  the  war  of  the  revolution. — See  Dalcho's  History  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  of 
South  Carolina. 

Georgetown,  South  Carolina,  June  1,  1893. 


YUCATAN    SINCE   THE   CONQUEST 

THE    WAR   OF    RACES 
By  Alice  D.  Le  Plongeon 

A  desire  to  know  something  about  the  future  has  been  and  is  so  gen- 
eral that  among  nearly  all  people,  civilized  and  uncivilized,  various  means 
have  been  and  are  employed  in  the  effort  to  gratify  this  craving.  The 
past  is  the  only  light  that  can  really  be  thrown  on  the  future ;  for  by 
studying  events  that  have  occurred,  and  observing  what  they  led  to,  we 
may  at  least  know  that  similar  events  will  probably  lead  to  like  results. 
Hence  the  utility  of  history  ;  it  is  a  guide  that  points  out  the  pitfalls  into 
which  others  have  fallen  and  which  we  should  therefore  avoid. 

Among  all  the  native  American  nations  none  has  a  more  heroic  history 
than  the  Maya,  whose  empire  at  one  time  extended  from  the  isthmus  of 
Tehuantepec  to  that  of  Darien,  and  whose  ruined  cities  now  make  the 
peninsula  of  Yucatan  famous. 

It  has  already  been  shown  1  how  at  the  time  of  the  Spanish  conquest 
the  inhabitants  of  Yucatan  were  a  mixed  race,  resulting  from  the  inter- 
mingling of  the  aboriginal  Mayas  with  the  Nahualts  who  came  from  the 
south  invading  the  land  in  the  early  part  of  the  Christian  era,  and  with 
Mexican  mercenaries  who  were  introduced  some  time  before  the  thir- 
teenth century  by  a  tyrannical  prince  named  Cocom,  whose  subjects 
uprose  against  him  ;  also,  how  the  Mayas  were  vanquished  only  after 
twenty-five  years  of  brave  resistance,  and  would  not  then  have  been  over- 
come had  not  the  Nahualts  and  the  Mexicans,  always  hated  by  the 
Mayas,  made  themselves  willing  allies  of  the  white  foe.  The  short- 
sighted wretches  became  victims  of  their  own  stupidity,  for  the  Spaniards, 
as  soon  as  they  were  masters  of  the  situation,  showed  them  no  mercy  in 
recognition  of  the  assistance  they  had  rendered.  All  alike,  chiefs  not 
excepted,  were  reduced  to  a  state  of  abject  and  cruel  slavery. 

As  long  as  Yucatan  remained  subject  to  Spain  it  was  governed  by  a 
captain-general,  and  was  independent  of  the  other  provinces  that  consti- 
tuted the  vice-royalty  of  what  was  called  New  Spain.  Father  Diego 
Lopez   de   Cogolludo,  who    in   the   years   1550  to    1560   wrote  a  work  on 

1  Magazine  of  American  History,  vols,  xviii.  and  xix. 


YUCATAN    SINCE   THE   CONQUEST  1 59 

Yucatan,1  informs  us  that  in  the  beginning  of  the  colonial  government 
Yucatan  was  subject  to  the  Audicncia  of  Guatemala,  and  afterward  passed 
under  that  of  Mexico.  During  the  Spanish  dominion,  from  1542  to  1822, 
the  natives  were  cruelly  abused  slaves. 

It  is  not  possible  to  give  the  history  of  those  people  without  briefly 
viewing  some  of  the  political  events  of  their  unhappy  land,  which  now, 
after  many  years  of  strife  and  poverty,  is  enjoying  peace  and  prosperity. 
Yucatan  counts  among  its  educated  classes  many  gifted  musicians,  artists, 
and  writers.  Some  have  written  volumes  on  the  wars  and  revolutions  of 
their  country  ;  in  fact,  there  is  such  an  accumulation  of  wordy  matter  that 
the  reader  is  constantly  in  danger  of  losing  sight  of  the  leading  incidents. 
One  of  the  most  complete  works  on  the  subject  is  that  of  Sefior  Don 
Serapio  Baqueiro,  published  in  Merida  in  1879.  Concerning  the  events 
which  have  transpired  since  that  time,  we  have  our  knowledge  from 
personal  observation  and  from  those  who  have  lived  among  the  hostile 
Indians. 

We  must  now  substitute  the  word  Macegnal  for  Indian,  that  being  the 
name  that  those  people  give  themselves  in  their  own  language. 

In  1822  Mexico  became  independent  of  Spain.  Yucatan  then  agreed 
to  recognize  the  republican  government  as  its  own,  provided  it  were  always 
liberal  and  Yucatan  regarded  as  a  free  State  in  the  Confederacy,  with  the 
right  to  form  its  own  constitution  and  establish  such  laws  as  it  might  deem 
convenient  for  its  welfare.  Although  Mexico  admitted,  it  did  not  abide 
by,  this  agreement.  The  consequence  was  that  in  May,  1839,  m  the  city  of 
Tizimin  (Yucatan),  a  revolution  was  started.  A  lady  bearing  the  illustrious 
name  of  Virgil— Sefiora  Dona  Maria  Nicolasa  Virgilio — took  such  a  lead- 
ing part  in  that  affair,  and  acted  with  so  much  energy  and  decision,  that 
some  persons  say  it  was  she  who  did  it  all.2  The  revolution  spread 
throughout  the  State,  and  the  Maceguals,  no  longer  slaves  though  their  lot 
was  a  very  hard  one,  were  induced  to  side  with  their  masters,  against  the 
Federals,  by  promises  which  were  made  only  to  be  broken.  The  unfor- 
tunate people  were  assured  that  if  Yucatan  triumphed  they,  the  toilers, 
would  have  to  pay  no  more  church  taxes,  that  all  other  taxes  would  be 
diminished,  and  that  each  man  should  have  land  to  cultivate  for  his  own 
benefit.  The  bait  was  tempting,  and  the  too  credulous  victims  bit  the 
hook. 

Desperate  battles  were  fought- during  nine  months.  In  February,  1840, 
the  State  at  last  succeeded  in  liberating  itself  from   Mexico.     Fo^  a  time 

1  Hist,  de  Yucatan,  Madrid,  1688. 

8  Ensayo  historico  sobre  las  revoluciones  de  Yucatan.     Serapio  Baqueiro. 


l6o  YUCATAN    SINCE    THE   CONQUEST 

its  future  welfare  seemed  secure,  but  those  at  the  head  of  the  movement 
had,  in  their  fearless  enthusiasm,  miscalculated  the  strength  of  the  country, 
and  not  sufficiently  regarded  the  fact  that,  of  the  six  hundred  thousand 
inhabitants,  the  greater  number  were  aborigines  among  whom  a  recollec- 
tion of  the  Conquest  was  well  preserved,  not  to  speak  of  more  recent  out- 
rages which  were  fresh  in  the  memory  of  all. 

Had  the  fine  promises  made  by  the  white  men  been  kept,  it  is  probable 
that  the  Maceguals,  who  really  have  most  excellent  dispositions,  would 
have  forgiven  much  and  become  loyal  adherents  of  the  whites  among 
whom  they  lived.  But  not  even  one  promise  was  complied  with.  Never- 
theless, the  sufferers  still  clung  to  that  fair  deceiver  Hope,  encouraged  by 
those  whose  purpose  it  served  to  keep  them  deluded. 

In  October,  1842,  some  revolutionists  provided  a  body  of  Maceguals 
with  firearms,  and  instructed  them  in  their  management,  for  again  civil 
war  had  broken  out  and  their  help  was  needed.  It  was  easy  enough  to 
rekindle  a  warlike  spirit  in  those  descendants  of  the  men  who  had  with 
heroic  and  persistent  valor  resisted  the  mailed  Spaniards  during  a  quarter 
of  a  century.  Side  by  side  with  white  men  and  half-breeds  the  Maceguals 
fought.  True  to  their  party  and  generous  to  a  fault,  they  brought  from 
afar  to  the  seat  of  war  provisions  and  even  what  money  they  could  collect. 
So  valiant  was  their  conduct  that  the  periodicals  of  Merida  said:  "  Sons 
of  Tutul  Xiu  and  Cocom  [ancient  rulers],  you  are  the  loyal  sons,  the 
defenders  of  the  country,  and  soon  the  country  will  reward  you  !  " 

Stanch  and  true,  they  fought  till  victory  again  was  theirs.  But  what 
of  the  reward  ?  Those  grand  promises  made  in  the  hour  of  distress  were 
to  be  forgotten,  never  fulfilled.  What  then  ?  The  Maceguals  had  been 
taught  the  use  of  firearms.  They  had  fought  by  the  side  of  their  crooked- 
tongued  tyrants  ;  what  now  could  prevent  the  down-trodden  serfs  from 
facing  them?  Why  should  not  they  too  strike  a  blow  for  their  own 
liberty?     Still  they  waited. 

With  Mexico  new  treaties  were  made  at  the  beginning  of  1843.  But 
the  angel  of  peace  did  not  long  hover  over  the  land,  for,  owing  to  Mexico's 
non-compliance  with  the  treaties,  Yucatan  in  1846  once  more  separated 
herself  from  the  Confederacy.  Mexico  did  not  keep  her  agreements  with 
Yucatan.     Yucatan  disregarded  her  own  with  the  Maceguals. 

Matters  were  made  yet  worse  by  civil  war  breaking  out  between  Merida 
and  Campeche,  hitherto  forming  one  State.  During  that  war,  in  1847,  the 
city  of  Valladolid,  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State,  was  the  scene  of 
atrocities  resulting  from  a  fight  between  a  small  party  calling  themselves 
aristocrats,  and  the  people  of  the  suburbs  who  brought  in  Maceguals  as 


YUCATAN    SINCE   THE   CONQUEST  l6l 

allies,  thus  swelling  their  number  to  six  thousand,  while  those  of  the 
opposite  party  were  only  three  hundred  ;  these  were  quickly  overpowered. 
During  eight  days  the  city  was  sacked  ;  men,  women,  and  children  slaugh- 
tered, and  many  cruel  deeds  committed  by  the  drunken  soldiers  and  their 
allies.  Families  sought  shelter  in  the  parochial  church,  at  the  foot  of  the 
altars,  imploring  the  aid  and  protection  of  their  patron  saints — wooden  gods 
that  had  ears  but  heard  not !  Victim  after  victim  was  dragged  from  the 
hallowed  edifice  to  the  open  square.  The  sun  glared  down  upon  the  dead, 
the  moans  of  the  dying  filled  the  air.  Some  acts  committed  on  that 
occasion  were  so  savage  that  they  are  best  untold. 

Were  the  Maceguals  still  hoping  for  the  fulfillment  of  those  fine  prom- 
ises?    If  so,  they  finally  realized  that  they  had  waited  in  vain. 

In  July,  1847,  ^  was  discovered  that  those  in  the  district  of  Valladolid 
were  planning  a  great  conspiracy  for  the  destruction  of  the  white  people. 
The  leaders  of  the  movement  were  Bonifacio  Novelo,  Jacinto  Pat,  and 
Cicilio  Chi.  At  a  rancho  called  Tzal  they  had  managed  to  land  hunting 
guns  obtained  from  Balize.  Suspicions  were  first  aroused  by  the  discovery 
that  large  quantities  of  provisions  were  being  stored  in  one  place,  and 
everything  came  to  light  through  the  folly  of  a  cacique  named  Manuel 
Antonio  Ay,  who  in  his  own  village,  Chichimila,  allowed  himself  to  be 
persuaded  to  drink  heavily  in  the  house  of  a  Justice  of  the  Peace.  The 
cacique,  no  longer  having  all  his  wits  about  him,  put  his  hat  on  the  table. 
In  it  the  Justice  saw  a  letter  which,  as  it  belonged  to  an  "  Indian,"  he 
did  not  hesitate  to  read.  Ay,  returning  to  the  room,  surprised  him  in  the 
act  and  warned  him  not  to  betray  him.  The  letter  was  in  Spanish  and 
read  as  follows  : 

"  TEPICH,  July,  1847. 
"Sefior  Don  Manuel  Antonio  Ay. 

"  Dear  Sir  and  Friend  :  Do  me  the  favor  to  tell  me  how  many  villages 
are  notified  for  the  occasion,  so  that  you  may  let  me  know  when.  Also 
I  want  you  to  let  me  know  if  it  is  best,  as  my  intention  is,  to  attack 
Tihosuco,  so  that  we  may  obtain  all  necessary  provisions.  I  need  your 
answer  to  govern  my  actions.  You  will  let  me  know  what  day  you  will 
meet  me,  because  here  they  are  watching  me  closely  ;  this  is  why  I  inform 
you.  You  will  do  me  the  favor  to  let  me  know  one  or  two  days  in  advance. 
Do  not  fail  to  answer.     I  am  only  our  friend  who  esteems  you. 

"Cicilio  Chi." 

The  above  is  a  literal  translation.  Other  papers  were  found,  proving 
the  conspiracy,  and  Ay  was  arrested  on  July  25.  On  the  following  day  he 
was  shot. 

Vol.  XXX.— No.  3.-11 


1 62  YUCATAN    SINCE   THE   CONQUEST 

Ay  was  thirty  years  old  and  had  always  been  esteemed  for  his  good 
character.  He  had  an  interview  with  his  son  before  being  led  to  execu- 
tion. The  boy  was  twelve  years  old,  and  it  is  said  that  his  father  exhorted 
him  to  take  no  part  in  a  war  against  the  white  man.  What  became  of  the 
boy  we  have  not  ascertained.  Ay  did  not  shed  a  tear,  and  when  the  lad 
began  to  cry  checked  him,  saying:  "  Hush!  Weep  not  !  There  are  people 
here  !  "     He  died  with  stoical  courage. 

Cicilio  Chi  was  sent  for  to  meet  a  decoy  at  a  certain  place.  But  the 
news  of  Ay's  execution  had  reached  him,  so  instead  of  answering  the 
summons  he  assembled  two  hundred  of  his  people  to  guard  him  and  keep 
watch  over  the  village  of  Chichimila  where  he  was.  This  came  to  the 
knowledge  of  Trujeque,  the  officer  who  had  been  ordered  to  arrest  him. 
With  soldiers  he  started  for  the  village.  Sentinels  immediately  made 
known  his  approach,  and  Chi  with  his  guard  moved  further  off.  When 
Trujeque  arrived  he  found  no  men  to  resist  him.  The  Maceguals  had  left 
their  families  in  the  village,  never  dreaming  that  the  soldiers  would  harm 
them.  Not  yet  had  they  realized  the  full  ferocity  of  those  men,  whose 
evil  passions  had  complete  mastery  over  their  better  nature.  Men  and 
officers  sacked  the  houses,  robbing  what  pleased  them,  and  assaulting  the 
defenseless  women  who  were  quietly  attending  to  their  domestic  duties — 
those  women  !  always  so  modest  and  chaste;  even  little  girls  were  not 
spared.1  This  was  the  first  action  in  the  war  of  races.  It  was  begun  by 
those  who  had  always  been  the  aggressors,  the  descendants  of  the  Spaniards, 
white  and  half-breed;  for  the  Maceguals  were  as  yet  only  preparing.  On 
the  30th  of  July  several  suspects  were  promptly  put  to  death.  That  very 
night  Chi  and  his  men  fell  like  an  avalanche  on  Tepich,  shouting,  "  Death 
to  the  whites  !"  Forthwith,  the  thirty  pale-faced  families  residing  at  that 
place  were  killed.  One  man,  Alejo  Arana,  escaped  and  carried  the  news 
to  Tihosuco.  The  all-absorbing  idea  of  the  Maceguals  was  to  erase  from 
the  land  their  hated  oppressors.  The  terror-stricken  cry  of  "  Indians ! 
Indians  !  "  soon  spread  from  rancho  to  village,  village  to  town,  and  town 
to  city.  The  martyrdom  of  their  forefathers  was  not  forgotten  !  They 
could  feel  no  mercy  or  pity  ;  too  long  they  had  endured.  The  pent-up 
wrath  of  all  those  years  broke  forth  with  unquenchable  fury.  The  bitter- 
ness of  gall,  for  generations  fostered  and  suppressed  within  those  stoical 
breasts,  spread  over  the  land  like  burning  lava  from  a  volcano.  Men, 
women,  and  children  were  massacred  ;  the  war  of  races  was  initiated. 

Troops  were  sent  out  to  fight  the  Maceguals  in  Tepich,  but  others 
awaited  them  on  the  road,  in  ambush,  and  succeeded  in  dispersing  two  or 

1  Baqueiro.     Vol.  1,  p.  238. 


YUCATAN    SINCE   THE    CONQUEST  163 

three  companies.  At  last  Captain  Ongay  with  two  hundred  men  forced 
his  way,  keeping  up  a  steady  fire  for  more  than  an  hour,  until  he  took 
Tepich.  Those  who  had  held  the  village  after  killing  the  white  inhabi- 
tants had  left  everything  in  place.  There  had  been  no  disorderly  con- 
duct, no  robbery,  nothing  had  been  disturbed,  no  house  burned.  The 
Meceguals  Had  shown  no  brutal  or  selfish  desire,  their  only  purpose  was  to 
destroy  the  enemy  of  their  race.  In  the  barracks  were  large  quantities  of 
provisions,  as  if  they  had  been  prepared  for  forced  marches. 

Captain  Ongay  at  once  proceeded  to  act  like  a  savage.  He  divided  his 
men  into  guerillas,  ordering  them  to  burn  the  houses,  fill  up  the  wells,  and 
render  everything  useless.  In  one  building,  decrepit  old  men  and  women, 
tender  infants,  and  girls  blooming  with  youth  and  health  were  shut  up  ; 
the  building  was  then  set  on  fire.  Even  the  contents  of  the  village  church 
were  burned.  Henceforth  the  Maceguals  would  burn  what  fell  into  their 
hands  ;  the  white  men  had  set  the  example.  A  flood  of  fury  was  about 
to  sweep  over  the  land  ;  bitter  and  more  cruel  the  strife  would  grow. 

A  few  days  later  a  party  of  natives  attacked  an  hacienda,  seized  what 
money  and  jewels  they  could  find,  killed  the  son  of  the  lady  who  owned 
the  place,  took  out  his  heart  and  ate  it  among  them  (a  very  ancient  cus- 
tom), telling  her  that  she  must  not  weep. 

From  that  time  forward  all  manner  of  cruelties  were  committed.  In 
every  village,  town,  and  city  a  pillar  of  wood  or  stone  was  raised,  and  every 
Macegual  suspected  of  conspiring  was  there  flogged,  being  afterward  left 
for  the  public  to  gaze  at.  A  cacique  of  the  village  Tixpeual,  named  Ales- 
sandro  Tzab,  wrote  an  account  of  the  treatment  he  received.1 

He  was  arrested  in  his  own  village  while  making  arrangements  with 
the  Alcalde  to  receive  government  troops,  and  taken  to  the  prison  at  Tix- 
kokob,  the  nearest  town.  From  his  cell  he  heard  continual  lashings  and 
lamentations.  At  one  o'clock  in  the  morning  he  was  led  to  the  whipping 
post,  to  reach  which  he  traversed  an  extensive  pool  of  blood.  Failing  to 
get  a  declaration  from  him  about  things  of  which  he  was  ignorant,  his  per- 
secutors suspended  him  by  his  ears,  tied  his  hands  and  feet,  and  adminis- 
tered twenty-five  lashes,  then  questioned  him  again.  Having  nothing  to 
tell,  he  received  more  lashes.  Even  a  priest,  who  knew  Tzab  to  be  a  good 
man,  said  no  word  in  his  behalf. 

On  one  occasion  armed  troops  forced  their  way  at  midnight  into  sev- 
eral poor  huts,  and  cut  the  arms  of  the  hammocks  not  only  in  which  the 
men  were  resting,  but  of  those  wherein  women  and  children  lay.  All  the 
men,  even  the  very  aged  and  the  youths,  were  taken  to  the  lockup.     Rifles 

1  Baqueiro.     Vol.  I,  p.  273, 


164  YUCATAN    SINCE    THE    CONQUEST 

were  tightly  lashed  to  their  hands  and  feet,  so  that  the  unfortunate  creat- 
ures could  not  bend  ;  thus  they  were  left  on  the  ground  all  night.  With 
the  first  glimmer  of  light  a  crowd  collected  ;  the  wives,  sisters,  and  mothers 
of  the  victims  hastened  to  the  lockup  carrying  chocolate  or, other  refresh- 
ment, which  the  poor  fellows  could  not  drink  because  of  their  posture. 
They  were  only  released  to  be  taken  to  the  post,  where  they  were  flogged 
till  the  blood  flowed,  in  the  presence  of  wives  and  children,  who  helplessly 
wrung  their  hands  and  wept.  From  there  they  were  led  away  bound, 
to  do  public  work.  Those  wretched  people  had  committed  no  offense, 
nor  were  they  allowed  any  kind  of  trial.  They  were  suspected,  that  was 
enough  !  Cowards  and  fools  must  those  individuals  have  been  who  em- 
ployed such  means  to  pacify  the  long-suffering,  outraged  aborigines.  They 
were  not  treating  with  savage  Apaches,  but  peace-loving  people  whose 
patience  was  exhausted.  Honey,  not  gall,  wTas  needed.  When  war  had 
not  yet  broken  out,  when  the  letter  of  Chi  was  found  in  Ay's  possession, 
bloodshed  could  have  been  averted  ;  the  smoldering  embers  could  have 
been  smothered  by  kindness,  by  that  improvement,  so  long  vainly  promised, 
in  the  condition  of  the  ill-treated  laborers.  But  the  execution  of  Ay  and 
the  cruel  deeds  which  followed  fanned  the  embers  to  an  inextinguishable 
blaze. 

To-day  Yucatan  is  regenerated,  and  its  best  people  regret  the  cruelties 
that  were  perpetrated,  admitting  that  the  oppressed  Maceguals  were  goaded 
beyond  endurance,  and  had  no  reason  for  showing  mercy  to  their  tor- 
mentors. 

They  did  show  none.  They  burned  rancho,  village,  and  town,  murder- 
ing the  inhabitants  and  robbing  what  they  could  lay  hands  on.  One  of 
the  leading  traits  of  their  character  was,  and  is,  honesty.  But  they  had 
adopted  the  tactics  of  their  enemies.  They  had  first  thought  of  uprising 
because  of  the  injustice  they  suffered,  and  because  exorbitant  taxes  were 
exacted  of  them  by  Church  and  State.  But  the  war  was  decided  by 
the  white  people  and  mestizos  killing  their  families  and  burning  their 
homes.  In  proof  of  this  we  make  an  extract  from  a  letter  addressed  to 
Father  Canuto  Vela:  "These  people  would  not  have  uprisen  but  to 
defend  their  lives.  ...  If  the  contributions  are  abolished,  the  Mace- 
guals will  be  quiet  ;  .  .  .  otherwise  only  life  or  death  can  decide  this 
question.  .  .  .  Let  the  cost  of  baptism  be  three  reals  ;*  marriage,  ten 
reals,  etc.  (Signed)  JOSE  JACINTO  Pat." 

The  men  for  whom  Pat  asked  this  reduction  of  fees  were  receiving  the 
miserable  pittance  of  one  real  for  a  long  day's  work. 

1  Real  —  twelve  and  a  half  cents. 


YUCATAN    SINCE   THE   CONQUEST  165 

Meanwhile  the  horrors  of  civil  war  were  added  to  those  of  the  war  of 
races.  The  most  important  cities  were  ruined  and  lost,  the  Maceguals 
continually  getting  the  upper  hand,  the  more  easily  because  of  the  ridicu- 
lous squabbles  between  political  parties.  If  all  the  aborigines  had  united, 
not  a  white  man  would  have  escaped  death.  Unfortunately  for  their 
cause  a  large  number  of  Maceguals  remained  in  power  of  the  government, 
terrified  into  subjection  by  the  atrocities  inflicted  on  the  more  daring  of 
their  color.  The  want  of  unanimity  may  have  been  partly  due  to  the 
diversity  of  race  which  existed  at  the  time  of  the  Conquest  and  facilitated 
it,  the  original  natives,  Mayas,  having  been  the  only  ones  who  never 
yielded.  Those  who  stood  by  the  whites  were  shown  no  mercy  by  their 
struggling  countrymen  against  whom  they  helped  to  wage  war. 

Gradually  the  Mayas  extended  themselves  over  all  the  district  of 
Valladolid.  Again  and  again  the  government  troops  were  defeated,  not- 
withstanding their  determined  resistance.  On  one  occasion,  being  hard 
pressed,  they  imagined  that  their  adversaries  might  respect  priests  in  their 
robes  of  office.  Two  fathers  donned  their  sacerdotal  garments  and  went 
to  the  barricade  to  parley  with  the  Maceguals  ;  but  these,  seeing  the  white 
soldiers  take  off  their  hats,  shouted  :  "  Don't  take  off  your  hats  for  those 
people  ;  they  are  nothing  but  dogs,  like  yourselves  !  " 

At  last  the  authorities  were  driven  to  sue  for  peace,  and  they  sent 
written  proposals  to  their  adversaries.  The  reply,  of  which  the  following 
is  an  extract,  was  penned  in  the  Maya  language. 

"  I  have  but  one  thing  to  say  to  you  and  the  venerable  holy  fathers. 
Why  did  you  not  agree  among  yourselves  and  be  alert  when  the  authori- 
ties began  to  kill  us?  Why  did  you  not  protect  us  and  rise  in  our  favor 
when  the  white  people  killed  so  many  of  us?  Why  did  you  not  do  it 
when  Father  Herrera  did  as  he  pleased  with  the  poor  Indians?  That 
father  put  his  horse's  saddle  on  one  of  our  people,  and  rode  on  him,  and 
whipped  him,  wounding  his  belly  with  the  spurs.  Why  had  you  no  pity 
for  us  when  that  happened  ?  And  now  you  remember,  now  you  know 
that  there  is  a  true  God.  When  you  were  killing  us,  did  you  not  know 
that  there  was  a  true  God  ?  You  believed  only  in  the  name  of  God  when 
in  the  darkness  of  night  you  were  killing  us  at  the  whipping  post ;  and 
now  you  have  not  even  the  courage  to  receive  the  return  of  your  lashes. 
For  if  we  are  now  killing  you,  you  first  showed  us  the  way.  If  the  homes 
and  haciendas  of  the  whites  are  being  burned,  it  is  because  you  first  burned 
Tepich  and  the  ranchos  of  the  poor  Indians  ;  and  the  white  people  ate  all 
their  cattle  and  stores  of  grain,  and  wasted  the  fields  when  they  passed 
through  them,  seeking  us  to  kill  us  with  their  powder.     Twenty-four  hours 


l66  YUCATAN    SINCE   THE   CONQUEST 

we  give  you  to  deliver  up  your  weapons.  If  you  are  ready  to  give  them 
up,  no  harm  will  be  done  to  you  or  to  your  houses  ;  but  the  houses  and 
haciendas  of  all  the  white  people  who  do  not  give  up  their  weapons  will 
be  burned,  and  they  will  be  killed  besides,  because  so  they  have  taught  us 
to  do.  All  that  the  white  people  have  done  to  us  we  will  do  to  them,  so 
that  the\"  may  see  how  they  like  such  a  return." 

Yucatan  was  reduced  to  a  deplorable  state — without  means,  the  cour- 
age of  the  troops  gone  so  that  they  were  deserting  in  bands,  and  refugees 
from  all  over  the  land  pouring  into  the  capital.  It  was  decided  that  the 
precious  objects  in  the  churches  would  have  to  be  sold  to  meet  the  emer- 
gency. They  were  valued  at  a  hundred  and  fifty-one  thousand  dollars. 
A  generous  act  on  the  part  of  Cuba  made  the  sacrifice  unnecessary.  On 
January  29,  the  government  ship  Churrucas,  commanded  by  Don  Jacobo 
Crespo  y  Villavicencio,  cast  anchor  in  the  port  of  Sisal.  The  commander 
brought  various  official  communications,  in  which  this  generous  question 
was  put  :  "  What  do  the  inhabitants  of  Yucatan  need  to  free  themselves 
from  the  death  with  which  the  barbarous  Indians  menace  them  ?  " 

If  the  Maceguals  were  barbarous,  what  term  should  be  applied  to  those 
who  had  made  them  so  desperate  ? 

The  commander  of  the  Churrucas  had  received  instructions  to  aid  in 
the  escape  of  such  families  as  might  wish  to  leave  the  country.  For  this, 
Cuban  ships  would  go  along  the  east  coast,  and  it  was  to  be  understood 
that  this  help  would  be  given  without  any  political  aim,  simply  for  human- 
ity's sake.  But  although  the  commission  was  a  purely  protective  one,  if 
the  Indians  should  attack  any  persons  on  the  shores,  within  reach  of  the  fire 
of  the  boats, the  Cubans  would  defend  those  who  called  for  their  protection. 

Forty  days  after  the  Churrucas  had  left  Yucatan  with  the  answer  of  its 
authorities,  warships  brought  from  Cuba  twenty-two  thousand  one  hundred 
and  seventy-one  dollars  in  cash  ;  two  thousand  good  rifles,  with  bayonets; 
two  hundred  cavalry  sabres  ;  two  mountain  mortars — twelve-pounders — 
and  other  small  field-pieces,  as  well  as  two  hundred  quintals  of  powder. 
These  were  the  principal  things  that  had  been  asked.1 

In  March  of  the  same  year  the  authorities  again  found  themselves  in 
such  a  helpless  condition  that  they  decided  to  try  and  enlist  the  support 
of  some  country  that  could  help  them  to  kill  off  the  struggling  aborigines. 
To  Mexico  they  did  not  wish  to  apply,  after  having  striven  so  hard  for 
independence;  but  they  could  turn  to  Spain,  the  mother  country,  against 
which  Yucatan  had  never  struck  a  blow,  liberty  having  come  to  her  through 
the  efforts  of  Mexico. 

1  Baqueiro.    Vol.  1,  p.  346. 


YUCATAN   SINCE   THE    CONQUEST  1 67 

Don  Santiago  Mendcz,  then  governor,  dispatched  lengthy  documents 
to  Spain,  to  England,  and  to  the  United  States,  asking  for  help.  The 
three  nations  turned  a  deaf  car  to  the  appeal  ;  which  was  natural,  if  they 
knew  that  the  aid  of  others  had  also  been  invoked.  In  such  a  sore  strait, 
Yucatan  was  compelled  to  once  more  enter  the  Mexican  Confederacy. 

By  the  month  oi  May,  1848,  more  than  two  hundred  and  fifty  towns 
and  villages  had  been  burned  ;  the  troops  were  driven  to  the  very  gates  of 
the  capital,  and  the  Maceguals  could  float  their  banner  triumphant  over 
two-thirds  of  the  land.  Their  adversaries  were  reduced  to  Merida,  some 
villages  on  the  coast,  and  on  the  highroad  of  Campeche.  Commerce,  in- 
dustry, and  agriculture  were  at  a  standstill.  Things  had  reached  such  a 
climax  that  the  governor,  head  of  the  country,  broke  up  his  household  and 
prepared  to  start  for  Campeche  ;  while  the  bishop  proposed  to  sail  for 
Havana,  taking  the  nuns  of  Merida.  The  abandonment  of  the  city  was 
decreed  by  Church  and  State,  but  there  was  not  a  piece  of  clean  paper  in 
possession  of  the  Government  on  which  to  write  the  proclamation,  nor 
could  any  citizen  furnish  the  desired  article.  The  principal  people  then 
went  to  the  Governor  and  induced  him  to  relinquish  his  intention  of 
departing,  urging  him  to  one  more  effort.  "We  have  no  means!"  he 
exclaimed.  To  which  they  justly  replied,  "  We  shall  have  less  if  we  leave 
Merida." 

The  city  was  therefore  not  abandoned.  Its  public  edifices  were  con- 
verted into  temporary  homes  for  hundreds  of  refugees  who  had  been  com- 
pelled to  abandon  everything  and  flee  from  all  parts  of  the  land.  They 
were  fed  and  clothed  by  the  people  of  Merida,  who  generously  shared 
what  they  had  with  their  more  afflicted  countrymen. 

The  victory  of  the  Maceguals  had  cost  them  dear.  Their  best  men  had 
perished.  They  were  not  well  disciplined,  and  the  greater  number  were 
armed  only  with  machetes.  Hundreds  were  wounded,  all  more  or  less  ill  and 
emaciated  ;  nor  was  there  any  among  them  to  give  proper  surgical  assist- 
ance. If  they  had  had  good  leaders  and  weapons,  their  victory  might 
have  been  complete.  One  thing  which  they  did  was  continually  detri- 
mental to  them:  always  after  taking  a  town  or  village  they  drank  heavily. 
Thus  they  were  in  poor  condition  when  they  most  needed  strength;  when 
the  panic  among  the  people  at  Merida  subsided,  and  with  help  from  Mex- 
ico, the  combat  was  renewed.  In  August  the  tide  turned.  Desperately 
the  whites  and  meztizos  fought  to  regain  towns  and  villages.  Inch  by 
inch,  body  to  body,  they  contested  for  the  soil,  which  was  strewn  writh 
heroes  dead  and  dying.  Equal  courage  was  displayed  on  both  sides  ;  but 
the  Mexicans,  well  supplied  with  arms  and  ammunition,  had  the  advan- 


l6S  YUCATAN    SINCE   THE    CONQUEST 

tage.  The  tenacity  and  endurance  of  the  Maceguals  as  they  were  gradu- 
ally beaten  back  was  amazing,  suffering  as  they  were  from  every  kind  of 
hardship  and  want. 

In  the  war  of  races,  as  at  the  time  of  the  Conquest,  the  priests,  with 
some  exceptions,  did  what  they  could  to  protect  the  aborigines  from 
cruelty  ;  but  the  soldiers  submitted  their  prisoners  to  abominable  outrage, 
acts  too  shocking  to  write  of.  We  limit  ourselves  to  stating  that  captives 
were  made  to  carry  the  booty,  laden  like  beasts  of  burden,  on  forced 
marches,  without  food  or  drink,  and,  reaching  their  journey's  end,  were 
imprisoned  till  they  could  be  sent  to  haciendas.  The  women  had  to  work 
for  the  soldiers,  cook  their  food,  and  serve  them  in  other  ways. 

The  Maceguals  condemned  only  to  death  were  fortunate,  and  mani- 
fested great  stoicism.  They  walked  from  their  cell  with  serenity,  ascended 
the  scaffold  with  firm  step,  took  the  rope  and  placed  it  around  their  own 
neck,  waiting  to  be  choked  without  any  appearance  or  expression  of 
regret.  The  Maceguals  always  meet  death  as  men  should  meet  it.  In 
one  instance  hemp  was  handed  to  a  condemned  man,  with  the  order  to 
make  a  strong  rope.  After  this  was  completed  the  white  jailer  said  :  "  It 
has  to  be  strong,  because  it  is  to  hang  you."  The  Macegual  tested  it,  and 
replied  :  "  It  is  nice  and  strong  ;  it  will  not  break."  Whereupon  the  other 
exclaimed:  "Man  alive!  do  you  not  feel  bad  at  the  idea  of  being  hung 
in  an  hour's  time?"  The  answer  was:  "  No;  but  please  give  me  some- 
thing to  eat ;   I  am  very  hungry." 

Among  the  great  number  killed  during  the  rebellion,  none  wept  or 
prayed  before  their  executioners,  and  if  their  relations  were  present  they 
gave  them  a  last  embrace  with  perfect  composure.  In  1853,  when  hostil- 
ities had  for  the  time  being  ceased,  four  hundred  Maceguals  were  treacher- 
ously slain  in  the  city  of  Tizimin.  , 

Various  revolutionists  had  concealed  themselves  in  a  cave  to  avoid  the 
authorities.  Among  them  was  Captain  Narcisso  Virgilio,  of  Tizimin.  To 
him  an  old  soldier  named  Moguel  proposed  to  procure  a  party  of  men 
whom  he  knew  to  be  in  a  certain  place.  His  offer  being  accepted,  he  went 
to  Maben,  a  famous  barracks  of  the  Maceguals.  Moguel  succeeded  in 
inducing  them  to  lift  their  camp,  and  come  near  the  hiding-place  of  his 
companions.  After  an  absence  of  eight  days  he  presented  himself  to 
them,  saying:  "  The  force  is  at  a  short  distance  from  us;  come  and  see 
it."  They  went,  and  were  amazed  to  find  four  hundred  Maceguals  well 
armed.  Virgilio  made  an  agreement  with  their  chief  to  overthrow  the 
government  of  the  State,  offering  him  a  large  recompense.  He  counted 
on  winning  over  to   his  side  the  national  guard   of  Tizimin  and  carrying 


YUCATAN    SINCE   THE    CONQUEST  169 

the  revolution  to  the  capital.  On  their  way  back  to  Tizimin,  Virgilio  and 
his  men  with  the  Maceguals  were  met,  at  a  place  called  Sucopo,  by  gov- 
ernment troops  that  had  been  sent  to  fight  them.  Instead  of  doing  this, 
they  joined  the  revolutionists  and  went  to  Tizimin.  There  Virgilio  had  a 
leading  citizen  to  prepare  a  document — the  Act  of  Revolution  —  while  he 
himself  did  what  was  necessary  to  assemble  the  national  guard.  All  the 
aborigines  of  the  neighborhood  presented  themselves,  not  to  him,  but  to 
the  chief  of  their  own  blood  ;  and  soon  they  harassed  Virgilio  with 
demands  that  he  was  unable  to  satisfy.  Finally  the  chief  told  him  that 
as  his  people  were  the  most  numerous  the  others  should  give  up  their 
arms  to  them.  Virgilio  realized  that  he  had  made  a  mistake.  He  had 
circulated  his  Pronunciamiento  in  the  villages  about  Tizimin,  and  not  one 
man  had  responded.  He  at  once  resolved  on  a  most  ignoble  act.  Unable 
to  make  the  revolution,  and  not  desiring  a  frank  battle  with  the  Maceguals, 
he  decided  to  put  an  end  to  them  by  cunning.  He  began  by  telling  the 
chief  that  as  their  plan  had  not  been  successful,  in  order  to  avoid  numer- 
ous troops  that  would  certainly  arrive  soon,  they  had  better  return  to 
Maben,  where  he  too  would  go,  that  they  might  be  convinced  of  his  good 
faith  and  adherence.     To  this  the  chief  agreed,  suspecting  no  perfidy. 

Virgilio  then  assembled  his  sergeants,  told  them  all  that  had  hap- 
pened, and  ordered  them  to  make  a  show  of  preparing  to  follow  him  and 
the  Maceguals  back  to  the  place  whence  they  had  been  enticed,  but 
explained  that  in  reality  they  were  to  kill  as  many  as  possible  of  the 
unsuspecting  men.  He  arranged  that  at  the  moment  of  the  pretended 
departure  he  would  make  them  form  in  front  of  the  national  guard  at  the 
barracks,  with  the  pretext  of  teaching  them  some  military  movement,  and 
that  when  he  raised  his  hat  the  white  soldiers  should  make  a  simultaneous 
and  heavy  discharge  on  the  Maceguals,  instantly  following  up  the  massa- 
cre with  bayonet  and  machete. 

When  we  were  in  Tizimin  the  people  there  assured  us  that  during  the 
night,  while  the  Maceguals  slept,  the  national  guard  unloaded  all  their 
rifles,  by  order  of  Virgilio,  in  order  that  they  might  be  without  means  of 
defense. 

As  agreed,  that  unworthy  officer  got  the  four  hundred  compactly 
together,  stepped  aside,  and  raised  his  hat.  No  one  fired  a  shot.  He 
replaced  his  hat  and  again  lifted  it.  Still  not  one  shot  was  fired.  Each 
moment  must  have  seemed  an  hour  to  him.  If  the  soldiers  were  giving 
him  time  to  change  his  mind,  it  was  in  vain.  He  did  not  recoil  from  the 
horrible  deed.  Stamping  his  foot,  he  in  an  audible  voice  called  on  the 
soldiers  to  keep  their  promise. 


170  YUCATAN    SINCE    THE   CONQUEST 

Before  the  Maceguals  could  give  one  thought  to  the  purport  of  those 
word-,  a  heavy  discharge  laid  low  three  hundred  brave  fellows  ;  in  a  few 
brief  minutes  the  national  guard  completed  its  work  with  bayonet  and 
machete.  Among  those  first  shot  was  the  chief.  The  bullets  struck  him 
just  as  he  was  stepping  into  his  palanquin. 

We  fail  to  find  any  excuse  for  that  massacre.  If  Virgilio  believed  the 
lives  of  the  people  of  Tizimin  endangered  by  his  having  brought  the 
Maceguals  to  the  city,  he  should  have  accompanied  them  to  Maben  and 
taken  his  chance  of  getting  away  again.  Death  for  himself  and  a  handful 
of  followers  would  certainly  have  been  pleasanter  than  the  disgrace  of 
betraying  four  hundred  fellow-creatures  who  had  confided  in  him.  We 
are  not  aware  that  Virgilio  was  in  any  way  rebuked  by  the  authorities. 

In  November,  1850,  four  years  after  they  had  begun  the  struggle,  some 
of  the  Maceguals,  who  had  so  dearly  won  their  liberty,  found  themselves 
in  the  southwest  part  of  the  peninsula.  Dejected  and  worn  with  long-con- 
tinued combat  and  scanty  fare,  they  found  a  pleasant  resting  place.  One 
of  their  number,  a  mestizo  named  Barrera,  an  untiring  and  terrible  enemy 
of  the  whites,  while  rambling  alone,  discovered  a  cavern  and  a  beautiful 
spring  of  crystalline  water.  Close  by  were  some  large  trees.  In  the  bark 
of  one  he  carved  a  small  cross  in  order  to  know  the  spot  again,  believing 
that  it  would  be  wise  to  establish  a  settlement  there.  He  then  fetched 
many  persons  to  see  it,  telling  them  that  it  had  been  made  by  a  heavenly 
being  to  encourage  them  to  continue  the  war.  As  symbol  of  the  god  of 
rain  the  cross  had  been  sacred  among  the  people  of  Yucatan  before  the 
Spanish  conquest;  thus  the  priests  found  no  difficulty  in  increasing  their 
veneration  for  that  object.  It  was  not  long  before  the  tree  on  which 
Barrera  had  carved  the  cross,  was  blackened  with  the  smoke  of  candles 
and  incense.  Barrera  then  had  three  solid  crosses  made  and  placed  there, 
with  the  idea  of  increasing  the  veneration  for  that  spot.  Among  the 
people  he  discovered  a  ventriloquist,  named  Manuel  Nahuat.  Taking  him 
into  his  confidence  he  persuaded  him  that  for  the  good  of  all  he  must 
make  his  voice  sound  in  one  of  the  crosses.  Thus  endowed  with  power  of 
speech,  the  cross  ordered  the  building  of  a  city  there,1  and  that  it  should 
be  called  Chan  Santa  Cruz  (little  holy  cross).  The  work  was  at  once 
begun.  Later  on  Barrera  had  the  crosses  placed  on  a  high  platform. 
Instructed  by  him,  Nahuat  made  the  cross  deliver  a  sermon  calculated  to 
arouse  the  depressed  spirits  of  the  suffering  people  and  incite  them  to  con- 
tinue the  war.  As  no  trickery  was  suspected,  the  result  may  be  imagined. 
In  obedience  to  the  cross  the  Maceguals  would  go  forth  on  forced  marches, 

1  Thirty-six  miles  west  of  Ascension  bay. 


YUCATAN    SINCE   THE   CONQUEST  171 

attack  any  place  named,  and  fight  like  heroes.  But  all  things  come  to  an 
end,  even  ventriloquists. 

Chan  Santa  Cruz  had  been  settled  some  months,  and  about  two  thou- 
sand people  were  living  there,  when  Mexican  troops  made  their  way  to  the 
place.  There  was  cruel  slaughter,  and  the  voice  of  the  cross  was  hushed 
in  death.  Barrera  and  Nahuat  had  kept  their  secret  ;  but  the  Mexicans, 
besides  killing  the  ventriloquist,  had  carried  away  the  cross.  Another  was 
made.  Then  Barrera  took  into  his  confidence  Juan  de  la  Cruz  Pat.  This 
man  studied  to  dissimulate  his  voice  that  he  might  speak  near  the  cross, 
and  in  order  that  he  could  not  be  seen  it  was  publicly  announced  that  the 
cross  had  said  it  would  speak  at  night  only,  and  in  darkness.  In  profound 
obscurity  the  people  knelt  on  the  floor,  beating  their  breasts  and  saying, 
"  Cilich  Ca  Yum"  (holy  father),  while  the  cross  ordered  and  advised  accord- 
ing to  instructions  received  from  the  chiefs  by  Cruz  Pat.  Thus  the  decep- 
tion was  continued. 

During  thirty  years  the  Maceguals  kept  up  an  active  warfare,  gradually 
driving  the  whites  northward,  until  the  hostile  natives  really  had  nearly 
two-thirds  of  the  soil  to  themselves.  They  detest  a  clan  of  their  own 
blood,  who  call  themselves  Icaiches  and  recognize  the  Campeche  govern- 
ment, although  free  and  independent.  The  Icaiches  greatly  fear  those  of 
Chan  Santa  Cruz,  having  received  very  rough  treatment  in  a  battle  with 
them. 

At  the  present  time  in  Chan  Santa  Cruz  there  are  white  outlaws,  escaped 
convicts  from  Honduras,  negro  and  Chinese  runaways  from  the  same  place. 
The  Chinese  manufacture  gunpowder,  for  the  Maceguals  have  accumulated 
plenty  of  weapons,  buying  a  few  at  a  time  in  British  Honduras,  where 
Scotch  and  Yucatan  merchants  gladly  sell  rifles  and  ammunition  to  any  one 
who  gives  good  money  in  return.  We  have  heard  injudicious  persons  in 
Yucatan  talk  about  burning  Balize  and  its  English  residents,  as  if  the  Eng- 
lish were  entirely  responsible  for  the  war  of  races.  The  fact  is  that  their 
own  countrymen,  those  who  to  evade  military  service  live  in  British  Hon- 
duras, trade  with  the  independent  natives,  some  even  going  to  Bacalar  for 
that  purpose.  Bacalar  (long.  W.  from  Greenwich  88°  39',  lat.  N.  180  39')  is 
a  town  on  the  west  shore  of  Lake  Bacalar,  that  is  fifteen  miles  long  and 
about  twenty  miles  from  the  northern  frontier  of  British  Honduras.  It 
has  less  than  a  thousand  inhabitants,  Maceguals.  In  1848  it  was  a  thriving 
place,  occupied  by  whites,  mestizos,  and  by  aborigines.  The  Maceguals 
besieged  it  for  three  days  and  took  it,  though  it  cost  them  many  lives,  the 
city  being  walled  and  defended  with  cannon.  As  much  as  possible  they 
avoided  the  balls  by  throwing  themselves  flat  on  the  ground.     From  time 


i;2  YUCATAN    SINCE    THE    CONQUEST 

to  time  they  shouted  to  their  opponents:  "Don't  waste  your  shot;  we 
shall  take  you  in  the  end  !  " 

Exercising  the  most  admirable  self-control  when  they  made  their  way 
into  the  town,  they  did  not  seek  to  avenge  their  fallen  comrades,  but 
behaved  with  decency  and  decorum.  They  told  the  people,  who  were 
now  entirely  in  their  power,  that  they  did  not  wish  to  harm  them  nor  rob 
their  goods  ;  that  all  they  required  was  their  weapons.  Having  obtained 
these,  the  Maceguals  allowed  every  one  to  take  his  valuables  and  depart 
without  insult  or  injury.  They  themselves  remained  in  the  town,  using 
the  houses  just  as  they  found  them,  neither  destroying  nor  displacing 
anything,  no  man  appropriating  any  article  to  himself.  This  was  testified 
to  by  soldiers  who  retook  the  place  a  year  later,  by  surprise,  coming  by  the 
river,  whence  no  one  suspected  their  approach.  A  second  time  the  Mace- 
guals  besieged  and  captured  it,  and,  in  order  to  avoid  another  surprise, 
they  then  demolished  the  city  Avail.  To  this  day  they  hold  Bacalar ;  it  is 
their  trading  port,  reached  through  the  river  Hondo  and  the  creek  called 
Chaac.     They  keep  organized  troops  constantly  on  duty  there. 

While  living  in  Balize  the  writer  had  more  than  one  conversation  with 
a  German  merchant  named  Kraft 1  and  also  with  one  Jose  Andrade  of  Val- 
ladolid,  Yucatan.  Andrade  had  been  a  resident  of  British  Honduras  for 
many  years,  and  he  acted  as  official  interpreter  to  the  Maceguals. 

He  and  Kraft  had  been  to  Chan  Santa  Cruz  more  than  once  ;  they  gave 
us  some  information  about  that  place  and  its  people.  While  we  were 
in  Corozal,  British  Honduras,  some  chiefs  visited  that  town,  and  were 
brought  to  our  house,  where  we  conversed  with  them.  They  and  several 
lads  accompanying  them  wore  spotlessly  white  garments.  All  were  very 
gentle  and  persuasive  in  their  manners.  Their  large  soft  brown  eyes 
never  evaded  the  most  searching  look.  The  chiefs  in  bidding  us  farewell 
said  :  "  Good-by,  till  we  meet  in  Chan  Santa  Cruz."  Afterward,  when  we 
thought  of  visiting  that  place,  we  received  a  kindly  message  from  one  of 
their  number,  saying  that  it  was  the  intention  of  the  others  to  keep  us 
always  among  them  if  we  ever  went  there.  The  plan  did  not  meet  with 
our  approbation,  we  therefore  did  not  undertake  the  journey. 

Chan  Santa  Cruz  is  said  to  be  a  strongly  built  city.  It  has  a  great 
square  whose  west  side  is  occupied  by  one  vast  building,  made  as  a  dwell- 
ing for  Bonifacio  Novelo,  who  was  elected  as  Tatich  or  high-priest.  In 
the  middle  of  the  house  is  a  church  that  projects  to  near  the  centre  of  the 
square.  The  speaking  cross,  unquestioned  oracle,  was  kept  in  the  church 
for  many  years  ;  but  a  time  came  when  it  refused  to  remain  in  the  city, 
1  Kraft  acted  as  American  Consul  in  Spanish  Honduras  up  to  the  time  of  his  death. 


YUCATAN    SINCE   THE   CONQUEST  1 73 

because  so  much  blood  had  been  shed  there,  and  ordered  itself  to  be  car- 
ried to  Tulum  (castle).  The  place  thus  named  is  a  fortified  ancient  city 
on  the  east  coast.  Foaming  waves  dash  against  the  lofty  rock  on  which 
stands  a  grand  old  castle,  built  a  few  thousand  years  ago  by  the  Maya 
people.  About  one  mile  inland  is  Tulum  village,  with  a  few  hundred 
inhabitants,-governed,  if  she  yet  lives,  by  a  woman  named  Maria  Uicab. 
They  called  her  queen,  and  she  was  always  on  friendly  terms  with  those  of 
Chan  Santa  Cruz.  She  had  a  son  who,  while  yet  a  lad,  was  captured  by 
Colonel  Traconis,  now  Governor  of  Yucatan.  When  the  boy  grew  up  he 
became  a  coachman  in  the  city  of  Merida. 

It  took  some  time  to  build  the  great  church.  While  it  was  being  done 
many  incursions  were  made  among  the  white  people.  Prisoners  of  war 
and  booty  were  always  brought  to  the  Tatich.  He  kept  female  captives 
in  a  strong  prison  on  the  west  side  of  the  square,  under  guard  ;  they  were 
obliged  to  work,  and  were  not  allowed  to  go  in  the  streets.  As  for  booty, 
the  Tatich  accumulated  so  much  gold  coin  and  ornaments  that  he  had  it 
melted  down  into  bars  which  he  buried  in  various  places.  It  was  but  nat- 
ural that  the  people  should  want  to  know  where  some  of  that  wealth  was  ; 
but  he  obstinately  refused  to  tell.  For  this  reason  a  Council  of  chiefs 
agreed  that  he  should  be  put  to  death,  and  he  was  beheaded.  At  the 
same  time  many  of  the  white  women  whom  he  had  held  captive  were 
executed,  the  rest  being  set  to  do  domestic  work  in  various  families.  Some 
of  the  hidden  gold  was  found  beneath  certain  trees,  but  the  greater  portion 
is  still  concealed,  the  Tatich  having  died  with  his  secret.  The  treasure  is 
supposed  to  be  in  a  cave  at  Chunan  Tunich,  half  way  between  Chan  Santa 
Cruz  and  Ascension  bay. 

Three  hundred  years  of  persistent  effort  had  made  the  Maceguals 
observers  of  Roman  Catholic  forms  ;  so  that  when  a  priest  became  their 
captive  they  had  one  of  their  own  people  to  learn  from  him,  like  a  parrot, 
all  the  Latin  required  in  the  celebration  of  the  mass.  Every  morning  at 
three  o'clock  that  ceremony  is  complied  with.  Little  girls  and  boys  are 
taught  to  sing  and  kept  exclusively  for  that  office  ;  they  are  called  "  little 
angels."  In  those  religious  services  the  Maya  tongue  is  never  used  ;  but 
for  business  transactions  no  other  is  admitted.  It  is  a  fact  worthy  of  notice 
that  the  Mayas,  up  to  the  time  when  white  men  invaded  their  land,  used 
no  written  bonds  in  business  transactions.  They  knew  well  enough  how  to 
write,  but  their  word  was  a  bond  that  no  one  thought  of  breaking.  On 
occasions  of  great  importance  the  contracting  parties  would  solemnly  bind 
themselves  by  drinking  from  one  goblet.  Now,  taught  by  the  white  man, 
they  distrust  each  other,  and  use  documents. 


174  YUCATAN    SINCE   THE   CONQUEST 

Extensive  barracks  occupy  the  north  side  of  the  square.  Every  youth 
on  completing  his  twelfth  year  is  obliged  to  learn  the  use  of  firearms  and 
serve  under  officers  who  are  subject  to  a  general.  From  the  time  of  the 
revolt  up  to  very  recently,  when  his  death  occurred,  Crecencio  Poot  was 
the  general  in  command.  He  occasionally  had  a  hard. time  of  it,  not  hav- 
ing been  allowed  to  come  to  any  decision  without  the  sanction  of  the 
Council  of  chiefs.  Even  his  men  insisted  that  "when  all  the  troops  order, 
the  chief  must  obey,"  and  had  he  resisted  too  obstinately  his  luckless  head 
would  have  paid  the  penalty.  Crecencio  Poot  outlived  all  the  others  who 
first  raised  the  cry,  "  Death  to  the  whites  !  "  He  was  married  three  times. 
His  third  wife  was  a  pretty  white  woman  named  Pastora  Leal,  taken 
prisoner  in  the  town  of  Tunkas  in  1864,  when  she  was  about  eighteen 
years  old.  Poot  treated  her  kindly,  but  she  was  never  reconciled  to  her 
lot,  and  was  reported  as  having  said  that  she  would  abandon  her  children 
provided  she  could  return  to  her  own  people. 

Although  Poot  had  been  brought  up  and  educated  by  a  priest,  whom 
he  killed  at  the  beginning  of  the  war,  he  employed  a  clerk  to  read  and 
write  for  him,  while  he  passed  the  greater  part  of  his  time  in  agricultural 
pursuits  with  his  numerous  sons.  It  is  customary  to  keep  stored  in  Chan 
Santa  Cruz  enough  grain  to  feed  all  its  people  for  two  or  three  years— a 
wise  precaution  against  drought  or  plague  of  locusts.  Poot  understood 
the  Spanish  language  well,  but  obstinately  refused  to  speak  a  word  of  it. 
He  established  several  haciendas  for  himself,  and  had  good  houses,  but  in 
the  town  contented  himself  with  a  thatched  hut,  and  nothing  more  than 
hammocks  for  furniture.  His  simple  fare  was  served  on  a  small  low  table 
placed  by  the  hammock  in  which  he  sat. 

The  Maceguals  are  abstemious  eaters.  Their  kitchens  are  separate 
structures,  a  few  paces  distant  from  the  dwelling.  The  extensive  forests 
abound  with  deer  and  other  game,  but  little  hunting  is  done,  those  people 
not  being  great  meat  eaters.  Their  favorite  food  is  fish,  though  they  live 
chiefly  on  corn,  beans,  and  red  pepper.  They  keep  many  domesticated 
fowls. 

The  population  of  Chan  Santa  Cruz  is  less  than  five  thousand.  A  lot 
of  Chinese,  brought  to  Balize  as  servants  a  few  years  ago,  deserted  in  a 
body  and  made  their  way  to  the  city  of  the  Maceguals,  who  received  them 
kindly,  calling  them  brothers.     But  they  dislike  negroes. 

As  in  olden  times,  the  Mayas  are  much  addicted  to  the  use  of  strong 
liquor,  and  have  several  distilleries. 

They  have  no  written  code  of  laws,  but  know  more  about  those  of  their 
forefathers  than  is  generally  believed.     They  read  the  Old  Testament  and 


YUCATAN   SINCE   THE   CONQUEST  1 75 

follow  its  teachings — eye  for  eye,  tooth  for  tooth.  Murderers  arc  given  a 
death  like  the  one  they  have  inflicted.  Acting  up  to  this  doctrine,  they  treat 
captives  as  they  themselves  used  to  be  treated.  On  one  occasion  eight 
hundred  were  compelled  to  carry  booty.  Those  who  became  unable  to 
proceed  were  killed  as  the  Spaniards  used  to  kill  the  Mayas.  As  soon  as 
the  prisoners  arrived  at  headquarters  the  cross  ordered  their  deatli  be- 
cause the  Book  (Old  Testament)  said  that  the  enemy  must  be  killed  by  fire 
and  sword.  All  were  bound  hand  and  foot ;  then  a  party  of  soldiers,  with 
heavy  machetes,  struck  off  every  head. 

In  most  cases,  clever  and  gifted  persons  were  spared,  especially  musi- 
cians. The  Maceguals  do  not  subject  female  captives  to  indignities  other 
than  those  inflicted  on  male  prisoners  ;  the  women  can  even  avoid  matri- 
mony by  claiming  to  be  already  married.  On  one  occasion,  when  a  band 
of  white  people  was  brought  in,  they  were  placed  in  file  and  asked  one  by 
one,  "  Would  you  like  to  be  a  wizard  and  learn  to  fly  ?  "  Those  who 
replied  yes  were  told  to  step  forward,  and  were  afterward  killed,  being 
informed  that  they  would  "  fly  in  the  belly  of  the  buzzards."  Their 
bodies  were  thrown  outside  of  the  city,  for  carrion  birds  to  devour.  Only 
one  man  escaped,  a  merchant  of  Campeche.  He  cunningly  answered,  "  No, 
I  want  to  remain  among  you."  They  spared  his  life,  but  gave  him  a  beat- 
ing at  the  church  door  to  "  beat  the  devil  out,"  as  the  white  men  used  to 
do  to  them  if  they  only  arrived  late  for  mass.  Then  they  married  him  to  an 
ugly,  bad-tempered  crone,  and  made  him  work  six  months  without  any 
payment.  Sefior  Loesa  remained  there  several  years,  but  by  prudent 
behavior  gained  the  confidence  of  the  chiefs  so  that  he  was  allowed  to 
go  under  guard  to  Bacalar  to  purchase  dry  goods,  of  which  he  was  a  good 
judge.  His  mind  was  bent  on  escaping,  and  he  watched  for  an  opportu- 
nity. Sentries  were  patrolling  the  shore  ;  there  too,  loitering,  was  a  poor 
captive  who  had  lost  one  hand.  Sefior  Loesa  saw  his  chance.  Being 
close  to  one  of  the  sentinels,  he  struck  the  one-handed  man,  bidding  him 
not  to  be  so  lazy,  but  to  go  with  him  to  fetch  wood.  They  embarked  in 
a  very  small  canoe  to  obtain  fuel  along  the  bank.  When  out  of  hearing, 
Loesa  said  to  his  companion,  "  Pull  for  your  life,  paddle  with  all  your 
strength,  or  I  will  throw  you  overboard  !  "  Two  minutes  later  they  were 
hotly  pursued,  but  succeeded  in  getting  into  the  river  Hondo  just  as  a 
mahogany  raft  was  passing.     They  were  taken  on  it,  and  so  got  away. 

In  December,  1878,  General  Teodosio  Canto  of  Yucatan,  who  was  in 
New  York  in  July,  1893,  and  whose  portrait  appeared  in  the  Tribune,  went 
to  British  Honduras  in  the  guise  of  a  trader,  under  the  assumed  name  of 
Pinto.     The  undertaking  was  his  own,  his  object  being  to  approach   the 


i;6  YUCATAN    SINCE    THE    CONQUEST 

chiefs  and  ascertain  their  frame  of  mind  regarding  Mexican  authority.  He 
intended  offering  himself  as  a  mediator  between  them  and  his  government. 

At  Christmas  time  a  Fair  is  held  at  Corozal,  British  Honduras.  The 
Maceguals  go  there  to  make  purchases  and  enjoy  the  festivity.  Canto 
thought  it  would  be  a  good  opportunity  to  meet  the  chiefs  on  British 
territory,  where  they  would  not  attempt  to  do  him  violence.  Had  he  first 
gone  to  the  authorities  of  the  colony  they  might  have  aided  him  in  his 
laudable  undertaking,  but  he  supposed  he  could  easily  succeed  without 
assistance. 

To  hide  his  purpose,  and  meet  his  people  in  a  casual  way,  the  General 
set  up  a  gaming  table  on  the  fair  grounds,  his  object  being  to  attract  the 
Maceguals  without  arousing  their  suspicion.  He  could  converse  fluently  in 
their  own  Maya  language. 

It  happened  that  in  Corozal  there  were  men  who  had  served  under 
Canto,  who  is  one  of  the  most  famous  and  fearless  of  Yucatan  soldiers. 
They  had  left  their  country  seeking  the  protection  of  the  British  flag  in 
order  to  avoid  being  pressed  into  military  service.  The  assumed  name  of 
Pinto  was  therefore  detrimental,  for  Canto's  old  acquaintances  told  the 
Maceguals  who  he  was,  and  the  fictitious  name  made  them  suspect  his  hon- 
esty of  purpose.  Nevertheless,  pretending  to  know  nothing,  they  accepted 
his  invitation  to  drink  and  gamble.  In  playing,  Canto  amused  himself  by 
testing  their  honesty.  First,  he  paid  them  too  little;  they  told  him  the 
sum  was  incomplete.  Next,  he  gave  them  too  much.  Then  they  asked  : 
"  Art  drunk,  Seiior  Pinto,  or  knowest  not  how  to  count?  But  a  moment 
ago  thou  gavest  too  little,  and  now  too  much.  Take  thy  money,  and  be 
more  careful  !  " 

This  did  Canto  no  good  in  the  opinion  of  those  whom  he  wished  to 
conciliate,  but  when  he  invited  the  chiefs  to  meet  him  at  the  house  of 
a  friend  they  consented.  There  they  had  a  long  talk,  Canto  telling  them 
that  they  were  .all  brothers,  and  it  was  much  to  be  regretted  that  the  war 
should  have  lasted  so  long,  both  sides  having  suffered  severely.  He  ended 
by  proposing  to  act  as  mediator  with  the  Mexican  government  if  the 
Maceguals  desired  to  make  proposals  of  peace. 

Alonzo  Chable,  third  in  the  Council  of  chiefs,  listened  till  Canto  had 
finished,  then  asked:  "  If  your  intentions  are  honest,  why  did  you  change 
your  name  ?  How  can  we  believe  the  words  of  a  man  who  is  ashamed  of 
his  own  name  and  obliged  to  hide  it  ?  How  much  has  the  government 
paid  you  to  try  to  deceive  us?" 

Canto  was  taken  aback  and  hotly  asserted  the  truth,  that  he  was  not 
paid,  having  come  of  his  own  free  will,  at  his  own  expense,  and  with  the 


YUCATAN    SINCE   THE   CONQUEST  I  77 

best  intentions.  But  Cnable"  retorted,  "No,  you  lie  !  had  your  intentions 
been  good  you  would  have  come  as  General  Canto,  not  as  Mr.  Pinto. 
Nevertheless,  if  your  purpose  indeed  be  honest,  come  to  Chan  Santa  Cruz 
and  lay  your  proposals  before  the  Council  of  chiefs.  Here  we  arc  in  neu- 
tral territory,  where  we  have  no  right  to  broach  a  matter  of  so  great  impor- 
tance. And,  besides,  I  have  no  authority  from  the  Council  to  speak  about 
these  affairs.  You  had  better  return  to  your  Government,  and  say  that 
we  want  to  have  nothing  to  do  with  it."  The  meeting  ended  in  unfriendly 
words,  the  Maceguals  being  incensed  at  what  they  considered  an  insult  from 
the  Government — a  proposal  for  them  to  admit  the  power  from  which  they 
had  freed  themselves,  and  give  up  the  land  they  had  reconquered  at  such 
a  frightful  cost. 

General  Canto,  on  his  part,  is  said  to  have  sworn  at  them  and  threat- 
ened to  go  immediately  to  Yucatan,  whence  he  would  return  in  the  follow- 
ing April  at  the  head  of  five  thousand  men  to  take  Bacalar  and  Chan  Santa 
Cruz,  sixty  miles  inland.  Canto's  own  countrymen,  in  order  to  keep  the 
friendship  of  the  Maceguals,  offered  to  deliver  him  into  their  hands.  Their 
plan  was  to  invite  him  to  a  party,  drug  him,  and  at  midnight  put  him  in  a 
canoe,  take  him  to  the  other  side  of  the  river  Hondo,  out  of  British  ter- 
ritory, and  leave  him  in  their  power.  A  woman  who  happened  to  hear  of 
this  arrangement  warned  Canto  of  his  danger,  telling  him  to  leave  Corozal 
immediately.  It  was  then  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  and  he  at  once 
embarked  in  his  own  boat.  Sixteen  hours  later  he  sailed  into  the  harbor 
of  Balize. 

Though  not  aware  of  it,  Canto  had  been  under  police  surveillance  in 
Corozal,  for  his  own  protection,  and  would  in  any  event  have  been  saved 
from  his  disloyal  countrymen.  We  were  living  in  Balize  at  that  time.  In 
friendly  conversation  with  Governor  Barlee,1  Dr.  Le  Plongeon  happened 
to  mention  the  presence  of  our  friend  Canto  in  Corozal.  The  Governor 
had  not  been  informed  of  it.  He  immediately  ordered  that  Canto's 
movements  should  be  watched  ;  partly  because  the  Yucatecans  had  often 
threatened  to  reduce  the  colony  to  ashes,  and  partly  because  the  Governor 
wished  that  no  harm  should  befall  a  famous  soldier  of  Yucatan  while  on 
British  territory.  When  the  plot  was  laid  against  Canto's  life,  the  police 
knew  of  it,  and  were  on  the  spot  to  prevent  abduction.  They  had  orders 
to  arrest  him,  if  necessary  for  his  safe  keeping,  and  order  him  to  Balize  on 
his  own  boat. 

1  Sir  Frederick  Palgrave  Barlee  was  remarkable  for  his  wisdom  and  goodness.    He  was  knighted 
for  his  many  public  services.      He  caused  the  establishment  of  a  line  of  steamers  between  New 
Orleans  and  British  Honduras.     Sir  Frederick  died  while  governor  of  Trinidad. 
Vol.  XXX.— No.  ^.—12 


i;S  YUCATAN   SINCE   THE   CONQUEST 

Arriving  in  the  harbor,  Canto  came  across  a  yacht  in  which  he  heard 
a  gentleman  speaking  Spanish.  It  was  Mr.  Peyrefit,  an  intimate  friend 
of  ours,  and  brother-in-law  of  the  very  woman  who  had  warned  Canto  of 
his  danger.  Knowing  that  we  were  in  Balize,  the  general  asked  Peyrefit 
if  he  knew  our  place  of  residence.  Mr.  Peyrefit  then  brought  him  to  our 
house,  where  he  lived  till  he  returned  to  Yucatan. 

Canto's  threat  of  taking  five  thousand  men  to  Bacalar  was  at  once 
carried  to  the  Council  of  chiefs,  who  immediately  sent  two  thousand  men 
to  attack  the  towns  of  Peto  and  Tekax.  They  were  repulsed,  but  at  a 
place  called  Ta^ib  they  captured  forty  persons,  who  were  made  to  march 
back  with  them.  Within  the  city  limits  they  were  left  free  to  work  for 
their  living,  with  the  understanding  that  if  one  tried  to  escape  all  should 
suffer  death.  A  man  and  his  two  sons,  knowing  that  they  sealed  the  fate 
of  their  fellow  captives,  ran  away.  They  were  overtaken  and  killed,  nine 
miles  from  the  city.  The  death  sentence  was  then  pronounced  on  all  the 
prisoners  ;  the  chiefs  refused  to  spare  any,  saying  that  as  the  white  people 
did  not  know  how  to  keep  their  word,  the  Maceguals  must  show  them 
that  they  did. 

After  establishing  their  city,  the  Mayas  made  it  a  rule  not  to  kill  cap- 
tives who  could  contribute  to  the  welfare  or  pleasure  of  their  community. 
The  result  is  that  they  have  among  them  excellent  workmen,  even  jewel- 
ers ;  also  teachers  for  their  public  schools,  where  children  of  both  sexes 
are  educated.  There  is  a  band  of  musicians  supplied  with  instruments 
from  British  Honduras.  It  is  well  known  that  a  Macegual  will  walk 
many  miles  to  pay  even  a  few  cents  at  the  time  promised  ;  consequently 
their  credit  is  good  in  Balize,  where  they  purchase  dry  goods,  fine  wines, 
potted  meats,  cheese,  butter,  perfumes,  and  other  things  much  appreci- 
ated by  them.  No  merchant  hesitates  to  give  them  credit  for  a  few 
hundred  dollars,  but  they  generally  pay  cash. 

Any  one  in  the  British  colony  wishing  to  cut  logwood  on  the  Chan 
Santa  Cruz  territory  pays  three  hundred  dollars  a  year  for  the  privilege  ; 
the  Maceguals  then  consider  the  wood-cutters  under  their  protection  for 
the  time  being,  and  faithfully  defend  them. 

In  January,  1884,  General  Canto  again  went  to  British  Honduras  and 
had  a  meeting  with  Maceguals  in  the  Balize  government  house,  in  pres- 
ence of  Hon.  H.  Fowler,  then  governor  pro  tempore,  and  to  whom  we  are 
indebted  for  the  following  account.  He  was  neutral  in  the  matter,  his 
presence  being  desired  only  to  make  the  transaction  of  a  bona-jide  character. 

A  preliminary  agreement  was  drawn  up  providing  for  the  recognition 
of  the  Mexican  government,  and  the  appointment  of  officials  subject  to 


YUCATAN   SINCE   THE   CONQUEST  1 79 

the  approval  of  the  Maceguals.  Juan  Chuc,  dignified  and  circumspect, 
the  most  pacific  of  the  chiefs,  was  the  one  with  whom  Canto  dealt  on  that 
occasion.  The  agreement  also  provided  for  the  mutual  surrender  of  crim- 
inals. Canto  went  to  Mexico  to  place  the  matter  before  the  Federal 
Government.     His  plan  was  rejected. 

In  September,  1885,  there  was  a  massacre  in  Chan  Santa  Cruz  ;  almost 
a  repetition  of  what  took  place  in  1541.1  Among  the  white  captives  was 
the  wife  of  one  Avila.  In  1880  he  went  to  Corozal,  and  meeting  two 
chiefs  there  induced  them  to  let  him  go  to  see  his  wife.  He  professed  to 
be  actuated  solely  by  affection,  but  while  intoxicated  admitted  that  his 
purpose  was  to  obtain  from  her  a  document  giving  him  the  right  to  dis- 
pose of  her  property.  The  Maceguals  with  their  habitual  irony  told  him 
that  as  he  loved  his  wife  so  dearly  he  must  remain  ;  and  they  gave  him  a 
house  in  which  to  live  with  her.  Avila  hid  his  chagrin  and  worked  his 
way  into  the  confidence  of  the  chiefs.  Some  time  had  elapsed  when  he 
begged  permission  to  go  home,  settle  his  affairs,  and  return  with  his 
capital,  for  he  saw  he  could  make  money  there.  He  did  return.  Not 
long  afterward,  Chable,  the  third  chief,  died.  Avila  was  then  elevated 
to  the  vacant  post.  But  all  this  time  he  was  a  spy,  furnishing  the  Mexi- 
cans with  information,  and  striving  to  make  some  Maceguals  traitors  to 
their  own  people,  by  accepting  Mexican  control.  He  with  Andrade,  the 
official  interpreter,  succeeded  in  organizing  a  party.  Juan  Chuc,  always 
good  and  non-bellicose,  was  prevailed  on  to  put  himself  at  the  head  of  the 
party,  coaxed  into  the  notion  that  it  would  be  advantageous  to  the  Mace- 
guals. The  other  chiefs  found  out  what  was  going  on.  They  said  not 
a  word,  but  pushed  forward  the  preparations  for  a  festival  which  they 
celebrate  every  year  at  the  time  of  the  equinox.  The  Maceguals  of 
Tulum  and  other  places  were  invited.  They  came,  and  the  festivity 
lasted  several  days.  When  it  was  drawing  to  a  close,  and  things  were  at 
their  gayest,  a  signal  was  given.  Whereupon  all  those  who  had  contem- 
plated submitting  to  Mexico,  together  with  the  few  white  people  who  had 
induced  them  to  do  so,  had  their  throats  cut ;  just  as  Nachi  Cocom 
served  the  ambassadors  of  Tutul  Xiu  in  1541.  Juan  Chuc  managed  to 
escape,  but  every  member  of  his  family  was  put  to  death.  Andrade  the 
interpreter  was  among  the  number  executed.  We  knew  him  well,  and 
cannot  recall  one  redeeming  trait  in  his  character. 

The  Maceguals  and  their  adversaries  have  suffered  too  much  at  each 
other's  hands  for  either  to  forget.  The  aborigines  living  among  the  white 
men  now  have  some  educational  advantages,  and  their  work  is    a  little 

1  Magazine  of  American  History,  vol.  xix.  p.  115. 


I  SO  YUCATAN   SINCE   THE   CONQUEST 

better  paid  than  heretofore.  These  two  things  will  probably  prevent  a 
second  uprising  of  the  laborers.  Moreover,  they  were  not  the  most 
valiant  who  yielded  at  the  time  of  the  rebellion,  and  their  offspring  are 
not  of  the  best  Maya  stock.  There  are  many  haciendas  where  two  or 
three  hundred  indebted  servants  have  more  than  one  cause  of  grievance. 
They  are  free  citizens,  but  are  bound  to  their  employer  by  debt  for  goods 
and  money  advanced  by  him  at  various  times.  The  law  is  that  they  can- 
not leave  his  service  till  the  debt  be  paid,  which  is  rarely  done,  because 
the  wages  are  not  liberal  and  nearly  all  the  men  drink  spirituous  liquor. 
This  is  sold  on  every  hacienda  in  a  shop  owned  by  the  master  or  his 
major  domo.  When  an  establishment  is  put  up  for  sale,  the  debt  of  the 
men  is  on  the  inventory,  just  as  the  cattle  or  any  other  fixture  ;  thus 
the  laborers  pass  to  the  hands  of  the  newcomer.  Planters  assert  that  if 
they  did  not  bind  the  workmen  in  that  manner,  they  would  have  none 
when  most  needed,  because  the  Indians  will  not  labor  unless  compelled  by 
need. 

Meanwhile,  the  independent  Maceguals  are  not  making  war,  but  their 
present  standing  deprives  th-e  Mexicans  of  the  most  fertile  part  of  the 
peninsula,  extensive  forests  rich  in  valuable  timber.  So  that  even  now  the 
white  man's  conquest  of  Yucatan  is  not  complete,  though  begun  three 
hundred  and  sixty-four  years  ago.  The  Maceguals  have  certain  prophe- 
cies to  the  effect  that  once  again  they  will  rule  throughout  the  peninsula. 
But  a  great  nation  they  can  never  again  be.  They  are  degraded,  physi- 
cally and  intellectually.  Like  one  who  has  reached  second  childhood,  they 
may  linger,  but  are  doomed  to  fall  into  that  bottomless  abyss,  the  past. 

August,  1893. 


SOME   OF   WASHINGTON'S   KIN 
By  Mrs.  Mary  Starling  Payne 

"  To  my  friends  Eleanor  Stuart  and  Hannah  Washington  of  Fairfield  I 
give  each  a  mourning  ring  of  the  value  of  one  hundred  dollars."  So  reads 
a  bequest  in  General  Washington's  will.  In  the  appendix  to  Albert 
Wells'  Genealogy  of  the  Washingtons  (which  Mr.  Henry  Waters  truly 
pronounces  an  utterly  false  and  absurd  publication,  but  which  has  never- 
theless some  truths  about  the  family)  he  inquires  who  these  ladies  were. 
Doubtless,  he  answers,  "  some  descendants  of  Laurence  Washington  the 
emigrant,  the  brother  of  John  of  Bridges  creek."  Well!  he  is  mistaken. 
The  first  lady  is  easily  identified  ;  she  was  the  widow  of  John  Custis 
(the  son  of  Mrs.  Washington),  who  married  Dr.  David  Stuart  a  friend  and 
intimate  associate  of  the  Mount  Vernon  family.  General  Washington  paid 
her  that  attention,  I  suppose,  from  a  sense  of  her  own  merits  and  as  a 
mark  of  respect  to  the  mother  of  his  adopted  children,  her  own  two 
youngest,  whom  he  took  to  his  heart  and  home  on  the  death  of  the  young 
father.  But  Mrs.  Hannah  Washington  "  of  Fairfield  "  is  not  so  well 
known.  General  Washington  had  a  sister-in-law  named  Hannah,  wife 
of  John  Augustine  Washington,  and  daughter  of  Colonel  John  Bushrod, 
so  he  distinguishes  this  as  "  of  Fairfield."  In  General  Washington's 
letter  to  Sir  Isaac  Heard  he  says,  "  Laurence,  son  of  Augustine  and  Jane 
Washington,  married  July  19,  1743,  to  Anne  eldest  daughter  of  Hon. 
William  Fairfax."  Another  record  states  that  Warner  Washington  (son 
of  Major  John,  the  elder  brother  of  Augustine),  after  the  death  of  his  first 
wife,  married  Hannah  the  youngest  daughter  of  Hon.  William  Fairfax,  so 
then  Annie  and  Hannah  Fairfax  were  sisters,  one  married  to  General 
Washington's  half-brother  Laurence  from  whom  he  inherited  Mount 
Vernon,  and  the  other  married  to  his  first  cousin  Warner  Washington. 
General  Washington  had  only  one  uncle  on  his  father's  side — Major  John 
Washington,  born  in  1692,  died  September  i,  1746.  Till  the  advent  of 
George,  he  was  the  great  man  of  the  family,  the  head  of  it,  the  elder 
brother,  the  only  one  much  considered  in  those  times.  He  inherited 
the  lion's  share  of  the  estate,  and  the  younger  ones  put  up  with  the  leav- 
ings, all  to  keep  up  the  family  name  and  respectability  centred  in  the 
oldest  son.  Not  many  know  anything  of  him.  He  was  a  rich  man,  made 
more  so   by   his    marriage   with  a  Gloucester  county  heiress,   Katherine 


182  SOME    OF   WASHINGTON'S   KIN 

Whiting,  whose  tomb,  covered  with  armorial  carving,  is  in  good  preservation 
at  his  old  home,  High  Gate,  Gloucester,  with  a  young  daughter's  also. 
u  Time's  effacing  fingers  "  have  left  few  such.  I  will  copy  them  as  of 
interest  in  themselves  and  as  connected  with  the  family  of  one  in  whom 
all  good  Americans  feel  interest: 

Mrs.  Katherine  Washington, 
born  May  22nd,  1694,  and  died  Feb.  7th,  1743. 

There  is  upon  it  an  urn  with  four  mastiffs'  heads  at  top,  bottom  and 
at  each  side.  "  Underneath  this  stone  lyeth  interred  the  body  of  Mrs. 
Katherine  Washington — wife  of  Major  John  Washington  and  daughter 
of  Col.  Henry  Whiting  by  Elizabeth  his  wife.  She  was  in  her  several 
stations  a  loving,  obedient  wife,  a  tender  and  indulgent  mother,  a  kind 
and  compassionate  mistress,  and,  above  all,  an  exemplary  Christian  ;  she 
departed  this  Life  aged  forty-nine  years,  to  the  great  grief  of  all  who  had 
the  happiness  of  her  acquaintance."  On  the  tomb  of  Elizabeth  Washing- 
ton is  inscribed  : 

"  In  the  well  grounded  certainty  of  an  immortal  resurrection — here  lies 
the  remains  of  Elizabeth  the  daughter  of  John  &  Katherine  Washington. 
She  was  a  maiden,  virtuous  without  reservedness,  wise  without  affectation, 
beautiful  without  knowing  it.  She  left  this  Life  on  the  5th  day  of  Feb., 
in  the  year  1736,  in  the  20th  year  of  her  age."  On  her  tomb  is  the  urn, 
with  three  stars  surrounded  with  foliage  and  surmounted  by  a  griffin's 
head. 

Warner  Washington  was  the  son  of  Katherine  and  brother  of  Elizabeth  ; 
he  was  also  the  brother  of  the  Katherine,  who  was  the  first  wife  of  her 
cousin  Fielding  Lewis  and  who,  when  dying,  begged  her  husband  to  marry 
their  cousin  Betty,  daughter  of  her  uncle  Augustine;  he  obediently  did  so, 
all  the  more  readily,  as  Betty  was  sweet  sixteen  and  beautiful.  She  was  a 
true  mother  to  her  dead  cousin's  little  boy,  and  raised  him  with  her 
own  brood,  as  one  of  her  own.  A  noble  woman,  a  true  sister  of  George 
Washington. 

Warner  Washington  was  a  widower  when  he  married  Hannah  Fairfax, 
and  it  is  to  be  fairly  presumed  that  he  made  her  acquaintance  during  his 
visits  to  his  relations  at  Mount  Vernon,  who  were  neighbors  to  the  Fair- 
faxes;  he  lived  at  his  father's  old  homestead  at  High  Gate,  till  need  or 
caprice  caused  him  to  move  to  Frederick  now  Clark  county,  where  he 
died  in  1791.  In  1799  his  widow  hearing  of  the  illness  of  her  brother,  the 
Hon.  Bryan  Fairfax,  made  a  journey  from  their  homestead  "  Fairfield  "  to 
"  Mount  Eagle,"  near  Alexandria  on  Hunting  creek,  and  her  experiences  are 


SOME   OF   WASHINGTON'S   KIN  183 

embodied  in  this  letter  dated  Dee.  7,  1799,  just  before  General  Washington's 
death.  The  handwriting  was  beautiful  and  legible  as  print,  no  misspelled 
words,  no  errors  in  grammar;  a  profusion  of  capitals  alone  shows  the  differ- 
ence between  a  well-educated  lady  now  and  then,  and  a  certain  quaintness 
of  expression  was  also  the  style  or  habit  at  that  time.  It  is  addressed  to 
her  son  Mr..  Fairfax  Washington  : 

Dec.  7,  1799. 
I  have  the  pleasure  of  informing  my  Dear  son,  that  I  found  his  Lordship  greatly- 
mended,  though  still  weak,  he  had  paid  some  morning  visits  to  Alexandria  the  day  we  got 
down — he  has  no  legs  left  now  and  indeed  his  whole  body  is  greatly  emaciated.  We  were 
very  lucky  as  to  weather  and  roads,  in  our  journey  down.  We  left  Lacy's  (where  I  was 
told  I  should  get  to  my  Brother's  funeral)  before  sunrise  and  only  stopped  to  feed,  which 
enabled  us  to  get  to  Mount  Eagle  by  5  o'clock,  Where  we  were  agreeably  surprised  to 
find  my  Brother  in  the  Dining  room,  His  Lordship  has  invited  16  gents  here  to  day, 
so  we  are  to  have  a  feast,  all  of  those  who  paid  visits  since  his  arrival  and  during  his  illness. 
— It  is  so  long  since  1  have  conversed  with  Noblemen  that  it  was  very  awkward,  the  first 
day  to  address  either  my  brother  or  sister  by  their  titles,  indeed  I  have  only  gotten  over 
my  difficulty  to  day.  It  began  to  rain  very  hard  on  Wednesday  night  and  has  continued 
small  rain  ever  since,  though  this  is  Saturday,  which  has  made  the  roads  extremely  bad — 
I  shall  go  to  town  on  Monday  and  get  the  things  for  the  Doctor  against  Tom  gets  down. 
The  family  join  in  love  and  good  wishes  to  all  at  Fairfield. 

I  am  your  affectionate  Mother, 

H.    WASHINGTON. 

addressed  to  Mr.  Fairfax  Washington 

Fairfield,  to  be  left  at  Battletown 

now  Berryville 

I  sent  a  copy  of  this  letter  to  a  friend  in  Virginia,  and  in  his  answer  was 
this  extract :  "  Mount  Eagle  is  just  one  mile  from  Alexandria  across  Hunt- 
ing Creek;  it  was  the  residence  of  Lord  Bryan  Fairfax  who  succeeded  the 
old  Lord  of  Greenaway  Court ;  his  son  relinquished  the  title  and  became 
the  minister  of  Christ's  Church,  Alexandria.  Lacy's  was  a  house  of  private 
entertainment  half  way  between  Berryville  or  Battletown  as  it  was  formerly 
called  (and  many  of  the  old  people  call  it  so  to  this  day)  and  Alexandria. 
Fairfield  is  near  Berryville,  and  was  owned  some  time  ago  by  Mr.  Thornton 
Pendleton.  He  got  it  from  the  Washingtons.  The  tombstones  of  Lord 
Bryan  Fairfax  and  his  wife  (Miss  Cary)  are  still  to  be  seen  at  Mount  Eagle." 

When  Sir  Isaac  Heard  wrote  to  General  Washington  an  inquiry  about 
his  family  in  1791,  he  was  in  Philadelphia,  away  from  all-  sources  of  infor- 
mation, and  I  judge  was  a  good  deal  bothered  to  answer  it  in  the  style 
and  with  the  dignity  which  the  subject  demanded ;  the  winding  up  of  that 
celebrated  letter  exhibits  a  mixture  of  impatience  and  embarrassment  and  a 
confusion  of  ideas  not  at  all  calculated  to  do  credit  to  the  Father  of  our 


184  SOME    OF   WASHINGTON'S   KIN 

Country.  He  seems  glad  to  wash  his  hands  of  a  disagreeable  duty  ;  but 
in  his  extremity  he  called  upon  this  friend  of  his  earlier  years  and  the  kins- 
woman of  his  later,  and  she  assisted  him  in  making  out  the  family  records. 
Mr.  Albert  Wells  did  not  know  this,  or  he  would  not  have  given  her  three 
brothers-in-law,  sons  of  John  Washington,  who  never  existed.  I  do  not 
know  when  this  interesting  lady  died  ;  her  two  sons  Fairfax  and  Whiting 
moved  to  Kentucky  in  1812  with  the  remnant  of  a  vast  estate,  but  a  few 
years  of  open  house  and  overseers  left  them  extremely  poor.  Their  descend- 
ants are  in  Kentucky  and  in  Mississippi  and  indeed  scattered  through  the 
South,  and  are  people  of  high  integrity,  and  are  now  many  of  them  of  wealth 
and  position.  One  of  Hannah  Fairfax  Washington's  daughters  married 
her  cousin  the  son  of  Hon.  Bryan,  but  I  think  left  no  descendants. 

Hopkinsville,  Kentucky. 


THE  DIARY  OF   COLONEL    ELISHA   PORTER,  OF    HADLEY, 

MASSACHUSETTS 

TOUCHING   HIS    MARCH   TO     THE    RELIEF   OF    THE   CONTINENTAL   FORCES 

BEFORE   QUEBEC 

1776 

By  Appleton  Morgan 

[On  July  19,  1775,  the  general  court  of  the  commonwealth  of  Massa- 
chusetts met  at  Watertown,  as  Boston  was  in  the  hands  of  the  British 
forces  under  General  Gage.  Among  the  delegates  were  Elisha  Porter, 
delegate  from  the  town  of  Hadley,  and  Abner  Morgan,  delegate  from  the 
town  of  Brimfield,  Hampden  county,  the  latter  of  whom  had  just  left 
Harvard  college  and  been  sworn  in  as  a  barrister-at-law,  and  had  been 
commissioned  a  "  justice  of  the  quorum  "  for  Hampden  county.  On 
Sunday,  January  21,  1776 — the  general  court  then  sitting  seven  days  in  a 
week,  in  view  of  the  exigencies  of  the  times — the  house  of  representa- 
tives voted  to  raise  a  regiment  of  seven  hundred  and  twenty-eight  men 
from  Berkshire  and  Hampshire  counties,  and  to  tender  their  services  to 
General  Washington  for  an  expedition  to  Canada.  On  the  twenty-second 
day  of  January,  both  Mr.  Porter  and  Mr.  Morgan  received  their  commis- 
sions as  colonel  and  major  respectively  of  this  regiment,  ''from  the 
Council  of  the  Colony  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  at  Watertown,  the  twenty 
second  Day  of  January  in  the  sixteenth  year  of  the  Reign  of  His  Majesty 
King  George  the  Third,  A.D.  1776."  This  was  one  of  a  number  of  other 
regiments  raised  for  the  same  purpose,  some  of  which  proceeded  into 
Canada  over  Arnold's  route  via  the  valley  of  the  Kennebec  in  Maine,  and 
others  the  route  via  Ticonderoga,  which  was  Colonel  Porter's  line  of 
march.  The  very  interesting  diary  here  reprinted  is  at  present  in  the 
possession  of  Colonel  Porter's  great-grandson,  Samuel  D.  Smith,  Esq.,  of 
Hadley,  Massachusetts,  and  by  his  permission  has  been  copied  for  me,  and 
the  privilege  accorded  me  of  sending  it  to  the  Magazine  of  American 
History.  It  is  written  on  blank  pages  inserted  in  an  almanac,  of  which 
the  title-page  runs:  The  North  Americans  Almanack  and  LADIES  and 
Gentlemen's  Diary  for  the  year  of  our  Lord  Christ,  1776.     Printed  by 


1 86        DIARY    OF   COL.    ELISHA   PORTER,    OF   HADLEY,    MASSACHUSETTS 

J.  Thomas,  in  Worcester,  B.  Edison  in  Watertown,  and  S.  &  E.  Hall 
in   Cambridge. 

Colonel  Porter  had  one  son,  Samuel,  whose  daughter  was  the  mother 
of  Mr.  S.  D.  Smith  of  Hadley,  the  present  owner  of  the  diary  reprinted 
below.  Colonel  Porter's  first  wife,  and  mother  of  his  children,  was  Sarah 
Jewett,  daughter  of  Patience  Phillips.  At  her  death  he  married  her 
cousin,  Abigail  Phillips,  a  descendant  of  Rev.  George  Phillips,  a  clergy- 
man of  the  Established  church,  who  became  a  Puritan  and  accompa- 
nied Winthrop  to  the  new  world  in  1630.  He  was  settled  at  Watertown, 
and  his  sons  in  Salem  and  Andover — Samuel  founding  Andover  sem- 
inary. Colonel  Porter  graduated  at  Harvard  college,  1 761,  and  died  in 
1790  at  Hadley,  aged  fifty-four.  Major  Morgan  served  as  a  field  officer 
until  1 78 1.  At  Crown  Point,  July  8,  1776,  he  drew  up  an  address  of 
the  field  officers  to  General  John  Sullivan  on  the  occasion  of  his  with- 
drawing from  command  of  the  army  in  Canada.  August  29,  1778,  he 
was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  brigade  major,  and  detached  to  supervise 
enlistments.     After  the  war  he  continued  to  be  prominent  in  affairs.     In 

1782  he  was  chairman  of  the  committee  of  western  Massachusetts  "  for 
taking  up  persons  dangerous  to  the  commonwealth."  In  1798  he  was 
the  assessor  in  the  levying  of  the  direct  tax  of  two  million  dollars  levied 
by  act  of  congress,  1798.  He  was  for  twenty-two  years  selectman,  being 
chairman  of  the  board  for  twenty-one  years  of  the  time,  and  represented 
Brimfield  in  the  general  court  from   1789  to  1801.     The  house  he  built  in 

1783  still  stands,  the  largest  and  strongest  in  Brimfield,  Massachusetts. 
He  was  an  ardent  Federalist,  and  I  have  in  my  possession  a  memorial 
which  he  sent  to  the  general  court,  advising  a  temporary  withdrawal  of 
the  state  of  Massachusetts  from  the  Federal  Union  rather  than  consent  to 
the  policy  of  the  war  of  18 12.  But  when  the  contrary  policy  was  decided 
upon,  none  were  more  earnest  than  he.  (The  above  is  a  piece  of  history 
which  shows  that  the  doctrine  of  state  rights  was  not  unique  south  of 
Mason  and  Dixon's  line.)  Major  Morgan  died  November  7,  1837,  aged 
ninety-two  years.  He  is  buried  in  Forest  Hills  cemetery,  Lima,  New 
York,  the  inscription  upon  his  monument  reading:  "  Abner  Morgan,  an 
officer  of  the  Revolution,  and  a  member  of  the  Massachusetts  bar."  He 
was  born  January  7,  1746,  the  son  of  Joseph  Morgan  and  Ruth  Miller  his 
wife,  and  great-great-grandson  of  Miles  Morgan,  the  emigrant  who  settled 
Springfield  in  1632.  The  family  were  among  the  original  patentees  of  the 
precinct  known  as  Brimfield,  which  on  their  petition  was  set  apart  by 
Governor  Stoughton  in  1700,  the  petition  alleging  that  Springfield  was 
getting   so   populous   that   land   was   falling  short,  "any  thoughts  of  such 


DIARY   OF   COL.    ELISHA   PORTER,    OF   IIADLEY,    MASSACHUSETTS         1 87 

falling  short  being  very  afflictive  to  us,"  lest  there  should  be  "  a  want  of 
accommodations  for  our  Posterity  to  live  comefortabley  thereon,  the  want 
whereof  may  enforce  their  removing  (as  wel  as  some  of  ourselves)  out  of 
this  province  to  such  Place  where  they  may  obtain  land  to  live  on — some 
of  our  young  men  being  already  gon  &  others  endeavoring  to  sute  them- 
selves in  the  neighborn  colony  where  new  Places  are  agoeing  forward  & 
Incouragements  offered  us  whereby  we  are  in  Hazzard  of  being  diminished 
and  weakened  ourselves." 

The  town  laid  out  in  accordance  with  this  petition  has  been  one  of  the 
most  patriotic  and  public-spirited  in  history.  Although  not  possessing 
more  than  eleven  hundred  polls,  the  town  voted  £176.8,  August  16,  1776, 
to  pay  soldiers  for  the  continental  army,  and  actually  sent  in  all  the  total 
of  four  hundred  and  fifteen  soldiers  to  the  patriot  service.  The  town 
records  show  that  not  only  in  the  Revolution,  but  that  to  the  calls  of  the 
prior  continental  wars,  and  the  two  sieges  of  Louisburg,  to  the  war  of 
1812,  and  even  to  the  dispersing  of  Shays'  rebellion,  the  town  responded 
promptly,  raising  a  full  quota  of  men  and  money  in  each  case  for  the 
patriotic  purpose.] 

THE   DIARY   OF   MR.    ELISHA   PORTER   OF   HADLEY 

1 776 

Friday  evening,  Jan.  19th,  I  was  appointed  to  command  the  Reg.  then 
ordered  to  be  raised  to  march  to  Canada. 

20th  and  2 1st  went  to  Cambridge  to  procure  stores. 

22nd.  Received  my  Commission  from  the  Council  and  set  out  about 
8  o'c  in  the  evening,  came  to  Weston  at  Baldwins. 

23rd.  To  Hunt's  at  Spencer. 

24th.  Got  Home.  Rec'd  the  orders  ye  25th  and  sent  them  off  im- 
mediately to  ye  various  Parts — from  that  time  to  Feb.  5th  spent  in  trying 
to  enlist  the  men.  The  <\o£  bounty  offered  by  Gen.  Schuyler  to  ye  Berk- 
shire Men,  a  great  block  in  the  way — then  returned  to  Court  and  the 
General  got  new  orders — rec'd  from  General  Washington  the  10th  in  the 
evening,  nth  rec'd  ye  orders  from  the  Court,  and  set  out  about  5  P.M. — 
came  to  Sudbury  and  lodged  at  Wheeler's.  Next  day  to  Brookfield, 
lodged  at   Hitchcock's. 

13th.  Got  home.  14th.  Went  to  Northampton  and  gave  orders  to 
Cap.  Chapin  at  Lt.  Hunt's.     15th  to  Deerfield,  etc. 

From  that  time  to  the  time  I  left  home  spent  in  settling  the  Reg.  and 
going  to  the  several  parts  to  muster  the  men  and  fixing  off  the  men  that 
were  ready. 


iSS        DIARY    OF   COL.    ELISHA    PORTER,    OF   HADLEY,    MASSACHUSETTS 

Thursday,  March  2ist.  Rec'd  orders  from  Gen.  Washington  to  lose  no 
time  in  setting  forward.  Left  Maj.  Morgan  to  bring  forward  the  men 
which  remained  behind,  and  marched  off  Cap.  Lyman's  Comp'y  to  North- 
ampton— procured  wagons  to  carry  baggage. 

March  22nd.   Set  out  about  4  P.M.     Snowed  very  hard  all  night. 

23rd.  Set  out  at  8  o'c.  in  a  sleigh — had  a  Searg't  and  6  men  of  Cap. 
Lyman's  Comp.  beside  ye  Q.  M.  Serg't  and  my  waiter  to  guard  the  stores 
of  Adj't.  Travelling  bad,  went  on  foot  great  part  of  the  day.  24th  to 
Pittsfield  on  foot  mostly. 

25th.  Dismissed  the  guard  in  the  morning  and  went  to  Stockbridge, 
lodged  at  tavern,  mustered  part  of  Cap.  Bacon's  Comp'y,  and  gave  enlist- 
ing orders  to  Lt.  Beman. 

26th.   Breakfasted  with  Mr.  Edwards.1     Returned  to  Pittsfield. 

27th.   In  Pittsfield— left  there  28th  for  Albany. 

29th.  Set  out  on  horseback — rode  till  noon,  overtook  my  baggage, 
walked  8  miles — rode  8  to  Bennington. 

30th.  Waited  at  B.  for  baggage. 

31st.  Set  out  at  10  o'c.  for  Albany  to  receive  orders  from  Gen.  Thomas. 
Arrived  in  evening — bad  riding.  Albany  a  nasty  dirty  place,  though  I  be- 
lieve bettered  within  a  few  years.  Put  up  at  Widow  Vrooman's  at  King's 
Arms  where  was  Gen.  Thomas — saw  him  in  eve'g.  Could  not  get  orders 
until  Gen.  Schuyler  arrived. 

April  1st.  Walked  around  the  town — fort  well  planned  but  badly  exe- 
cuted— -mostly  ruined  and  gone  to  decay.  Had  news  of  defeat  of  Tories 
in  North  Carolina. 

2nd.  Heard  from  Quebec  by  Cap.  Parmelee,  in  two  weeks  from  there, 
and  two  weeks  from  Montreal.  He  met  Cap.  Israel  Chapin's  comp'y  near 
St.  Johns.  Cap.  Alexander's  comp'y  was  to  march  from  Ticonderoga  the 
day  he  left.  Wrote  by  Cap.  Parmelee  to  New  Haven  to  Bro.  and  Sister 
Edwards.1  Set  out  from  Albany  at  12,  dined  at  minister's  five  miles  out, 
left  at  3,  and  got  to  Bennington  14  min.  past  midnight. 

3rd.  Rain  prevented  the  men  from  marching  till  past  3  o'c.  F.  M., 
when  Adj.  Warner  and  two  serjts.  with  their  party,  set  out  with  baggage. 
Sent  Lt.  Bardwell  to  Skeensborough  to  know  whether  I  could  pass  South 
Bay. 

4th.  Left  Bennington  11  o'c.     Went  to  Manchester. 

5th.  Wind  blew  very  hard  at  S.  S.  W.  2  nights — fine  wind  to  break  up 
the  Lakes.    Went  to  Dorset,  thence  to  Rupert,  to  Pawlett  by  3.     Lt.  Bard- 

1  Jonathan  Edwards,  Jr.,  Col.  Porter's  brother-in-law. 


DIARY  OF  COL.  ELISHA  TORTER,  OF  HADLEY,  MASSACHUSETTS   1 89 

well  reports  there  is  no  difficulty  in  passing  from  Skccnsborough  to  Ticon- 
deroga by  water. 

6th.  Fine  day,  set  out  with  Lt.  Bardwcll,  got  to  Stockwell  before  night, 
after  sunset  set  out  to  meet  team,  returned  and  lodged  in  a  forsaken  hut. 

7th.  Got  to  Stockwell  in  the  morning,  dismissed  team  from  B.,  got  a 
yoke  of  oxen  to  carry  the  baggage  to  the  river.  Crossed  it  with  ye  bag- 
gage in  a  canoe  about  one  o'clock.  Two  teams  to  carry  the  load  toSkeen's, 
got  there  before  night,  lodged  on  the  floor  in  Skecn's  house,  a  room  for 
myself  and  a  few  others,  but  no  conveniences.  Went  a  mile  to  sec  Gen. 
Thomas  but  was  disappointed.  Found  three  gentlemen  going  to  Montreal, 
invited  them  to  go  with  me  in  the  Batteau. 

8th.  Set  out  with  two  Batteaux,  10  minutes  past  eight  in  ye  morning — 
got  about  20  miles  by  y2  past  12,  then  met  the  ice  which  hindered  our  pass- 
ing. I  staid  2j  hours  attempting  to  cut  through  the  ice  but  in  vain.  Cap. 
Shepard  turned  back  and  landed.  I  sent  off  all  his  men  but  two,  who 
remained  with  him — the  gentlemen  went  with  them  for  Ticonderoga  to 
send  men  back  to  carry  the  baggage.  Built  us  a  fine  house  and  covered  it 
with  boards  which  we  brought  from  ye  landing. 

9th.  Capt.  Shepard  with  two  men  who  came  soon  after  to  build  a 
house.  Two  of  ours  set  out  early  to  find  and  cut  a  road  to  Lake  George, 
which  they  say  is  not  more  than  four  miles  from  here — the  ice  about  three 
inches  thick,  but  vastly  different  from  ye  ice  in  rivers. 

About  sundown  Capt.  Lyman  with  13  men  came  to  meet  us — heard 
nothing  of  Shepard. 

10th.  Sun  an  hour  high — set  out  with  Capt.  Lyman  and  ten  men  to 
attempt  to  break  through  the  ice.  Broke  about  50  rods  till  the  ice  was  6 
inches  thick,  then  gave  out  and  returned.  About  ten  Capt.  Lyman  with 
one  man  set  out  on  shore  to  reconnoitre.  At  two  returned  and  brought 
word  that  a  passage  might  be  forced  upon  the  shore.  With  ten  men  he 
immediately  set  out  with  a  batteau  for  that  purpose.  Having  got  my  bag- 
gage on  board  and  bidding  adieu  to  our  pleasant  camp,  at  j  past  two  I  set 
out  with  the  residue  in  another  batteau.  About  two  miles  ahead  met  Capt. 
Shepard  and  a  number  of  others  in  a  batteau  who  had  come  to  meet  us, 
and  had  cut  through  two  or  three  miles  of  ice,  the  men  went  on  the  out- 
side to  cut  through  with  axes.  Got  to  Ticonderoga  about  dark — rained 
and  blew  hard  all  night.  N.  B.  Where  the  men  cut  through  the  ice  after 
noon  by  night  we  were  able  to  row  through  without  difficulty. 

nth.  Wind  blew  hard  and  continued  all  day,  which  broke  up  all  ye 
ice  in  ye  lakes.  This  day  began  to  draw  provisions — drew  only  single 
rations  for  self  and  adiutant. 


I90        DIARY    OF   COL.    ELISHA    PORTER,    OF   HADLEY,    MASSACHUSETTS 

1 2th.  Snowed  very  hard  till  2.  Sent  off  16  men  to  Crown  Point  for  2 
sloops,  they  got  there  in  ye  evening. 

15th.  Ordered  all  ye  men  upon  duty.  One  party  up  ye  lake  for  bat- 
teaux,  another  down,  and  a  third  for  wood.  Found  and  brought  in  four 
batteaux.  Cap.  Alexander  came  here  from  Crown  Point  for  stores  and 
returned.  In  ye  evening  part  of  Capt.  Bacon's  company  came  in,  left  him 
back. 

14th.   Capt.  Bacon  arrived  with  his  men. 

15th.  A  fine  day.  Could  not  get  away  for  want  of  bread  and  batteaux. 
Got  read}'  for  setting  out,  went  to  the  mills.  Ye  French  Post  came  from 
Lake  George — brought  news  from  Gen.  Schuyler  that  Gen.  Howe  and 
1,500  men  were  taken  prisoners  at  Rhode  Island — also  that  ye  French  at 
\Y.  Indies  had  agreed  to  join  us. 

16.  Intended  to  set  out  this  day.  Could  not  get  provisions  for  the 
men  till  noon.  One  of  the  batteaux  taken  away,  could  not  recover  it  till 
near  night — rained  hard.  Gave  orders  for  the  whole  to  be  ready  by  sun- 
rise the  next  morning. 

17th.  A  pleasant  morning  and  a  good  wind.  Set  out  with  six  bat- 
teaux and  144  men  from  Ticonderoga  at  5  min.  before  7.  y2  after  ten  got 
to  Crown  Point — found  Gilbert  of  Capt.  Lyman's  company  dead.  He 
died  yesterday  morning.  Set  out  from  there  y2  after  12  o'c,  had  a  good 
wind  most  of  the  afternoon.  Went  about  4  miles  beyond  ye  Split  Rock 
to  Day's  at  Willsborough  and  lodged.  Came  in  the  whole  40  miles  this 
day. 

1 8th.  Set  out  V2  after  six  o'clock,  ye  wind  ahead,  rowed  5  miles  and 
went  ashore.  Capt.  Lyman  had  2  men  sick— sent  Sergeant  Parsons  to 
bleed  them.  Staid  ashore  till  %  after  8  o'clock.  Went  about  27  miles  to 
Belows  Island.  Staid  there  till  3.  Could  not  proceed  by  reason  of  the 
squalls  of  wind.     Had  comfortable  lodgings  in  our  camp  wh.  we  built. 

19th.  Set  out  about  sunrise,  in  an  hour  got  to  Cumberland  Point,  8  miles, 
got  to  Rock  Point  14  miles  x/2  after  8  o'c,  staid  on  shore  an  hour,  got  to 
ye  White  House  within  30  miles  of  St.  Johns  at  noon.  6  miles  further 
to  a  French  house  and  staid  an  hour.  (N.  B.  Got  to  the  line  of  Canada 
1 7  m.  past  1  o  'clock).  Set  out  1 5  m.  past  2  and  reached  St.  Johns  at  sunset. 
Just  went  on  shore  and  took  in  a  pilot  for  each  batteau  and  went  down 
the  first  rapids  about  a  mile  to  ye  village  and  lodged  at  one  Robinson's  a 
French  man's — ye  woman  could  talk  some  English,  ye  rest  none  at  all. 
Came  69  miles  this  day,  and  rowed  all  the  time.  Had  with  us  this  voyage 
two  French  men  (Posts)  who  piloted,  and  this  day  took  two  Indians  on 
board  and  brought  them  to  St.  Johns. 


DIARY   OF   COL.    ELISHA   PORTER,    OF   HAULEY,    MASSACHUSETTS        IQI 

20th.  Set  out  at  7  o'c.  and  went  down  the  rapids  to  Chamblay,  a  fine 
pleasant  village — put  up  Mr.  Glancy's. 

2 1st.  Pleasant  day — went  to  church  in  the  forenoon.  Rec'd  orders 
from  Gen'l  Arnold  to  proceed  immediately  to  Quebec.  Sent  for  Capt. 
Alexander  from  St.  Johns.  Gave  orders  for  provisions  to  be  drawn, 
and  the  men  ready  tomorrow  morning.  Capt.  Alexander  came  in  the 
evening. 

22nd.  Left  Chamblay  at  11  o'c.  Ye  wind  against  us.  Past  several 
beautiful  villages.  The  whole  of  the  way  thick-settled.  Got  to  St.  Journ 
33  miles  about  sunset.  Lodged  in  a  good  house.  One  man  of  Capt. 
Bacon's  company  sick  at  the  same  house — brought  him  with  us  ye  next 
day. 

23rd.  Set  out  about  8  o'c,  went  12  miles  to  Sorrell  village  at  ye  mouth 
of  the  river,  could  not  proceed  by  reason  of  contrary  winds.  Staid  there 
in  good  lodgings.  Viewed  the  breastworks  built  last  summer — a  shiftless 
thing  indeed. 

24th.  Left  Sorrell  7  m.  past  6.  About  8  entered  upon  Lake  St.  Francois, 
got  to  the  current  at  12,  to  Trois  Rivieres,  45  miles  about  1 — a  very  fine 
pleasant  place.  Stopt  there  to  wait  for  the  hindmost  batteaux.  Had  to 
leave  Lt.  Poole  &  24  men  as  a  garrison  under  Capt.  Caswell.  Hindered  by 
that  2y2  hours.  In  three  hours  got  to  a  village  21  miles  beyond  and  there 
lodged.     Came  66  miles  this  day. 

N.  B.  The  inhabitants  gave  us  three  cheers  upon  landing,  appeared 
glad  to  see  us,  and  gave  us  the  same  when  we  went  away  again. 

25th.  Set  out  l/z  after  6,  got  to  ye  Point  at  St.  Croix  four  or  five  leagues 
in  four  hours.  Met  the  tide  coming  in,  and  having  no  wind  we  waited 
till  the  tide  turned  at  one  o'c.  Got  to  Point  aux  Tremble  before  night 
but  could  go  no  further.  Stopt  there,  lodged  at  the  Nunnery.  One  nun 
a  pleasant  sociable  woman,  seven  or  eight  small  girls — at  school  here — who 
behaved  very  prettily.  The  wind  blew  hard  all  night  which  damaged  the 
Batteaux  very  much  tho  the  guards  did  all  in  their  power  to  save  them. 
Came  this  day  about  40  miles.  Found  Col.  Elmer  and  a  number  of  men 
here  bound  for  Quebec. 

26th.  Cold  northeast  storm  and  strong  wind  till  then — then  cleared  the 
Batteaux  and  gave  orders  for  the  men  to  be  on  board  at  4  o'c  in  the 
morning. 

27th.  At  sunrise  set  out  and  soon  had  a  small  gale  of  wind  in  our 
favor,  stopt  a  little  time  at  a  little  River  9  miles  from  Quebec  whilst  the 
whole  came  up.  Went  off  together  with  part  of  Col.  Elmer's  Reg't  6  miles 
further  and  landed  at  a  place  called  Cellery — drew  up  our  Batteaux — left 


19-        DIARY    OF   COL.    ELISHA    PORTER,    OF   HADLEY,    MASSACHUSETTS 

a  guard  with  our  stores  and  marched  under  the  bank  to  Wolfe's  Cove 
within  about  ?^  of  a  mile  of  the  walls  of  Quebec,  then  ascended  the  Plains 
of  Abraham  in  the  same  place  that  Gen.  Wolfe  drew  up  his  cannon.     Got 

to  headquarters  about dined  with  Gen.  Wooster,  had  quarters  provided 

not  the  most  agreeable.  Could  not  get  my  baggage  forward  this  night. 
About  ten  o'c  at  night,  Capt.  Shaw  and  80  Men  arrived  here — lodged  in 
my  room  about  10  or  12  of  them. 

28th.  Saw  several  of  Capt.  Chapin's  Company  who  were  stationed  at 
Charlelour  about  4  or  5  miles  distant.  They  have  all  had  the  small-pox 
except  Wm.  Clark,  and  most  of  them  got  well. 

29th.  Went  upon  the  Heights  and  viewed  the  walls  etc. — drew  ammu- 
nition for  the  men. 

30th.  Rained  most  of  the  day,  thick  fogg — informed  that  the  enemy 
were  loading  their  vessels  to  go  off — just  at  night  carried  the  ladders  to 
the  Heights  near  the  walls  under  cover  of  the  Fog. 

May  1st.  Officer  of  the  day. 

2nd.  An  alarm  in  the  morning.  Gen.  Thomas  arrived  in  the  morning, 
his  attendants  in  the  afternoon.  In  ye  evening  our  Fire  Ship  made  an 
Attempt  upon  the  Shipping  but  failed.  We  were  all  under  arms  upon  the 
Heights. 

3rd.  Gen.  Thomas  took  ye  command.  The  4  Companies  which  came 
with  me  were  ordered  off  to  Cape  Saute  to  have  the  small  pox. 

4th.  Capt.  Wheeler  and  20  Men  joined  the  Regt.  More  were  to  join 
him  immediately. 

5th.  Had  certain  Intelligence  that  a  fleet  was  coming  up  the  river  and 
near  by.  A  Council  of  war  was  held  at  Headquarters  this  afternoon — 
resolved  to  send  off  our  sick  as  quick  as  possible,  and  draw  off  our  out- 
posts in  the  Night  of  the  next  Day — Officer  of  the  day. 

6th. — Monday.  Early  in  the  morning  the  Fleet  arrived.  I  sent  off  to 
Chalelour  at  daybreak  to  Capt.  Chapin  to  bring  off  his  men  immediately. 
About  9  o'clock  we  began  to  move  off  our  cannon  and  heavy  baggage,  at 
11  o'c  had  general  orders  to  held  our  places  in  readiness  to  march  at  a 
minute's  warning.  Put  up  my  baggage  and  procured  a  cart  to  carry  it  to 
Sillery  to  ye  batteaux.  About  12  o'c  ye  enemy  made  their  appearance 
upon  the  Heights  with  their  field  pieces,  and  began  to  fire  upon  our  guards. 
An  alarm  was  made  and  when  they  had  advanced  within  a  half  mile  of 
Headquarters  I  sent  off  my  baggage  with  Bishop  and  2  waiters.  Went  to 
Headquarters  with  what  men  I  had  and  formed.  When  the  enemy  were 
within  about  80  rods  of  us,  we  had  orders  to  retreat  slowly  and  in  good 
order  which  we  did,  untill  we  could  find  a  convenient  place  to  defend  our- 


DIARY   OF    COL.    ELISHA   PORTER,    OF   HADLEY,    MASSACHUSETTS        1 93 

selves.  We  formed  in  the  first  wood  we  came  to  and  remained  till  the 
rear  had  got  up  with  us.  We  then  had  orders  to  retreat  again.  We 
retreated  about  15  miles  that  night  and  halted — at  8  o'clock  had  orders 
to  march  again  at  12.  Were  called  up  at  10  by  a  false  alarm,  and  at 
II  to  prepare  for  our  march.  Set  out  a  little  before  12,  one  sick  man 
with  us. 

7th.  Got  to  Point  au  Tremble  a  little  after  sunrise.  Stopt  and  bought 
2  loaves  of  bread  for  about  70  men  I  had  with  me,  which  was  all  that  could 
be  had.  Divided  it  amongst  them.  y2  after  10  got  to  the  river  at  Jacques 
Cartier,  was  there  2  hours  before  we  could  cross.  Two  ships  came  up 
with  us  here  and  fired  a  number  of  shot  among  us,  but  did  no  execu- 
tion. We  made  this  day  30  miles  to  Point  du  Chambeau,  our  men 
excessively  fatigued.  The  men  who  were  taken  out  of  the  Hospital  and 
scarce  able  to  cross  the  room  came  afoot  with  us  all  the  way.  There  was 
a  very  heavy  cannonade  upon  Capt.  Bacon's  men  from  the  ships,  also  at 
the  river  upon  Col.  Maxwell's  men.  Our  men  who  were  sent  to  Cape 
Saute,  most  of  them  overtook  us  this  night.  Expected  to  make  a  stand 
here,  but  want  of  provisions  and  everything  else  except  cannon,  obliged 
the  Gen'l  to  order  a  retreat  to  Sorrell.  Gave  orders  for  all  my  men  to  be 
brought  up  and  to  be  ready  by  daybreak. 

8th.  Set  out  with  my  men  in  six  Batteaux,  (Capt.  Shepard  and  his  men 
having  gone  before  afoot,)  rowed  a  few  hours  and  stopt  to  dress  some  vict- 
uals on  the  southern  shore — the  wind  and  tide  strong  against  us,  with  diffi- 
culty crossed  the  river  to  St.  Anne's  and  lodged.  Came  this  day  about  6 
or  7  leagues. 

9th.  The  wind  against  us.  With  hard  rowing  we  got  within  about  2 
leagues  of  Trois  Rivieres,  and  stopt  late  in  ye  evening,  our  men  much 
fatigued. 

10th.  Went  in  the  morning  to  the  three  rivers  and  breakfasted,  there 
found  Bishop  with  my  baggage  safe.  Staid  there  for  the  other  Batteaus 
to  come  up  till  afternoon.  There  found  Capt.  Shepard.  No  provisions 
there.  Purchased  1  sc.  of  Flour  for  Capt.  Shepard  and  left  ,-£20  with 
the  Comissary  to  purchase  more  to  send  to  Genl.  Thomas.  Sent  ye 
Batteaux  forward  and  went  by  land  about  7  miles  and  overtook  them 
and  lodged. 

nth.  Set  out  in  the  Morning  and  rowed  till  we  got  into  lake  St.  Fran- 
cis. It  being  calm  we  attempted  to  cross  the  middle  of  ye  lake.  About 
noon  the  south  wind  began  to  blow  and  soon  grew  very  hard  which  obliged 
us  to  make  ye  shore  as  soon  as  possible.  My  Batteau  made  the  shore 
without   losing  much   way,  others  were   drove  back   8   or    10   miles,  some 

Vol.  XXX.— N0.3.— 13 


194        DIARY    OF    COL.    ELISHA   PORTER,    OF   HADLEY,    MASSACHUSETTS 

more.  Wo  found  two  of  our  Batteaux  there.  I  was  invited  with  Col. 
Williams  and  ye  Adjutant  to  lodge  at  ye  Seigneur's— was  well  entertained 
— bought  there  4  sc.  of  flour  for  48/. 

1 2th.  Sunday.  Set  out  early  in  the  morning  and  got  over  ye  lake  into 
the  river  by  1  o'c  before  we  stopt  ;  rested  a  little  while  and  then  went  on 
to  a  village  about  a  league  and  half  from  Sorrell  and  rested  a  spell.  Set 
out  and  got  to  Sorrell  by  dark.  One  other  boat  got  there  before  us,  the 
others  stopt  behind.  Lodged  at  a  house  where  the  people  were  kind. 
The  Prussian  Genl.  Col.  Greatorex's  and  Col.  Bond's  regis,  on  the  ground 
in  camp. 

13th.  Col.  Williams  and  two  or  three  boats  which  were  left  with  him 
came  in  in  ye  morning,  others  in  the  afternoon.  Genl.  Arnold  arrived  in 
the  night  before. 

14th.  Part  of  the  Pennsylvania  troops  got  in,  and  some  more  of  mine 
that  were  scattered  behind.  Col.  Williams  and  some  of  my  men  went 
back  for  flour.  This  night  Capt.  Lyman  lost  one  man,  viz.  P.  Davis,  with 
ye  small  pox. 

15th.  Maj.  Morgan  and  the  rest  with  him  arrived  just  at  night.  Drew 
huts  and  pitched  them  in  confusion — rec'd  letters  from  Hadley.1 

16th.  In  ye  afternoon  Col.  Williams  got  back  with  flour — rec'd  orders 
to  move  our  tents,  which  we  did.  Officer  of  the  day — went  the  rounds 
at  sunset  and  at  midnight — lodged  in  the  Fort  after  I  got  back.  Genl. 
Thompson  arrived* 

17th.  Orders  from  Genl.  Arnold  for  119  of  my  Regt.  to  innoculate 
immediately,  which  was  done.  Genl.  Thomas  arrived  in  ye  afternoon — he 
was  much  displeased  with  ye  order — ordered  them  to  stop. 

1 8th.  Col.  Williams  set  out  for  Montreal.  Rec'd  orders  from  those  of 
my  Regt.  who  were  innoculated  to  repair  to  Montreal,  to  set  out  next 
morning.  This  day  the  last  of  my  men  who  were  left  back  sick  at  Que- 
bec &c.  arrived,  except  Wm.  Clark  who  was  left  dying.  John  Davis  and 
Walker  of  Capt.  Chapin's  Company,  who  were  not  able  to  be  removed, 
doubtless  perished.  2  or  3  of  Capt.  Wheeler's  men  who  had  enlisted  but 
not  passed  muster  were  lost.  Our  men  much  better  for  their  march  than 
if  they  had  lain  still.  God's  goodness  to  us  in  our  March  has  been 
remarkable  and  demands  a  suitable  return.  We  received  but  y2  allowance 
of  meat  this  day. 

19th.  Before  our  people  could  get  ready  to  march,  the  wind  blew  so 
hard  from  the  southward  that  they  could  not  proceed. 

20th.    In  the  morning  Major  Morgan  and  his  party  set  out  for  Mont- 

1  See  note,  p.  200. 


DIARY   OF   COL.    ELISHA   PORTER,    OF    HADLEY,    MASSACHUSETTS        195 

real.  Same  day  Col.  Greatorex's  Regt.  ordered  to  Chamblay,  also  part  of 
Col.  Bond's. 

2 1  st.  Genl.  Thomas  broke  out  with  ye  small  pox,  and  in  the  morning 
resigned  the  command  to  Gen.  Thompson.  Adj.  Warner  and  Lt.  White 
arrested  this  afternoon  (for  nothing),  confined  to  their  tents  two  or  three 
hours  and  released.  Lt.  Poole  arrived  this  day.  N.  B. — No  meat  for  3 
days  past. 

22nd.  In  the  afternoon  received  orders  for  my  Regt.  and  Col.  Poor's  to 
hold  ourselves  in  readiness  to  march  immediately  to  St.  Johns,  but  not 
being  able  to  get  Batteaux  that  afternoon,  had  leave  to  stay  till  morning. 
Cornet  Cotton  came  in  just  after  and  brought  me  letters  from  Hadley. 

23rd.  Early  in  the  morning  set  out  ye  baggage  in  two  Batteaux,  col- 
lected the  sick  from  their  quarters,  and  marched  about  7*4  leagues  to  St. 
Dennis.  Lodged  at  Capt.  Jacob's,  an  Englishman — was  kindly  treated 
and  entertained  gratis.     Cornet  Cotton  came  with  us. 

24th.  Marched  about  15  miles.  Could  go  no  further  because  the  Bat- 
teaux could  not  keep  up  with  us.  Lodged  at  a  Frenchman's,  who  was 
kind  to  us,  and  professed  much  friendship  for  the  Bostonians — said  he  was 
a  Captain  in  Livingstone's  Regt.,  that  he  was  wounded  a  week  before  in  a 
battle  at  ye  Cedars,  and  the  enemy  had  400  killed  on  ye  spot.  N.  B. — If 
he  was  in  the  engagement,  queri,  which  side  he  was  of?  his  account  differ- 
ing greatly  from  others.     Beware  of  French  professions. 

25th.  The  wind  very  strong  in  the  South,  could  get  along  but  slowly 
with  the  Batteaux.  Some  rain  before  we  reached  Chamblay — got  there 
before  night  and  encamped.  Rec'd  a  letter  from  Col.  Poor  to  desire  me 
to  stop  here  with  my  Regt.  in  consequence  of  Advice  from  Genl.  Wooster. 
Applyed  to  Genl.  Thomas  who  gave  orders  for  me  to  take  ye  command 
here. 

26th.  Having  got  a  small  room  in  the  Fort  the  evening  before,  I  began 
a  letter  to  Brother  in  ye  morning — wrote  him  largely  by  Cornet  Cotton. 
At  9  o'c  took  command  of  the  Garrison — found  things  in  much  confusion 
— gave  orders  as  I  found  necessary — placed  Guards,  &c — towards  night 
got  time  to  visit  the  several  rooms  in  the  garrison. 

27th.  Rec'd  orders  from  Genl.  Wooster  to  send  a  company  to  La 
Chine  to  relieve  those  of  my  Regt.  who  were  sick  of  ye  small  pox. 
Ordered  Capt.  Wheeler's  company  to  march  off  immediately.  Towards 
night  Baron  De  Waldke  arrived  to  take  ye  command. 

28th.  At  9  o'c  delivered  the  command  of  the  garrison  and  Troops  to 
the  Baron.     Several  of  my  officers  went  to  Montreal  and  Chaplain  also. 

29th.  Genls.  Wooster  and  Arnold  and  several  officers  arrived.     Also  the 


196        DIARY    OF    COL.    ELISHA    PORTER,    OF   HADLEY,    MASSACHUSETTS 

Committee  of  ye  Congress  to  attend  ye  Council  of  War  ye  next  day. 
Genl.  Thomas  very  bad. 

30th.  Genl.  Thompson  arrived  in  the  morning — a  general  Council  of 
War  was  held — Genl.  Wooster  presided — the  Plan  settled,  &c. 

31st.  The  Committee  of  the  Congress  returned  home — the  Baron  went 
to  St.  Johns. 

June  1st.  Went  to  see  Genl.  and  found  him  very  low — no  expectation 
of  his  living. 

2nd.  Sunday  early  in  the  morning  Genl.  Thomas  died — was  obliged  to 
be  interred  that  day — he  was  so  mortified.  About  noon  Genl.  Sullivan 
arrived,  but  could  not  attend  ye  funeral — he  went  off  to  Montreal  soon. 
In  the  afternoon  Genl.  Thomas  was  buried  with  as  much  respect  as  we 
could  show  him.  Col.  Burril,  myself  and  Capts.  Romane,  Chapin,  Bacon 
and  Shepard  were  the  bearers. 

3d.  Genl.  Sullivan's  Brigade  arrived  at  Chamblay  about  2  o'c — ye  Genl. 
about  the  same  time.  They  set  out  the  same  afternoon  for  Sorrell,  gave 
me  orders  to  follow  with  all  my  well  men.     I  gave  orders  accordingly. 

4th.  Was  busied  in  providing  proper  places  for  the  sick  left  behind. 
Sent  off  fifty  men  just  at  night  with  Lt.  Bateman. 

5th.  Followed  with  150  men.  Set  out  at  1^2 — though  there  was  no 
wind  we  got  to  St.  Dennis  and  lodged  at  Mr.  Jacobs  again — was  treated 
well  as  before. 

6th.  About  II  o'c  arrived  at  Camp — found  Genl.  Thompson,  Col.  St. 
Clair,  Col.  Maxwell  and  others  with  40  Batteaux  ready  to  sail  down  the 
river  to  join  those  who  were  gone  forward.  Encamped  in  a  pleasant  spot 
about  80  rods  from  the  Lines.  Towards  night  a  very  heavy  shower  of 
rain. 

7th.  The  rest  of  Col.  Maxwell's  Regt.  followed  the  others.  Several  of 
my  Regt.  were  put  under  guard  this  day  for  disobedience  of  orders. 
Towards  night  Lt.  Allen  &  13  of  Capt.  Wheeler's  men  arrived.  Gave  out 
strict  orders  to  prevent  firing  this  day. 

8th.  About  2  o'c  in  morning  a  heavy  firing  of  cannon  down  the  rivet- 
was  heard,  which  continued  till  seven  o'c — after  that  a  heavy  firing  of  small 
arms.  A  Reinforce  of  300  of  Col.  Wyne's  Regt.  were  sent  down  to  their 
relief — the  firing  continued  in  ye  afternoon  and  evening.      No  orders. 

9th.  Called  up  by  daylight  to  attend  ye  Genl.  upon  a  Council  of  War. 
The  news  from  one  Party  that  were  off  first,  nothing  direct — the  others 
returned  without  landing — had  reason  to  believe  the  whole  cut  off — the 
camp  in  great  confusion  this  day,  all  the  army  having  most  of  their  effects 
on  board  the  Batteaux  except  my  Regt.     Officer  of  the  day.     Very  unwell 


DIARY  OF  COL.    ELISIIA   FORTER,   OF   HADLEY,    MASSACHUSETTS        1 97 

in  afternoon.  Col.  Bucl  did  my  duty  while  I  was  absent.  At  night  had 
more  favorable  accounts  than  before. 

10th.  Great  part  of  the  troops  got  in  safe  though  much  fatigued.  No 
news  of  Genl.  Thompson. 

nth.  The  field  officers  ordered  to  attend  ye  Genl.  next  day  towards  ye 
3  Rivers. 

1 2th.  Set  out  with  him,  called  back  with  an  account  of  ye  enemy  being 
on  ye  opposite  shore.  Sent  off  boats  &c.  About  noon  set  out  again — 
near  Birkney  we  were  overtaken  again  by  another  express  which  brought 
ye  same  account  and  we  returned — proved  to  be  without  foundation.  At 
night  a  flag  came  in  and  brought  a  letter  from  Genl.  Thompson,  who  with 
Col.  Irving  and  some  others  were  Prisoners  at  ye  3  Rivers. 

13th.  A  Council  of  War  held  at  night  and  determined  to  retire  back  to 
St.  Johns. 

14th.  In  ye  morning  got  ye  things  on  board  ye  Batteaux — sent  off 
early  for  Capt.  Chapin's  company  who  were  at  Markaw  ]/2  mile  distant 
with  orders  for  their  immediate  return.  About  noon  the  Army  began 
their  march,  my  Regt.  ye  3rd  in  order,  Col.  Williams  and  myself  in  ye 
Batteaux.  Capt.  Chapin's  Company  not  come  up.  Got  to  Col.  Dougans 
about  sunset — heard  of  ye  men  I  sent  for  Capt.  Chapin  that  he  was 
near  by.  The  wind  sprang  up  fair  of  a  sudden,  the  Batteaux  had  orders 
to  push  off  directly,  went  forward  two  or  three  leagues  and  stopt. 

15th.  Having  rested  an  hour  or  two  in  ye  Batteau,  I  rallied  ye  men  in 
mine  a  half  hour  before  sunrise  and  set  forward  till  8  o'c.  Went  on  shore, 
ye  wind  very  inconstant,  got  to  Chamblay  before  night  and  encamped. 
Worked  till  midnight  with  all  my  men  in  getting  ye  Batteaux,  rained  very 
hard,  turned  in. 

16th.  By  light  turned  out  my  men  upon  fatigue.  In  ye  forenoon  my 
men  got  in  who  marched  by  land.  An  alarm  in  ye  afternoon.  My  men 
turned  out  well.  Sent  forward  our  tents,  etc.,  in  ye  Batteaux.  In  ye 
evening  ordered  into  the  Fort.  We  had  but  just  lain  down  when  we  were 
called  up  to  work  and  were  employed  all  night  in  haling  of  Batteaux  up  ye 
Rapids. 

17th.  In  ye  morning  burnt  the  Fort,  ye  gondolas  and  few  Batteaux 
which  remained,  and  marched  to  St.  Johns.  Col.  Stark  and  my  Regt. 
brought  up  the  rear. 

1 8th.  A  Council  of  War  was  held  in  the  morning  and  resolved  to  quit 
St.  Johns  and  retire  to  Crown  Point.  Got  all  the  stores  on  board  ye 
Batteaux,  and  set  out  a  little  before  night  and  got  to  Isle  au  Noir  about 
I  o'c  at  night,  having  first  burnt  up  Fort,  etc. 


S        DIARY    OF   COL.    ELISHA    PORTER,    OF   HADLEY,    MASSACHUSETTS 


19th.  Encamped  on  ye  Island.  The  sick  had  orders  to  remove  to 
Crown  Point.  Could  not  get  them  ready  until  ye  next  day — 126  sick  of 
my  Rcgt.  ordered  to  go.  Col.  Williams,  Capt.  Bacon,  Lt.  Morgan,  Ensign 
Snow,  and  60  Privates  to  go  with  them. 

20th.  They  set  out  with  the  other  sick  in  the  morning.  A  shower 
towards  night,  and  considerable  rain  in  night. 

2 1 st.  Gen'l  Sullivan  and  a  number  of  Field  Officers  went  up  the  river 
to  reconnoitre,  returned  safe  just  before  night.  About  noon  I  went  with 
Col.  Burrill  and  some  other  officers  down  the  river  about  a  mile.  Stopt  a 
few  minutes  on  shore  and  returned.  Eight  officers  and  four  privates  of 
Col.  Irving's  Regt.  went  the  same  way  soon  after  without  any  arms,  and 
were  attacked  by  ye  Indians — 2  officers  and  2  Privates  killed  on  ye  spot, 
5  officers  and  2  Privates  taken  Prisoners.  1  Officer  hid  himself  in  ye 
chamber  and  escaped.  About  ye  same  time  a  number  of  Indians  attacked 
our  men  in  three  Batteaux  who  went  on  shore  up  the  river  about  6  miles, 
killed  9  and  wounded  5  of  Col.  Duhaas'  Regt.  when  the  Genl.  had  but 
just  passed,  and  when  he  proposed  landing.  Thus  a  number  of  officers 
were  preserved  by  God's  goodness  from  falling  into  the  hands  of  savages, 
myself  among  the  rest.  May  the  Remembrance  hereof  excite  me  to  live 
to  God  my  Preserver. 

22d.  This  day  sent  off  all  ye  Batteaux  loaded  with  artillery  and  artillery 
stores  to  Isle  La  Motte.  Nothing  material  happened,  only  that  I  had  a 
present  of  Fresh  beef,  about  20  lb.  5  from  the  Genl. 

23rd.  Dined  with  my  officers  upon  ye  Beef,  which  was  a  great  rarity. 
Much  stiller  this  day  than  common,  though  no  time  for  Public  Worship — 
rain  at  night. 

24th.  Officer  of  the  day.  About  11  o'c  rec'd  orders  for  all  the  sick  to 
go  off.  The  Batteaux  not  being  able  to  carry  the  whole,  my  men  returned. 
Had  orders  for  ye  whole  to  be  ready  by  daybreak  to-morrow  morning  to 
quit  ye  Island.  Col.  Greatorex,  Beedles  and  my  Regts.  and  ye  Rifle  Men 
to  go  upon  ye  East  Shore  by  land. 

25th.  Waited  all  day  for  the  boats — came  just  at  night — the  boats 
ordered  to  be  proportioned,  which  was  done. 

26th.  In  the  morning  had  orders  to  go  on  board  our  boats — those  who 
were  able  to  march.  Crossed  the  river  and  landed  about  4  miles  up  the 
river  1200  men.  Col.  Greatorex  and  Col.  Wayne's  led  the  Van.  Myself 
and  Col.  Vose  brought  up  the  rear.  Marched  2  or  3  miles  to  the  river 
La  Col,  where  our  men  were  killed  the  21st.  Burnt  ye  house  and  mill, 
and  brought  off  some  stock  belonging  to  ye  Scotchman  who  deceived 
them  and  betrayed  them  to  ye  Indians.    In  the  afternoon  forward — rained 


DIARY   OF   COL.    ELISHA   PORTER,   OF   HADLEY,    MASSACHUSETTS        \J) 

almost  all  the  time.  The  travelling  through  the  Swamp  excessively  had, 
and  marched  very  slow.  About  9  o'clock  got  to  a  fine  beach  by  ye  Lake, 
a  little  to  South  of  Canada  Line.  Hailed  my  Battcaux  as  they  passed  and 
got  my  clothes  out  of  my  trunk.  Lodged  on  ye  ground  without  covering 
and  slept  well. 

27th.  Waited  till  noon  for  the  boats  to  come  and  carry  us  off;  then  set 
out  after  having  breakfasted  upon  some  of  ye  beef  we  took  ye  day  before, 
and  went  to  the  White  House — a  number  stopt  and  burnt  the  house- 
then  went  forward  to  ye  Isle  La  Motte,  where  our  stores  and  sick  men 
were,  and  got  there  about  6  o'clock.  When  I  got  ashore  I  found  our  men 
in  an  ugly  swamp,  but  had  the  comfort  to  find  we  were  like  to  get  away 
the  next  day.  Pitched  a  tent  and  lodged  comfortably.  Found  that 
Ensign  Stiles  and  one  more  had  died  on  their  passage  to  Crown  Point, 
and  were  buried  on  the  Island. 

28th.  A  division  of  ye  Boats  was  begun  to  be  made,  and  a  number 
came  in  the  forenoon.  I  went  with  Col.  Vose  and  about  80  Volunteers, 
and  landed  ye  other  side — brought  off  with  us  2  Horses,  2  Cows,  and  2 
Calves,  etc. — in  ye  afternoon  ye  wind  (which  had  been  very  high  in  the 
forenoon  in  ye  south  and  had  brought  the  Batteaux  all  in,)  fell,  and  we 
received  orders  to  embark — set  out  accordingly  and  rowed  that  night  till 
1  o'clock  and  got  to  Cumberland  Head  and  stopt  on  board. 

29th.  The  wind  continued  ahead  and  blew  hard  in  the  bay — being  in  a 
good  Harbour  we  lay  out  of  the  wind,  and  stayed  there  till  noon,  then  set 
forward  again  in  order.     Crossed  Cumberland   Bay,  the  wind  hard  against 

us — stopt  B Island   3  or  4  minutes  while  ye  whole  of  my  Batteaux 

came  in  sight,  then  went  forward  and  formed  the  line,  the  wind  not  so 
high  as  before.  Went  as  far  as  Schuyler's  Island  about  22  miles,  got  there 
just  after  sunset,  did  not  go  on  shore  myself. 

30th.  Set  out  y2  after  six,  the  wind  still  ahead  tho'  not  quite  so  heavy 
as  the  day  before.  Stopt  at  Gilliland's  Creek  y2  after  1 1  o'clock,  then 
ree'd  orders  to  send  back  a  Capt.  2  subs,  and  50  men  to  guard  the  vessels; 
heard  here  that  a  party  of  200  Indians  had  been  here  this  day,  and  that 
they  had  taken  a  Prisoner  near  Crown  Point.  Staid  at  this  place  all  day — 
just  at  night  went  with  Maj.  Stoddard  to  see  what  became  of  my  Vessels, 
discovered  one  or  two  in  sight  and  returned,  lodged  on  board. 

July  1st.  We  set  forward  about  8  o'clock,  the  wind  still  ahead — stopt 
an  hour  in  a  small  harbour,  and  then  proceeded  to  Crown  Point  which  we 
reached  y2  past  1 1  at  night. 

2nd.  Went  on  shore  and  carried  our  baggage  up  to  the  ground  of  our 
encampment — pitched  our  tents  just  before  night. 


2O0        DIARY    OF   COL.    ELISHA   PORTER,    OF   HADLEY,    MASSACFIUSETTS 

3rd.  Was  with  the  Genl.  most  of  the  day,  in  view  of  grounds,  etc.  A 
mutiny  among  Capt.  Romanes  Company  this  day — rec'd  orders  to  sit 
upon  a  special  Court  martial  the  next  day  to  try  them. 

4th.  Arose  as  soon  as  light  to  get  time  to  write  home.  Could  get  none 
till  7  o'clock.  Wrote  till  8,  when  I  was  obliged  to  break  off  to  attend  Court 
martial.  Tried  55  Prisoners,  etc.,  dined  with  the  Court  at  Lewis's.  Col. 
Williams  and  Capt.  Bacon  went  off  this  day  upon  a  furlough  for  the 
recovery  oi  their  health. 

5th.  Waited  upon  the  Genl.  early  in  ye  morning  to  get  a  Packet 
which  was  left  there  for  me,  but  could  not  find  it.  Got  a  discharge 
for  a  number  of  my  men  who  were  not  like  to  be  serviceable  this 
Campaign.  Had  orders  to  send  them  with  a  boat  to  Skeensborough. 
Could  not  get  the  party  away  by  reason  of  their  not  being  able  to  draw 
Provisions.  Genls.  Schuyler,  Gates  and  Arnold  arrived  here  this  night — ■ 
rain  in  night. 

6th.  A  pleasant  morning.  Officer  of  the  Fatigue  Party  this  day.  The 
orders  of  yesterday  above  countermanded.  Gen.  Schuyler  took  ye  com- 
mand. Gen.  Sullivan  determined  to  return  home.  Spent  the  evening 
with  him. 

7th.  Sunday.  Very  still  for  a  camp  this  morning.  Gave  orders  for 
public  worship  to  be  attended  at  10  o'clock — rained  some  in  the  morning. 
Had  a  sermon  at  the  time  appointed  in  the  forenoon,  by  Mr.  Breck,  from 
James  4:  10 — a  good  one.  Afternoon  adjourned  the  time  to  five  o'c. — had 
orders  to  attend  the  Genl.  at  that  time.  The  Genl.  informed  us  that  the 
Genl.  had  determined  we  should  remove  to  Ticonderoga  and  then  take 
Post — this  news  gave  universal  uneasiness  in  the  Camp. 

8th.  Field  officers  met  and  agreed  upon  a  remonstrance  to  Genl. 
Schuyler  against  removing.  Genls.  Schuyler  and  Gates  went  off  for 
Ticonderoga,  most  of  the  field  officers  signed  this  remonstrance.  A  regi- 
mental court  martial  held  this  day. 

9th.  The  field  officers  signed  an  address  to  Gen.  Sullivan  upon  his 
departure.1  He  went  away  about  noon  and  carried  our  remonstrance  to 
Genl.  Schuyler.  In  the  evening  Col.  Hartley  came  back  with  his  party 
from  Cumberland  Head  and  brought  in  10  Indians  (young  and  old)  as 
prisoners. 

1  "At  Crown  Point,  July  8th,  1776,  Major  Abner  Morgan  drew  up  an  address  of  the  Field 
Officers  to  Gen.  John  Sullivan,  on  the  occasion  of  his  withdrawing  from  command  of  the  army 
in  Canada."  History  of  Brim  field,  Mass.  (Springfield,  Clark  W.  Bryan,  1879),  p.  180,  and  see 
entry  of  May  15th.  Major  Morgan  had  left  the  vicinity  of  Quebec  and  traveled  via  Montreal 
(see  entry  of  May  20th;. 


DIARY   OF  COL.   ELISHA   PORTER,   OF   HADLEY,    MASSACHUSETTS       201 

iotb.  Ordered  another  regimental  court  martial  to  try  two  men  accused 
of  stealing  milk.     Three  regiments  went  off  for  Ticonderoga  yesterday. 

nth.  Officer  of  the  day.  Very  rainy  most  of  day  and  evening.  Went 
the  rounds.  Very  miry.  This  day  received  an  answer  to  our  remonstrance 
to  Genl.  Schuyler,  and  an  answer  to  our  address  to  Gen.  Sullivan,  the 
latter  very  handsomely  wrote. 

1 2th.  About  noon  ree'd  the  melancholy  tidings  of  the  death  of  Col. 
Williams  on  the  ioth — a  loss  I  deeply  feel.  Two  of  my  men  put  under 
guard  this  day  for  going  a  hunting  without  liberty. 

13th.  The  two  men  were  ordered  to  the  Quarter  Guard  of  my  Regt. 
This  day  clothing  was  divided  to  the  several  Regts. 

General  orders  for  ye  several  regiments  to  hold  themselves  in  readiness 
to  embark  for  Ticonderoga  upon  ye  shortest  notice.  News  from  N.  Y.  that 
ye  Regulars  were  beat  back  from  Staten  Island  with  ye  loss  of  120  men 
and  one  of  their  largest  boats — also  that  ye  Indians  had  fired  upon  our 
boats  in  Lake  George. 

July  14th.  In  consequence  of  yesterday's  orders  for  the  sick  to  be  sent 
to  Fort  George,  this  morning  about  50  were  returned  by  ye  Sergt.,  &c,  to 
go — ordered  an  examination  by  the  doctor  and  10  were  returned  and 
ordered  to  go  off  immediately. 

Mr.  Avery  preached  to  us  and  Col.  Greatorex's  Regt.  in  ye  forenoon 
from  Ezekiel  18  :  31 — a  good  sermon.  In  ye  afternoon  Mr.  Breck  preached 
from  Gal.  4:  18  and  an  excellent  discourse.  Mr.  Avery  and  Mr.  Varnum 
present  all  day.  Afterwards  went  into  the  Fort  and  heard  Mr.  Robbins 
preach  a  fine  sermon  from  Isaiah  8:9,  10,  with  suitable  application.  Soon 
after  had  news  from  New  York  of  beating  off  ye  Regulars  from  Long 
Island  and  ye  Jerseys,  ye  sinking  a  tender  and  taking  a  sloop  with  Intrench- 
ing Tools,  &c. 

15th.  Breakfasted  with  Col.  Burrell  upon  salt  salmon  which  was  a  great 
rarity  and  a  fine  dish.  Orders  for  five  Regts.  to  embark  immediately  for 
Ticonderoga  and  no  boats  for  any  of  them.  For  several  days  and  nights 
past  it  has  been  so  cold  as  it  comonly  is  in  Sept.  and  Oct.  This  night  the 
best  battery  was  burnt  down,  whether  by  order  or  not  I  cannot  determine. 

16th.  This  morning  we  ree'd  the  agreeable  news  of  Independancy  being 
declared  by  the  Congress.  About  noon  2  or  3  kettles  of  Brandy  Grog 
evidenced  our  joy  at  the  news,  which  we  expressed  in  proper  toasts.  Ree'd 
orders  to  embark  for  Ticonderoga  in  the  first  Batteaux  which  should  arrive 
— very  cold  this  day  and  night  following. 

17th.  Waited  on  Genl.  Arnold  in  the  morning  and  ree'd  his  directions 
to  apply  for  boats  and  get  my  men  away  as  soon  as  I  could.      I  got  10 


202        DIARY    OF   COL.    ELISHA   PORTER,    OF   HADLEY,    MASSACHUSETTS 

boats.  9  of  which  were  deeply  loaded,  manned  them  and  sent  the  rest  for- 
ward by  land.  They  marched  by  half  after  one  o'c,  and  we  set  out  l/2  hour 
later  in  our  Boats.  Got  to  Ticonderoga  with  our  Batteaux  about  sunset — 
pitched  our  tents  as  well  as  we  could.  Some  of  the  men  who  came  by 
land  got  in  in  ye  evening,  ye  rest  staid  about  3  miles  back. 

1 8th.  The  Residue  of  my  men  came  in  about  7  o'clock  in  ye  morning. 
Sent  off  a  Capt.  and  2  Sergts.  &  60  men  to  Crown  Point  with  Batteaux. 
Afternoon  it  began  to  rain,  and  proved  one  of  ye  most  stormy  nights  I 
ever  knew.  This  day  went  over  to  the  Point  to  view  the  land  proposed 
for  our  encampment,  did  not  like  it  overwell. 

19th.  This  morning  I  was  ordered  to  sit  upon  a  general  Court  Martial. 
Met  and  adjourned  till  tomorrow  9  o'clock.  Rained  in  afternoon  and 
evening  so  that  our  men  could  not  begin  clearing  the  ground. 

20th.  Met  again  this  morning  upon  ye  Court  Martial.  Ordered  all 
my  men  over  ye  river  to  clearing.  Began  upon  Col.  Hazen's  trial  and 
adjourned  to  Monday  morning.  This  day  the  Army  divided  into  four 
Brigades — Col.  Greatorex,  Bonds,  Burralls,  and  mine — ye  first  Brigade 
under  Genl.  Arnold — ye  2nd  to  be  commanded  by  Col.  Reed,  viz.  Reed's, 
Patterson's,  Poor's  and  Beedle's — ye  3rd  by  Col.  Stark,  viz.  Stark's,  Max- 
well's, Winder's  and  Windcoop's — ye  4th  by  Col.  St.  Clair,  viz.  St. 
Clair's,  Wayne's,  Dehaas,  and  Irving's.  Showers  this  day  also.  Got  a 
furlough  for  a  week  for  ye  Adjutant  and  Lt.  Hunt.  Lts.  Allen  and  Camp- 
bell discharged. 

2 1  st.  A  number  of  ye  sick  of  my  Rgt.  had  orders  to  go  to  Fort 
George.  Quarter  Master  Montague  went  with  them.  Set  off  just  before 
night.     Went  over  to  the  landing. 

22nd.  Ye  Adjutant,  Lt.  Hunt  and  Ensign  Snow  set  out  in  the  morning 
for  Skeensborough  on  their  furlough.     Attended  ye  Court  Martial  again. 

23rd.  An  express  arrived  from  Congress  with  orders  to  send  a  flag  of 
truce  to  Canada  with  a  proposal  of  exchange  of  Prisoners,  &c.  Capt. 
Bigelow  of  ye  Artillery  was  sent  off  with  it.  Went  over  just  at  night  to 
see  our  new  camp. 

24th.  Last  night  Lt.  Clark  of  my  Regt.  returned  from  a  scout  and 
brought  in  two  Prisoners,  a  Frenchman  and  a  Regular  who  had  been  here 
as  a  spy.     They  were  sent  off  this  morning  to  Albany. 

25th.  Capt.  Bacon  returned  this  day  from  his  furlough  well  recruited 
by  going  to  Pawlett. 

26th.  Heard  from  Stoughton  Dickinson  that  he  grew  worse,  and  desired 
me  to  procure  him  a  discharge  which  I  applied  for  and  had  a  promise  of. 
This    day   went  over    for  the   third   time  to   visit   our   encampment   and 


DIARY   OF   COL.    ELISHA   PORTER,    OF   HADLEY,    MASSACHUSETTS        2C>3 

removed  my  things.  Lodged  in  Capt.  Chapin's  house.  Determined  to 
build  next  day. 

27th.  In  ye  morning  ye  D.  A.  G.  &c.  came  and  ordered  me  to  remove 
ye  officers'  houses,  &c,  and  alter  the  front  of  my  encampment.  This  gave 
much  uneasiness  to  my  Regt.,  and  is  what  I  shall  be  very  unwilling  to 
comply  with  (having  gone  by  orders  in  fixing  my  barracks).  My  men 
have  most  of  them  built  comfortable  houses  and  are  well  covered.  This 
order  stopt  my  building  this  day.  In  afternoon  Genl.  Arnold  came  over 
to  settle  dispute  about  removal,  but  determined  to  refer  it  to  Genl. 
Gates.  Every  day  this  week  upon  Court  Martial.  The  Genl.  this  day 
had  news  of  a  French  fleet  being  upon  their  passage  from  Canada  with 
troops. 

28th.  Obliged  to  attend  upon  Court  Martial  again.  This  day  procured 
a  discharge  for  Stoughton  Dickinson,  and  leave  for  his  brother  to  attend 
him  to  Pittsfield,  who  set  out  accordingly.  Mr.  Breck  preached  to  ye  few 
of  ye  Regt.  who  could  attend.  Got  a  furlough  for  ye  Adjutant  and 
Ensign  Snow  for  3  weeks. 

29th.  Began  to  move  some  of  our  log  houses  we  had  built — to  alter  ye 
front  of  our  encampment — rained  hard  ye  latter  part  of  ye  day  and  even- 
ing.    This  day  ye  news  of  Genl.  Clinton's  defeat  was  confirmed. 

30th.  Ye  Court  Martial  did  not  sit  this  day.  Had  leisure  to  examine 
muster  rolls,  &c.  The  Regt.  busied  in  building  and  clearing.  Orders  for 
ye  whole  to  work  on  ye  Lines  tomorrow. 

31st.  Began  again  upon  Col.  H 's  trial.     Nothing  extraordinary. 

August  1st.  Continued  ye  trial.  Rec'd  much  abuse  from  Genl.  Arnold, 
which  produced  a  spirited  reprimand  from  ye  President. 

2nd.  Rec'd  a  written  reply  from  Genl.  Arnold,  very  abusive.     Finished 

Col.  H 's  trial,  and   adjourned  till  ye   next   day   to  consider  of  Genl. 

Arnold's  affair.     Lt.  Hunt  returned. 

3rd.  Met  and  agreed  upon  a  letter  to  Gen.  Gates,  informing  him  of 
Gen.  Arnold's  conduct  and  of  our  resolution  to  try  him  according  to 
Rules.  This  day  had  news  that  the  Regulars  had  retired  from  St.  John 
to  Quebec. 

4th.  Mr.  Breck  preached  two  sermons  to  ye  Regt.  and  others  today. 
The  news  of  yesterday  again  confirmed  by  another  officer  who  came  from 
Canada,  and  that  an  account  of  a  French  fleet  being  in  the  river  was 
ye  occasion. 

5th.  Set  a  party  to  work  with  Col.  Bond's  Regt.  in  building  a  bake 
house  and  oven.  Mr.  Breck,  Capt.  Lyman  and  Lt.  Day  went  to  Fort 
George,  Mr.  Breck  to  stay  a  fortnight  with  the  sick.     Just  before  night 


204        DIARY    OF   COL.    ELISHA   PORTER,    OF   IIADLEY,    MASSACHUSETTS 

Capt.  Jos.  Lyman  arrived  with  a  company  of  99  Recruits  and  Capt.  Childs 
of  Deerfield. 

6th.  They  both  returned  with  their  company  to  Skeensborough,  This 
day  gave  in  the  copy  of  Col.  Hazen's  trial  (of  42  pages  folio)  to  the  Genl., 
accompanied  with  a  letter  and  ye  copy  of  Genl.  Arnold's  affair.  Hard 
rain.  Lt.  Whitcomb  arrived  from  a  scout  as  far  as  Chambler.  One  man  of 
my  Regt.  that  was  with  him  deserted  at  St.  Johns.  He  says  there  were 
between  2  and  3000  at  St.  Johns,  and  also  a  Regt.  at  Chambler.  They 
had  30  Batteaux  in  the  water,  and  9  on  ye  stocks — nothing  larger. 

7th.  Trial  of  Capt.  Carlisle  for  attempting  to  shoot  Lt.  Col.  Wait  and 
Ensign  Ross  for  breach  of  orders.  Col.  Hazen's  sentence  approved  of  by 
ye  Genl.  This  morning  one  man  of  ye  Regt.  was  whipped-  by  a  sentence 
of  a  Regimental  Court  Martial,  one  was  pardoned,  and  one  made  public 
acknowledgment.     Got  most  of  ye  timber  for  my  house  hewed  this  day. 

8th.  Attended  Court  Martial  again  and  tried  one  officer.  In  ye  after- 
noon got  my  house  almost  raised. 

9th.  Tried  Ensign  McCalla  for  selling  a  Batteau  and  adjourned  to 
Monday. 

10th.  Dined  with  Genl.  Hazen  with  the  members  of  the  Court  Martial. 
This  night  the  flag  of  truce  returned  with  an  insolent  order  from  Genl. 
Carleton. 

nth.  A  very  rainy  day,  had  no  preaching  by  reason  of  it. 

1 2th,  The  Court  met.  Ordered  Gen.  Arnold  arrested  and  adjourned 
to  next  day — were  dissolved  by  order.  One  man  of  Capt.  Shepard's  Com- 
pany died  suddenly  this  day,  on  ye  10th  one  of  Capt.  Lyman's  at  Fort 
George. 

13th.  Though  dissolved  ye  members  of  ye  Court  met  according  to 
adjournment  and  agreed  upon  sending  to  Congress.  Appointed  a  Com- 
mittee to  prepare  a  letter,  &c.  Ezekiel  Mighill  of  Capt.  E.  Chapin's  com- 
pany died  instantly  this  day.  Capt.  Lyman  and  Lt.  Day  returned  from 
Fort  George. 

14th.  Got  nails  and  shingled  my  house.  Three  men  got  in  from  St. 
Johns.     Say  ye  Regulars  are  at  Isle  au  Noir. 

15th.  Spent  the  day  at  the  other  side.  Capts.  Lyman,  Dickinson  and 
Childs  came  with  their  company  from  Skeensborough. 

16th.   Examined  muster  rolls  most  of  ye  day — nothing  extra. 

17th.  Crossed  ye  river  in  afternoon.  A  quarrel  happened  this  day  be- 
tween Major  H and  Adjt.  Ryan,  the  latter  wounded. 

1 8th.  No  preaching  this  day — ye  Regt.  ordered  out  to  review  their 
Arms  in  ye  afternoon  by  reason  of  news  from  below. 


DIARY   OF   COL.    ELISIIA   PORTER,    OF   HADLEY,    MASSACHUSETTS        205 

19th.  Rcc'd  orders  from  Gen.  Gates  to  dismiss  Lt.  Clark  from  my 
Regt.  which  I  did  accordingly. 

20th.  The  late  Court  Martial  finished  and  signed  their  letter  to  ye 
Congress  respecting  Gen.  Arnold.  This  day  Qr.  Mr.  Montague  got  a 
furlough  for  3  weeks — Lt.  Allan  returned — sick  went  off  for  furlough. 

2 1st.  Capt.  Wheeler  returned  from  his  furlough — ye  Qr.  Mr.  set  out 
homeward — rained  in  forenoon. 

22nd.  A  pleasant  day.  A  Regtl.  C.  M.  this  day.  One  man  sentenced 
to  be  whipped — pardoned  at  the  post.  Had  orders  for  Doctor  Watson  and 
a  party  to  go  to  Fort  George  tomorrow  for  medicine. 

23rd.  Doctor  Watson  went  off  to  Fort  George.  Capt.  Shepard,  Lt. 
Allen,  and  some  others  went  away  after  some  deserters  who  ran  away  the 
night  before. 

24th.  Spent  this  day  as  well  as  several  days  before  in  examining  and 
comparing  ye  muster  rolls.  Many  of  my  men  are  sick  with  the  fever  and 
ague  and  other  distempers. 

25th.  Mr.  Davids,  Chaplain  of  Col.  Bond's  Regt.  preached  a  sermon  to 
the  Brigade  in  ye  afternoon.  Mr.  Breck  returned  from  Fort  George — lost 
his  pack  with  all  his  clothes  after  he  landed,  found  it  again  at  the  land- 
ing in  evening.  At  night  was  taken  with  a  fever.  Had  a  very  restless 
night. 

[Colonel  Porter's  diary  ends  abruptly  here  near  Fort  George.  His 
family  believe  that  he  was  taken  sick  on  the  day  of  the  last  entry,  May 
25,  and  was  sent  off,  leaving  Major  Morgan  in  command  of  the  regiment. 
He  rejoined  his  regiment  later,  however,  which  took  part  in  the  battle  of 
Saratoga.  Colonel  Porter  was  ordered  to  detach  a  portion  of  his  regiment 
to  escort  General  Burgoyne  to  Boston  as  prisoner  of  war.  He  marched, 
via  Hadley,  with  his  charge,  and  his  soldiers  encamped  in  the  streets  of 
Hadley,  while  General  Burgoyne  lodged  several  days  at  Colonel  Porter's 
house  in  that  town.  (Built  1714,  and  taken  down  for  safety  in  1891.)  The 
Lieutenant  Morgan  mentioned  in  entry  of  June  19  was  Enoch  Morgan  of 
Brimfield,  a  younger  brother  of  Abner  Morgan's  father,  who  was  but 
thirteen  years  old  when  he  enlisted,  but  who  served  during  the  entire  war, 
being  mustered  out  in  1783. 

Of  the  history  of  this  regiment  from  the  last  entry,  up  to  Saratoga 
and  afterward,  I  have  at  present  only  stray  memoranda.  But  I  hope 
to  be  able,  from  records  I  am  in  search  of,  to  be  able  to  write  it  in  full. 
After  the  Revolution,  Colonel  Porter  was  for  many  years  high  sheriff  of 
Hampshire    county,    and    its   representative    at    the    general    court.     He 


206        DIARY    OF    COL.    ELISHA    PORTER,    OF   HADLEY,    MASSACHUSETTS 

married  again  in  1778,  and  died  May  29,  1796,  in  the  house  in  which  he 
was  born  fifty-six  years  before,  February  9,  1742.  Like  his  second  in  com- 
mand, Major  Morgan,  he  was  a  graduate  of  Harvard.  In  his  official 
capacity  as  high  sheriff,  it  became  his  duty  to  superintend  the  public 
execution  of  a  man.  This  was  a  very  great  trial  to  him,  and  his  deputy, 
seeing  his  distress  in  view  of  such  a  painful  duty,  offered  to  relieve  him  if 
he  would  give  him  the  fee.  He  immediately  discharged  him,  saying  that 
a  man  who  would  hang  his  fellowman  for  money  was  unworthy  of  any 
office.  As  illustrating  his  punctiliousness,  and  particularly  the  formalities 
of  the  American  camp  in  1776,  the  three  following  letters,  written  to 
occupy  both  sides  of  a  sheet  of  paper  (showing  the  scarcity  of  paper  with 
the  army  or  possibly  its  economical  use  in  those  days),  are  of  interest : 

"  To  Col.  Porter  : 

Sir, — Col.  Paterson  who  was  one  of  the  members  to  attend  ye  O  Martial 
to-day  is  sick.     I  must  desire  you  to  attend  in  his  stead  at  ten  o'clock. 
I  am,  Sir, 

Your  very  Hmble  servt, 

J.  Trumbull,  Adgt.  Gl" 
July  19th,  1776. 

"  Sir, — The  orders  of  yesterday  were  for  the  five  Elder  Cols  To  attend 
ye  court  Martial.  As  I  am  the  youngest  on  ye  ground,  perhaps  it  will  give 
umbrage  if  I  should  sit  upon  ye  Trial.  If,  however,  you  should  desire  it 
after  this  intimation,  I  shall  be  ready  to  attend. 

I  am,  Sir,  yours, 

E.  Porter." 

"  Sir, — As  the  Ranks  of  the  Field  Officers  of  this  army  has  never  been 
established,  I  know  of  no  method  of  deciding  it  with  any  precision.  I 
imagine  you  will  find  no  objection,  especially  as  the  Gen1  says  particularly 

he  approves  your  going  on. 

I  am,  Sir,  yours, 

J.  Trumbull." 

The  letters  preserved  by  Colonel  Porter's  family,  written  at  about  this 
time,  show  that  Colonel  Porter  entertained  much  distrust  of  General 
Arnold,  and  as  it  appears  from  the  above  diary  that  the  court  martial  here 
alluded  to  was  arraigned  to  try  Arnold,  this  may  have  been  another 
reason  why  Colonel  Porter  hesitated  to  attend,  from  motives  of  delicacy.] 


HANNAH'S    COWPENS,   A    BATTLE-FIELD    OF    THE 
REVOLUTION 

By  Robert  Shackletom,  Jr. 

The  slaves  of  the  period  of  the  Revolution  were  the  prototypes  of 
those  who  in  the  late  rebellion  eagerly  followed  the  Union  army  as  it 
marched  through  Georgia  and  the  Carolinas.  For  the  slaves  of  Revolu- 
tionary times  also  believed  that  their  deliverers  had  come ;  that  they 
were  to  be  free ;  that  an  army  was  to  liberate  them  ;  and  while  the 
patriots  of  the  Carolinas  and  of  Georgia  heroically  fought  in  defense  of 
freedom,  their  slaves  by  thousands  followed  the  British  troops  or  flocked 
to  British  camps.  It  is  worth  while  to  add,  however,  that  the  British 
made  large  sums  of  money  by  selling  the  fugitives  into  slavery  in  the 
West  Indies. 

When  Cornwallis,  about  the  beginning  of  178 1,  began  the  invasion 
that  the  battle  of  King's  Mountain  had  some  weeks  previous  so  suddenly 
checked,  large  numbers  of  fugitive  slaves  continued  to  flee  to  him,  in  the 
vain  hope  of  receiving  freedom  and  protection. 

The  march  of  the  British  was  directed  through  a  region  at  quite  a  dis- 
tance from  the  sea-coast,  so  that  the  rivers  might  thus  be  crossed  at  points 
where  they  were  fordable,  instead  of  lower  down  where  they  had  gathered 
strength  and  volume. 

There  was  something,  however,  which  gave  Cornwallis  more  concern 
than  did  the  question  of  the  fordability  of  rivers,  and  this  menacing  factor 
was  the  presence  of  the  noted  Daniel  Morgan  in  a  position  from  which  he 
might  seriously  harass  the  rear  of  the  army  and  retard  the  northward 
march.  Tarleton,  with  a  force  of  some  eleven  hundred  fine  soldiers,  was 
sent  to  attack  him  and  disperse  his  command. 

"  People  said  old  Morgan  never  prayed  !  They  thought  old  Morgan 
never  feared  !  They  did  not  know  old  Morgan  was  often  miserably 
afraid !  " 

Thus,  in  his  declining  years,  long  after  the  war,  the  old  man  was  wont 
to  talk  of  his  fighting  days;  and  it  is  related  that  just  before  the  assault  on 
Quebec,  in  which  he  performed  most  gallant  service,  he  knelt  in  the  snow 
and  prayed,  and  that  just  previous  to  the  action  at  Cowpens,  he  went  off 
into  the  forest,  and,  climbing  into  a  tree,  there  made  urgent  supplications 
for  American  success. 


208        HANNAH'S    COWPENS,    A    BATTLE-FIELD    OF   THE    REVOLUTION 

Learning  that  Tarleton  had  been  detached  against  him,  and  unwilling 
to  be  attacked  in  a  position  where  that  enterprising  officer  could  act  in 
cooperation  with  the  main  army,  Morgan  began  a  rapid  retreat,  and  was 
as  rapidly  pursued. 

Not  one  of  the  British  officers  in  the  Revolutionary  war  was  the  object 
of  hatred  so  permanent  as  well  as  bitter  as  was  Banastre  Tarleton,  and 
even  now  the  mention  of  his  name  arouses  thoughts  of  unrestrained  cruelty 
and  savage  ruthlessness. 

He  was  sanguinary,  he  was  licentious,  he  was  fierce  ;  and  yet  at  the 
same  time  he  was  energetic  to  a  remarkable  degree,  and  was  wont  to  act 
with  tireless  vigor  and  noteworthy  skill. 

The  force  of  the  Americans  was  about  equal  in  numbers  to  that  of  the 
British,  but  was  much  inferior  in  discipline  and  experience.  Tarleton, 
therefore,  never  doubted  but  that  he  would  win  an  easy  victory  could  he 
but  come  up  with  them.  Ferguson,  indeed,  had  been  defeated  by  irregu- 
lar troops  ;  but  he  would  be  careful  to  make  no  such  mistakes  as  Ferguson 
had  made. 

Morgan  retreated  across  the  Pacolet  river,  and  on  the  evening  of  Jan- 
uary 15  Tarleton,  following  him,  came  to  the  banks  of  the  stream.  On 
the  opposite  side  he  caught  sight  of  a  few  horsemen,  and  exultantly  con- 
cluded that  the  American  troops  were  there  awaiting  him. 

He  manceuvered  cautiously  so  as  to  deceive  Morgan  as  to  how  he 
intended  to  cross,  and  then  before  daylight  placed  his  soldiers  on  the 
farther  bank — only  to  find,  to  his  mortification,  that  Morgan  had  left  the 
spot  some  time  before,  and  that  the  few  soldiers  whom  he  had  seen  must 
have  been  but  a  party  left  behind  to  observe  the  British  movements. 

Chagrined,  and  more  than  ever  anxious  to  come  up  with  the  fleeing 
Americans,  he  pushed  rapidly  onward  throughout  the  16th,  and  at  ten 
o'clock  at  night  reached  a  camp  which  Morgan  had  apparently  left  in  the 
greatest  haste.  Fires  were  still  burning.  Half-cooked  provisions  had 
been  left  behind.  Everything  tended  to  show  that  the  flight  had  been  a 
panic,  and  Tarleton  could  scarcely  restrain  his  feverish  desire  to  hurry  on. 

But  his  men  needed  some  repose.  It  would  be  unsafe  to  push  them 
forward,  fatigued  and  worn  as  they  were,  and  so  a  brief  rest  of  four  hours 
was  allowed. 

At  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  17th  his  soldiers  were  once  more 
on  the  way,  and  in  hot  pursuit,  and  after  a  rapid  march  of  six  hours  the 
eagerly  longed-for  enemy  was  found — but  in  what  an  unexpected  attitude  ! 

For  the  American  leader  had  not  retreated  except  so  far  as  to  be  sure 
that  Cornwallis  could  not  advance  toward  his  rear  while  Tarleton  attacked 


HANNAH  S   COWPENS,    A    P.ATTLE-FIELD    OF   THE   REVOLUTION        200, 

in  front.  He  had  not  even  retreated  as  far  as  the  Broad  river.  Posting 
his  men  in  a  position  in  which  he  was  confident  that  they  would  fight 
well,  he  coolly  awaited  Tarleton's  onslaught. 

Morgan  had  been  urged  by  his  officers  to  put  the  Broad  river  between 
himself  and  Tarleton,  and  make  the  best  of  his  way  toward  the  moun- 
tains, but  this  advice  did  not  in  the  least  coincide  with  his  own  ideas. 
Knowing  that  the  British  were  in  close  pursuit,  he  was  afraid  that  they 
might  fall  upon  his  force  while  disorganized  by  the  passing  of  the  stream, 
and  so  he  chose  to  obviate  the  possibility  of  such  a  happening. 

And  there  was  another  reason.  Like  Grant,  who,  at  Belmont,  when 
told  that  in  case  of  a  defeat  there  were  but  two  small  steamers  to  carry 
his  troops  across  the  Mississippi,  replied  that  in  case  of  a  defeat  the 
steamers  would  hold  all  that  would  be  left,  Morgan  determined  to  put  his 
men  into  a  position  in  which  they  would  be  compelled  to  fight  for  their 
very  lives. 

For  the  Broad  river  was  but  a  few  miles  in  his  rear.  With  Tarleton  in 
front  and  the  river  behind,  he  could  confidently  expect  that  his  men  would 
fight  most  desperately. 

It  was  not  that  he  was  afraid  that  in  any  case  they  would  disgrace 
themselves.  He  knew  that  they  were  fearless  fighters.  But  he  was  an 
experienced  officer,  and  was  well  aware  that  even  the  best  of  undrilled 
troops  are  liable  to  be  put  to  rout  by  a  charge  of  disciplined  soldiery. 

He  took  up  his  position  at  a  place  where  a  man  named  Hannah  had 
an  extensive  grazing  establishment.  The  locality  was  known  by  the  name 
of  Hannah's  Cowpens. 

Morgan  formed  his  infantry  in  two  lines.  The  first,  composed  of  the 
most  inexperienced  of  the  troops,  were  directed  to  wait  until  the  enemy 
was  within  easy  gunshot,  and  then  to  fire  two  volleys  and  at  once  fall 
back.  The  second  line  were  told  of  these  instructions,  so  that  when  they 
should  see  those  in  front  of  them  retreating  they  would  not  fancy  that 
they  were  defeated  or  in  rout.  The  cavalry  were  held  in  reserve  in  the 
rear,  ready  to  act  wherever  and  whenever  they  could  do  the  most  good. 

The  Americans  had  had  a  night's  rest  and  had  comfortably  break- 
fasted. The  British  were  wearied  from  strenuous  exertion  and  from  lack 
of  sleep.  Yet  Tarleton  did  not  for  a  moment  hesitate.  He  dashed  his 
men   fiercely   against    the   American   troops. 

The  first  line  fired  and  gave  way.  The  British,  animated  by  this 
apparent  success,  rushed  with  loud  cheers  against  the  second  line,  and  the 
onslaught  was  so  furious  that  even  those  men  on  whom  Morgan  had 
placed  such  reliance    began   to  waver  and  break. 

Vol.  XXX.— No.  3.— 14 


2  10        HANNAHS   COWPENS,   A   BATTLE-FIELD    OF   THE    REVOLUTION 

The  British  deemed  the  battle  won.  The  Americans  appeared  to  be 
totally  routed.  It  seemed  as  if  all  was  about  to  be  utter  confusion  and 
dismay. 

And  then  the  wisdom  of  Morgan's  plan  became  strikingly  apparent. 
The  Americans,  beaten  as  they  were,  would  probably  have  fled  had  there 
been  a  chance  for  safe  retreat.  But  they  remembered  the  river.  They 
remembered,  too,  with  what  ruthlessness  Tarleton  and  his  men  were  wont 
to  treat  a  fleeing  foe.  And  so,  when  their  officers  called  to  them  to  rally 
and  once  more  form,  they  desperately  turned  back:  they  fought  with  the 
fierceness  of  men  who  had  everything  to  gain  by  victory  and  everything  to 
lose  by  defeat. 

And  then,  too,  the  cavalry,  under  command  of  the  intrepid  Colonel 
William  Washington,  dashed  furiously  forward,  and  the  British,  disorgan- 
ized by  their  own  apparent  victory,  were  unable  to  hold  their  ground. 
They  could  not  resist  the  shock  of  the  troopers.  They  could  not  with- 
stand the  shower  of  balls.     They  gave  way  and  fled. 

The  Americans  lost  in  all  but  twelve  men  killed  and  sixty  wounded. 
The  British  lost  over  one  hundred  killed,  including  a  large  proportion  of 
officers,  while  over  two  hundred  were  wounded.  Twenty-nine  commis- 
sioned officers  and  over  five  hundred  privates  were  made  prisoners. 

Compared  with  the  tremendous  losses  of  the  leading  battles  of  the 
recent  rebellion,  how  insignificant  do  such  figures  appear!  To  the  great 
Napoleon,  accustomed  to  mighty  armies  and  to  fearful  slaughter,  the 
numbers  engaged  in  the  Revolutionary  struggles  seemed  almost  con- 
temptuously small,  and  he  so  expressed  himself  to  Lafayette. 

"  Sire,"  the  marquis  replied,  "  it  was  the  grandest  of  causes  won  by 
skirmishes  of   sentinels  and   outposts." 

Cornwallis  was  but  twenty-five  miles  from  the  Cowpens,  and  Morgan 
well  understood  the  danger  of  lingering  ;  for  Cornwallis  would  quickly  hear 
of  the  defeat,  and  would  probably  make  every  effort  to  attack  the  Ameri- 
can troops  while  encumbered  with  their  prisoners.  Wasting  not  a 
moment,  therefore,  the  retreat  was  at  once  begun,  and  every  effort  was 
made  to  at  least  get  beyond  the  Catawba  river  before  a  pursuing  force 
could  overtake  them. 

Several  days  after  the  battle,  and  just  as  evening  came  on,  the  river 
was  reached  and  safely  crossed.  Just  two  hours  later  the  British  reached 
the  fording  place,  but  they  made  no  attempt  to  cross  in  the  darkness.  In 
the  night  a  heavy  rain  came  on.  The  water  rose.  It  climbed  to  the  edge 
of  the  banks.  It  spread  itself  among  the  bordering  trees.  It  crept 
silently,  inch  by  inch,  up  the  slopes.      It  flung  out  sinuous  branches.     It 


HANNAHS    COWPENS,    A   BATTLE-FIELD    OF   THE   REVOLUTION        211 

formed  great  lakes  in  the  levels.  Down  the  main  channel  the  aroused 
current  tumultuously  hurried,  and  the  easy  shallows  of  the  day  before  were 
changed  into  dangerous  depths.  For  several  days  the  impassably  high 
water  continued,  and  when  it  subsided  the  Americans  were  out  of  danger. 

A  striking  episode  of  the  battle  was  a  personal  encounter,  in  which 
both  were  wounded,  between  Washington  and  Tarleton,  just  as  the  latter 
was  beginning  his  flight.  Some  time  after  the  battle  it  happened  that 
Tarleton,  in  conversation,  spoke  slightingly  of  the  cavalry  leader  as  an 
illiterate  fellow,  scarcely  able  to  even  write  his  own  name. 

"Ah!"  retorted  a  lady,  dryly.  "  At  least  he  is  able  to  make  his 
mark !  " 

Tarleton,  indeed,  although  an  avowed  lover  of  womankind,  was  the 
object  of  at  least  one  more  lady's  pungent  repartee.  He  remarked  to  her 
that  he  would  like  to  see  this  wonderful  Colonel  Washington,  of  whom  he 
heafd  so  much  said. 

"  Had  you  looked  behind  you  at  the  battle  of  Cowpens,"  she  rejoined, 
"  you  would  have  had  that  pleasure  !  " 

So  striking  a  victory  as  that  of  the  Cowpens  could  not  fail  of  generous 
appreciation,  and  some  patriotic  poet  of  the  time  sang  its  praises  in  verse 
that,  however  lacking  in  poetic  skill,  was  at  least  plain  to  even  the  simplest 
comprehension : 

"  Come  listen  awhile  and  the  truth  I'll  relate, 
How  brave  General  Morgan  did  Tarleton  defeat ; 
For  all  his  proud  boasting  he  forced  was  to  fly, 
When  brave  General  Morgan  his  courage  did  try." 

Congress  voted  thanks  and  honors,  and  Morgan,  in  accordance  with 
their  resolves,  was  made  the  recipient  of  a  gold  medal.  There  were  then, 
even  as  there  are  now,  many  who  thought  that  it  seemed  more  learnedly 
imposing  to  have  inscriptions  and  honorary  phrases  in  a  dead  rather  than 
a  living  language,  and  yet  a  phrase  that  was  put  on  that  medal  should  have 
cured  them  of  all  such  fancies.  For  note  the  absurdity  of  the  excessively 
commonplace  "  Cowpens  "  in  the  midst  of  the  formal  march  of  the  Latin  : 

"Fugatis  captis  aut  csesis  ad  Cowpens  hostibus.     XVII.  Jan.,  MDCCLXXXI." 

How  much  simpler  and  more  impressive  to  have  put  the  same  tribute 
into  our  own  language  : 

"The  foe  put  to  flight,  taken,  or  slain,  at  the  Cowpens,  January  17,  1781." 
The  country  in  the  vicinity  of  the  battle-field  is  at  present  unprosperous 


212         HANNAH'S    COWPENS,    A   BATTLE-FIELD    OF   THE   REVOLUTION 

in  its  general  aspect.  Years  ago  much  of  the  farm  land  was  deserted, 
whereupon  heavy  growths  of  pine  trees  sprung  up  where  there  had  been 
cotton  or  corn.  Farmers  of  to-day,  numbers  of  them,  are  cutting  down 
the  woods  on  fields  where  the  woods  were  long  since  once  destroyed. 
There  are  pleasing  signs  of  returning  and  increased  prosperity,  although 
from  necessity  the  progress  will  be  somewhat  slow. 

It  was  a  dreary  day  on  which  we  visited  the  scene  of  the  battle.  Gray- 
sheeted  rain  fell  heavily,  adding  dull  hues  to  fields  and  homes  and  trees. 
Even  the  green  pines  stood  sombrely  grave,  while  the  monotonous  brown- 
ish yellow  of  the  omnipresent  broom-sedge  everywhere  deadened  the 
scene.  The  rain  swept  drearily  over  the  broad  fields.  Mist  clouds  lurked 
in  the  forests,  or  hovered  about  the  distant  edges  of  the  clearings.  The 
wind  monotonously  murmured  among  the  swaying  boughs. 

Now  and  again  we  passed  men  walking  or  riding  doggedly  onward,  with 
heads  lowered  against  the  rain,  and  aspect  of  defiant  misery.  Once  there 
was  a  touch  of  color  in  the  landscape,  as  there  hurried  along  the  road  a 
woman  in  a  flaming  red  dress  and  the  gaudiest  of  purple  shawls.  And 
then  there  came  another  color,  for  we  met  a  farm  wagon,  with  white,  low- 
rounded,  canvas  top. 

And  then  came  snow,  heavy,  wet,  adherent,  clingy,  and  before  we 
reached  the  battle-ground  there  were  great  white  streaks  along  the  road- 
way and  great  white  patches  in  the  fields.  Snow  covered  the  log  cabins 
and  the  sorghum  presses.  It  hung  cloggingly  on  the  branches  of  trees. 
It  fell  with  quiet  hush  upon  a  lonely  church  standing  upon  a  lonely  road — 
an  old  building  with  but  one  door,  and  with  no  window  other  than  a 
hole  covered  with  a  sliding  wooden  shutter  without  glass. 

"  They  hev  dances  thar,  too,"  unexpectedly  observed  our  guide. 

The  land  is  in  general  level,  with  but  slight  and  unnoticeable  swells. 
Even  the  rises  of  ground  where  the  battle  was  fought — the  two  ridges  with 
a  lower  space  between — are  insignificant.  About  the  battle-field  are  fields 
of  corn  and  cotton  hemmed  in  by  pine  forests,  while  forest  covers  part  of 
the  ground  on  which  the  armies  met.     Tall  broom-sedge  is  everywhere. 

Neighborhood  tradition  still  points  out  the  spot  where  were  buried  the 
slain.  Histories  tell  of  a  burial  party  left  by  Morgan  to  perform  that  last 
sad  office,  but  local  tradition  avers  that  while  the  Americans  hurried  in 
one  direction,  and  the  escaping  British  fled  in  the  other,  settlers  collected 
at  the  field  from  their  homes  amid  the  surrounding  wilderness,  and  with 
r^rim  impartiality  put  the  dead  of  both  armies  into  a  great  wolf-pit,  and  in 
that  pitiful  common  grave  covered  them  up. 

The  battle-field  is  very  seldom  visited,  although  it  may  be  reached  with 


HANNAH'S   COWPENS,    A    BATTLE-FIELD   OF   THE    REVOLUTION         Z  1 3 

very  little  trouble  from  the  village  of  Cowpcns,  some  eight  miles  distant 
on  the  Richmond  and  Danville  railroad. 

One  resident  told  us  that  he  had  never  heard  of  any  one,  before  us, 
coming  to  visit  the  battle-ground.  Another  denizen,  an  old  man,  asked  us 
from  what  part  of  the  country  we  had  come,  and  when  we  said  Ohio  he 
was  vastly  pleased.  He  knew  there  was  a  place  called  Ohio,  so  he  assured 
us,  as  he  had  actually  heard  of  it  ;  but  never  before  had  he  seen  an  Ohio 
man,  and  his  delight  was  extreme. 

At  the  Covvpens,  in  1856,  a  monument  was  erected  by  the  Washington 
Light  Infantry  of  Charleston,  and  it  was  expected  that  it  would  stand  as  a 
permanent  memorial  of  the  battle.  Yet  such  a  hope  was  but  ill  founded. 
What  remains  of  the  monument  is  but  a  dismal  mockery.  It  has  been 
chipped,  defaced,  marred,  disfigured,  broken.  Here  and  there  a  letter  or 
a  word  still  remains,  while  the  companion  letters  and  words  have  dis- 
appeared.    It  is  a  sadly  disgraceful  sight. 

There  was  originally  an  iron  fence  about  the  monument,  and  the  shaft 
was  surmounted  by  an  eagle,  but  both  eagle  and  fence  have  gone.  We 
spoke  to  the  man  (an  American  and  a  descendant  of  Americans),  who,  as 
we  knew,  had  at  least  the  iron  gate,  and  asked  him  in  a  casual  manner 
what  had  become  of  the  fence. 

He  said  that  he  did  not  know.  Part,  he  thought,  had  probably  been 
taken  by  "  niggers  from  the  mountings,"  part  by  "  North  Caroleenians," 
part  most  likely  owed  its  disappearance  to  disbanded  soldiers  who  after  the 
late  war  passed  near  the  Cowpens  on  their  way  to  Texas  and  "  toted  it 
along." 

"  And  what,"  we  asked,  "  do  you  suppose  became  of  the  gate  ?  " 

He  realized  that  we  knew,  and  so  with  a  grin  confessed  that  he  had 
taken  that  for  his  share. 

"  But  whoever's  got  the  eagle,"  he  added,  with  succinct  expressiveness, 
"  hain't  hollered  yet!" 

The  mutilated  monument  stands  in  a  clump  of  pine  woods,  and  in  its 
present  condition  does  but  sorry  honor  to  the  memory  of  the  men  who 
so  bravely  fought  on  that  battle-field.  Yet  their  victory  was  itself  their 
greatest  monument,  and  it  will  be  held  in  honored  remembrance  by 
their  country. 


HENRY    HUDSON,   THE    NAVIGATOR 

"THE   NORTH    SEAS'    GREAT   COLUMBUS" 

By  Mary  L.  D.  Ferris 

"  To  sound  his  praises  to  posterity, 
It  is  held 
That  valor  is  the  chiefest  virtue,  and 
Most  dignifies  the  haver  :  if  this  be, 
The  man  I  speak  of  cannot  in  the  world 
Be  singly  counterpoised." 

Among  the  persons  in  intimate  relations  with  the  Muscovy  company  of 
England,1  of  which  Sebastian  Cabot  was  the  first  governor,  and  which  had 
sent  the  expedition  of  Willoughby  2  in  search  of  a  northwest  passage  to 
India,  was  the  experienced  navigator,  Henry  Hudson.  Of  his  personal 
history  very  little  is  known.  Four  years  covers  the  period  during  which 
he  was  familiar  to  the  world. 

His  father,  it  is  supposed,  was  Christopher  Hudson,  one  of  the  factors 
of  the  Muscovy  company,  and  their  agent  in  Russia  as  early  as  1560,  a 
little  later  being  made  governor  of  the  company,  an  office  which  he  held 
until  1601.  The  grandfather  of  the  famous  navigator  was  doubtless  the 
Henry  Hudson  who,  in  1544,  figured  among  the  founders,  and  was  the  first 
assistant,  of  the  Muscovy  company  ;  and  it  was  perhaps  due  to  family 
influence  that  Hudson  was  held  in  such  high  esteem  and  trust  by  the 
members  of  the  company,  and  employed  in  other  important  voyages  before 
he  went  upon  those  by  which  he  is  best  known.  Research  inclines  to  the 
belief  that  he  was  a  native,  as  he  was  a  citizen,  of  London.  He  had  a 
family  and  a  house  in  London,  but  the  name  of  the  woman  who  shared 
his    glory  and    mourned    his    fate    is    unknown    to    the  world.     His   son, 

1  The  Muscovy  company,  formerly  known  as  "The  Society  for  the  Discovery  of  Unknown 
Lands,"  received  a  formal  charter  from  the  crown  in  1555,  as  well  as  a  charter  of  privileges  from 
the  Russian  emperor,  Ivan  the  Terrible,  and  at  once  commenced  active  operations.  The  same 
company  is  still  in  existence. 

2  Commanded  by  Sir  Hugh  Willoughby,  who  discovered  Nova  Zembla,  and  perished  with  all 
his  men,  of  starvation,  in  a  harbor  of  Lapland. 

"  Such  was  the  Briton's  fate, 

As  with  first  prow  (what  have  not  Britons  done  ?) 
He  for  a  passage  sought,  attempted  since 
So  much  in  vain." 


HENRY    HUDSON,    THE   NAVIGATOR  215 

a  youth,  accompanied  him  in  the  voyages  of  which  we  have  record,  and 
perished  with  him.  Data  gathered  from  the  colonial  calendar  of  the  East 
India  company  show  that  Hudson  had  another  son,  and  that  his  widow 
was  left  in  straitened  circumstances,  for  she  asks  that  her  son,  a  boy  in 
years,  be  "  recommended  to  some  one  who  is  to  go  on  a  voyage."  In 
order  to  relieve  her  the  lad  is  placed  on  the  Samaritan,  in  charge  of  the 
master's  mate,  and  "it  is  ordered  that  five  pounds  be  laid  out  in  clothes 
and  other  necessaries  for  him." 

Hudson  had  early  entered  the  school  of  maritime  experiment,  and  he 
sailed  with  the  most  distinguished  seamen  of  his  time.  He  was  a  "  navi- 
gator of  enlarged  views  and  long  experience,  of  a  bold  and  penetrative 
capacity,  unwearied  in  assiduity  and  invincible  in  intrepidity."  A  friend 
of  Captain  John  Smith,  and  intimate  with  other  adventurous  navigators 
of  his  time,  the  aim  of  his  life,  as  it  was  that  of  so  many  of  his  contem- 
poraries, was  the  discovery  of  a  passage  to  the  East,  either  by  a  north- 
eastern or  northwestern  passage.  In  courageous  adventure,  patience 
under  privation,  presence  of  mind  amid  peril,  unshaken  constancy  in  per- 
severance, his  character  somewhat  resembles  that  of  the  distinguished 
founder  of  Virginia. 

A  pictorial  history  of  the  revolution,  published  in  1845,  says  that 
"  though  a  native  of  Holland,  Hudson  was  first  employed  by  a  company 
of  English  merchants,"  and  places  him  foremost  of  the  Dutch  navigators. 

The  first  view  we  have  of  him  is  in  the  church  of  St.  Ethelburge, 
Bishopsgate,  London,  in  the  spring  of  1607,  whither  he  had  gone  with  his 
crew  to  partake  of  the  sacrament  before  sailing  in  search  of  a  passage  to 
u  Asia  across  the  North  Pole."  This  voyage  was  made  in  the  ship  Hope- 
well, of  sixty  tons,  which  had  so  successfully  braved  the  dangers  of  Fro- 
bisher's  1  last  voyage  ten  years  before.  Hudson's  crew  consisted  of  ten 
men  and  a  boy,  his  son  John.  The  little  company  set  sail  from  the  Thames 
on  A.pril  19,  and  coasted  the  east  side  of  Greenland,  and  thence,  hugging 
the  Arctic  ice-barrier,  proceeded  to  the  "  northeast  of  Newland."  Hudson 
at  this  point  turned  back,  according  to  his  chart,  to  seek  the  passage  around 
the  north  of  Greenland  into  Davis'  strait,  to  make  trial  of  Lumley's  inlet, 
but  having  braved  the  ice-barrier  from  seventy-eight  and  a  half  degrees 
to  eighty  degrees,  he  became  convinced,  on  July  27,  that  by  this  way  there 
was  no  passage,  and  on  August  15  the  Hopewell  was  again  in  the  waters 
of  the  Thames. 

1  Sir  Martin  Frobisher,  one  of  England's  great  naval  heroes.  He  established  the  fact  that 
there  were  two  or  more  wide  openings  leading  to  the  westward,  between  latitudes  6o°  and  630,  on 
the  American  coast. 


2l6  HENRY    HUDSON,    THE   NAVIGATOR 

The  navigator's  blind  guide  had  been  the  Mollineux  !  chart,  published 
about  1600.  The  only  result  obtained  by  the  voyage  was  the  attaining  a 
much  higher  degree  of  northern  latitude  than  any  previous  navigator. 
Hudson  had,  however,  investigated  the  trade  prospects  at  Cherrie  island, 
and  recommended  his  patrons  to  seek  higher  game  in  Newland  ;  hence  he 
may  be  called  the  father  of  the  English  whale-fisheries  at  Spitzbergen. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  next  season  he  made  another  attempt,  this  time 
to  the  northeast,  but  the  ice  again  stopped  him  near  Nova  Zembla,  and  he 
made  his  way  back,  with  another  report  of  ill  success.  The  Muscovy  com- 
pany now  abandoned  for  the  time  all  further  effort,  and  directed  its  ener- 
gies to  the  profitable  Spitzbergen  trade. 

The  news  that  such  voyages  were  in  progress  traveled  in  due  course  of 
time  to  Holland,  and  rendered  the  Dutch  East  India  company  uneasy,  lest 
the  discovery  of  a  short  route  to  India  by  their  industrious  rivals  should 
suddenly  deprive  them  of  a  lucrative  trade.  The  learned  historian,  Van 
Meteran,2  was  the  Dutch  minister  at  the  court  of  St.  James,  and  through 
him  messages  were  transmitted,  inviting  Hudson  to  visit  Holland.  It  was 
not  long  ere  the  famous  sea-captain,  disheartened  by  the  lack  of  interest 
shown  by  the  Muscovy  company,  arrived  at  the  Hague,  and  was  received 
with  much  ceremony.  The  officers  of  the  company  met,  and  all  that  had 
been  discovered  of  the  northern  seas  was  carefully  discussed. 

The  Dutch  had  not  been  behind  their  neighbors  in  daring  exploits. 
Even  while  raising  enormous  sums  to  carry  on  the  war  with  Spain  they 
had  bent  every  energy  toward  extending  their  commerce.  Merchants, 
companies,  and  private  adventurers  had  been  encouraged  and  assisted  by 
the  government.  A  number  of  expeditions  had  endeavored  to  reach 
"  China  behind  Norway,"  and  trading  monopolies  had  been  placed  at 
Guinea  and  at  Archangel.  In  short,  the  sails  of  the  nation  whitened 
almost  every  clime. 

The  noblemen  who  directed  the  affairs  of  the  East  India  company 
were  as  cautious  as  they  were  enterprising.  Some  of  them  had  been  so 
influenced  by  the  representations  of  the  sorely  disappointed  Barentz,  Cor- 
nelizoon  Rijp,   Heemskerck3  and  others,  that  they  declared  that  it  would 

1  This  chart,  or  globe,  was  the  work  of  Emery — sometimes  given  Emanuel — Mollineux,  an 
English  geographer,  and  a  friend  of  Hakluyt,  and  John  Davis,  of  Arctic  fame. 

2  He  was  the  son  of  Jacob  Van  Meteran,  who  had  manifested  great  zeal  in  producing  at 
Antwerp  a  translation  of  the  Bible  into  English,  "  for  the  advancement  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ 
in  England." 

3  I  wo  vessels  sailed  from  Amsterdam  on  May  13,  1596,  under  the  command  of  Jacob  Van 
Heemskerck  and  Cornelizoon  von  Rijp  ;  Barentz  accompanied  Heemskerck  as  pilot,  and  Gerrit 
de  Veer,  the  historian  of  the  voyage,  was  on  board  as  mate.      They  wintered  at  Ice   Haven,  in  a 


HENRY    HUDSON,    THE   NAVIGATOR  2\J 

be  a  waste  of  time  and  money  to  attempt  again  the  navigation  of  the  vast 
oceans  of  ice.  But  Hudson  stood  before  them,  full  of  enthusiasm,  and 
expressed  his  ardent  conviction  that  Asia  might  be  reached  by  the  north- 
west. Petrus  Plancius,  the  great  cosmographer,1  a  clergyman  of  the  Re- 
formed Dutch  church  in  Amsterdam,  who  had  been  engaged  with 
Esselincx*2  in  trying  to  found  the  West  India  company,  opened  a  corre- 
spondence with  Hudson,  and  sent  him  some  of  his  own  published  works. 
Plancius  had  a  profound  knowledge  of  maritime  affairs,  the  result  of  un- 
wearied investigations,  and  he  warmly  seconded  the  effort  to  search  for  a 
northeastern  passage.  He  said  that  the  failure  of  Heemskerck,  in  1596, 
was  due  to  his  trying  to  go  through  the  straits  of  Weygate,  instead  of 
keeping  to  the  north  of  the  island  of  Nova  Zembla. 

The  directors  resident  at  Amsterdam  decided  that  before  positively 
engaging  Hudson  they  must  wait  for  the  meeting  of  the  company's  com- 
mittee of  seventeen,  in  the  following  year.  As  soon  as  this  delay  was 
announced,  Hudson  was  approached  by  Le  Maire,  a  French  merchant  of 
Amsterdam  and  a  former  officer  of  the  corporation,  who  on  leaving  it  had 
become  a  keen  opponent.  Le  Maire,  aided  by  Jeannin,  French  ambas- 
sador at  the  Hague,  at  once  sought  to  secure  the  enthusiastic  navigator  for 
the  service  of  France.  It  only  needed  this  suggestion  to  bring  the  East 
India  directors  to  terms,  and  they  signed  a  contract  with  Hudson  on  Jan- 
uary 8,  1609.  On  that  day  four  men  came  together  in  one  of  the  rooms 
of  the  East  India  company ;  two  of  them  were  a  committee  empowered 
to  enter  into  a  contract  with  Hudson,  the  other  two  were  the  navigator 
and  his  friend,  Jodocus  Hondin,  who  was  present  as  witness  and  inter- 
preter, though  Hudson  himself  had  a  fair  knowledge  of  the  Dutch  language  ; 
indeed,  it  is  supposed  that  his  journal  was  all  written  in  that  tongue.  This 
contract,  drawn  by  P.  Van  Dam,  the  company's  legal  adviser,  can  be  seen 
in  the  royal  archives  at  the  Hague.  It  specified  that  the  directors  should 
furnish  a  small  vessel  to  Hudson,  with  the  needed  outfit,  in  which  he  was 
to  sail  as  soon  as  the  favorable  season  opened  in  April.  He  was  to  have 
eight  hundred  guilders  for  his  expenses,  and  his  family  were  to  be  taken 
care  of  during  his  absence  ;  and  should  he  not  return,  his  widow  was  to 

house  built  of  driftwood  and  planks  from  the  wrecked  vessel.  This  was  the  first  time  an  Arctic 
winter  was  successfully  faced.  In  the  spring  they  made  their  way  in  boats  to  the  Lapland  coast, 
but  Barentz  died  during  the  voyage.  Barentz's  voyages  stand  in  the  first  rank  among  the  polar 
expeditions  of  the  sixteenth  century.  They  led  directly  to  the  whale  and  seal  fisheries,  which  long 
enriched  Holland. 

1  His  universal  map,  containing  the  discoveries  in  the  East  and  West  Indies,  and  towards 
the  North  Pole,  was  published  in  1592. 

2  William  Usselinck,  a  wealthy  merchant  of  Antwerp. 


2l8  HENRY   HUDSON,    THE   NAVIGATOR 

receive  two  hundred  guilders,  as  an  indemnity  for  his  loss.  If  he  should 
be  successful  in  his  quest  the  directors  promised  to  reward  him  according 
to  their  discretion. 

The  old  theory  of  the  passage  was  strictly  adhered  to,  both  in  the 
contract  and  Hudson's  detailed  instructions.  He  was  to  seek  the  passage 
11  around  the  north  side  of  Nova  Zembla,"  and  was  to  think  of  discovering 
no  other  routes  or  passages. 

Hudson  made  himself  master  of  the  whole  plan  he  was  to  carry  out, 
aided  by  memoranda  of  the  sailing  instructions  used  by  Barentz  on  his 
first  voyage,  and  a  "  Treatise  of  Iver  Boty,  a  Groenlande  translated  out  of 
the  North  Language  into  High  Dutch  in  the  year  1560."  * 

Plancius  had  given  him  Waymouth's  journal,2  and  Hondius,3  the 
geographer,  supplied  him  with  translations  of  certain  Dutch  papers. 

Plancius's  fixed  belief  as  to  a  northeasterly  route  was  called  in  question 
by  Hudson,  who  showed  him  letters  and  maps  of  his  friend  Captain  John 
Smith,  in  which  the  latter  explained  that  there  was  a  sea  leading  into  the 
western  ocean,  north  of  the  English  colony. 

On  Saturday,  April  4,  1609,  the  daring  mariner  took  command  of  the 
Half-Moon,  the  vessel  furnished  by  the  Amsterdam  chamber,  and  sailed 
from  Amsterdam.  The  Half- Moon,  or  Crescent — as  she  is  often  erro- 
neously called,  the  Dutch  word  not  admitting  of  such  interpretation — 
has  been  variously  called  a  yacht,  a  Dutch  galliot,  and  a  Vlie  boat,  the 
latter  deriving  its  name  from  the  river  Vlie,  where  such  boats  are  used,  the 
name  passing  into  the  English  fly-boat.  She  was  an  awkward,  clumsy 
brig,  with  square  sails  upon  two  masts;  a  fairly  safe  craft,  but  a  slow  sailer, 
of  "  forty  lasts,"  by  a  Dutch  measurement,  or  eighty  tons  burden.  The 
Half-Moon  had  been  carefully  equipped,  and  was  manned  by  sixteen  men, 
eight  Englishmen  and  eight  Hollanders.  Hudson  left  the  Texel  on  April 
5,  and  by  May  5  was  in  the  Barentz  sea,  and  soon  afterwards  among  the 
ice  in  Costin  Sareh,  in  Nova  Zembla,  where  he  had  been  the  year  before. 

The  crew,  being  of  two  nationalities,  quarreled  continually.  The  sea- 
men of  the  East   India   company,  not   being  used  to  such   extreme  cold, 

1  Boty,  better  known  as  Ivar  Bardsen,  was  steward  to  the  bishopric  of  Gardar,  in  the  East 
Bygd,  and  a  native  of  Greenland.  His  principal  work  was  the  Sailing  Directions,  used  by  Hud- 
son, the  oldest  work  on  Arctic  geography.  This  treatise  has  been  published,  with  an  introduction 
and  notes  by  Rev.  Dr.  Decosta,  under  the  title  of  Sailing  Directions  of  Henry  Hudson. 

'-'  Captain  George  Waymouth  commanded  an  expedition  sent  out  by  the  East  India  company  in 
1602  to  seek  for  a  passage  by  the  opening  seen  by  Davis,  but  it  had  no  success.  "  Waymouth  dis- 
covered George's  island  and  Pentecost  harbor,  and  carried  with  him  to  England  five  of  the  natives." 

s  In  1597,  Jocodus  Hondius  put  upon  record  his  intention  of  bringing  out  globes,  but  none 
are  known  to  exist  anterior  to  the  seventeenth  century. 


HENRY   HUDSON,    THE   NAVIGATOR  2IO, 

became  chilled,  disheartened  and  unfit  for  duty.  Once  or  twice  the  vessel 
escaped  as  by  a  miracle  from  unknown  currents,  then  mountains  of  ice 
encompassed  it,  and  the  crew  became  so  terrified  that  they  arrayed  them- 
selves in  open  rebellion. 

In  direct  violation  of  his  contract  with  the  company,  and  in  sheer  des- 
peration, Hudson  offered  the  men  one  of  two  courses  ;  one  was  to  sail 
westward  and  prove  the  theory  advanced  by  Captain  John  Smith,  that 
there  was  a  passage  somewhere  north  of  the  English  colony  ;  the  other 
was  to  keep  nearer  the  latitude  they  were  in,  sail  directly  to  the  west,  and 
try  again  at  Davis'  strait.  The  first  plan  was  adopted,  and  on  May  14 
Hudson  set  his  face  towards  the  Chesapeake  and  China.  He  touched  at 
Stromo,  one  of  the  Faroe  islands,  for  water.  On  June  15,  off  Newfound- 
land, where  he  had  avoided  the  fleet  of  French  fishermen  which  lay  off 
the  bank,  the  Half-Moon  "  spent  overboard  her  foremast." 

This  accident  made  it  necessary  to  put  into  Sagadahoc,  where,  on  July  18, 
a  mast  was  procured,  and  the  crew  put  at  work  to  repair  the  little  vessel, 
much  the  worse  for  her  encounters  with  the  northern  seas.  Some  commu- 
nication with  the  Indians  was  had,  and  an  unnecessary  battle  fought,  in 
which  the  ship's  two  "  stone  murderers  "  were  employed. 

The  incident  shows  the  lawless  and  buccaneering  spirit  of  the  crew. 
As  the  Half-Moon  lay  in  the  bay,  two  shallops  filled  with  Indians  ap- 
proached her,  looking  for  peaceful  trade  with  the  strangers,  and  such 
friendly  interest  as  the  French  had  everywhere  encouraged.  But  Hudson's 
men  met  them  in  another  temper.  Manning  a  boat,  they  captured  and 
carried  off  one  shallop  ;  and  then,  in  pure  wantonness,  they  armed  two 
skiffs  of  their  own  with  pieces  which  deserved  their  name  of  "  murderers," 
and  attacked  and  plundered  the  Indian  village  on  the  shore.  The  out- 
rage fully  warranted  a  quick  revenge  ;  and  Hudson  feared  it,  for  the  same 
afternoon  the  ship  was  dropped  down  to  the  entrance  of  the  bay,  and  on 
the  next  day  (July  26)  she  was  again  under  sail  to  the  southwest. 

Within  a  week  she  went  aground  on  what  are  now  known  as  St. 
George's  shoals,  and  it  was  ten  days  before  her  crew  sighted  land  again  ; 
this  time  at  the  headland  of  Cape  Cod,  which  Hudson,  before  he  knew  it 
to  be  Gosnold's  Cape,  promptly  named  "  New  Holland,"  in  honor  of  his 
adopted  country.  Some  of  the  men  landed  here,  for  they  fancied  they 
heard  people  calling  from  the  shore,  and  that  the  voices  sounded  like 
those  of  "  Christians ;  "  but  they  came  back  after  seeing  none  but  savages, 
and  the  yacht  again  bore  away  to  sea,  passing  Nantucket  and  Martha's 
Vineyard,  and  once  more  making  a  course  to  the  southwest. 

When   land  was  again  made,  Hudson  was  close    by  the    entrance  of 


220  HENRY    HUDSON,    THE   NAVIGATOR 

Chesapeake  bay,  where,  if  he  had  entered,  he  might  have  found  his  coun- 
trymen on  the  banks  of  the  James,  and  been  present  at  the  first  wedding 
in  the  New  World.  Sailing  on}  he  coasted  north  to  Sandy  Hook,  and  on 
the  afternoon  of  September  3,  1609,  entered  New  York  bay.  Even  if 
'•  the  most  beautiful  lake,"  said  to  have  been  penetrated  by  Verrazano,  in 
1524,  was  indeed  the  bay  of  New  York,  yet  his  visit,  according  to  his  own 
account,  was  only  the  hurried  glimpse  of  a  traveler;  and  when  the  Half- 
Moon  came  to  anchor  on  that  September  evening  at  the  mouth  of  the 
'•  Great  River  of  the  Mountains,"  it  was  undoubtedly  the  first  time  the 
eyes  of  the  white  man  ever  rested  on  the  island  of  Manhadoes,  the  green 
shores  of  Scheyichbi — New  Jersey — and  the  forest-covered  Ihpetonga,  or 
"  heights  "  of  the  present  city  of  Brooklyn.  Certain  it  is,  that  Van  der 
Donck,  who  resided  several  years  in  New  Netherlands,  asserts  that  he 
often  heard  the  ancient  inhabitants,  who  yet  recollected  the  arrival  of  the 
ship,  the  Half-Moon,  in  the  year  1609,  saying,  that  before  the  arrival  of 
the  Netherlanders  they  were  entirely  ignorant  of  the  existence  of  any 
other  nation  besides  their  own,  and  that  they  looked  at  the  ship  as  a 
huge  fish  or  sea  monster.1 

The  evidences  of  this  writer,  nevertheless,  as  well  as  those  of  Hudson 
himself,  render  it  not  improbable  that  Verrazano  landed  in  the  bay  of  the 
present  New  York,  but  the  event  must  have  taken  place  eighty-five  years 
before,  and  might  have  been  obliterated  by  the  departure  of  a  whole 
generation. 

Miss  Booth  says,  "Though  Verrazano  first  saw  the4  Island  of  Destiny,' 
to  Hudson  belongs  its  practical  discovery,  the  result  of  disobedience  to  his 
instructions." 

Manhattan  Island,  as  it  was  first  seen  by  Hudson,  has  been  thus 
described : 

"  The  lower  part  of  it  consisted  of  wood-crowned  hills  and  beautiful 
grassy  valleys,  including  a  chain  of  swamps  and  marshes  and  a  deep  pond. 
Northward,  it  rose  into  a  rocky,  high  ground.  The  sole  inhabitants  were 
a  tribe  of  dusky  Indians,  an  offshoot  from  the  great  nation  of  the  Lenni 
Lenape,  who  inhabited  the  vast  territory  bounded  by  the  Penobscot  and 
the  Potomac,  the  Atlantic  and  the  Mississippi,  dwelling  in  the  clusters 
of  rude  wigwams  that  dotted  here  and  there  the  surface  of  the  country. 
The  rivers  that  girt  the  country  were  as  yet  unstirred  by  the  keels  of 
ships,  and  the  bark  canoes  of  the  native  Manhattans  held  sole  possession 
of  the  peaceful  waters. 

Van  der  Donck's  Description  of  New  Netherlands,  p.  3. 


HENRY    HUDSON,   THE   NAVIGATOR  221 

"The  face  of  the  country  more  particularly  described  was  gently  undu- 
lating, presenting  every  variety  of  hill  and  dale,  of  brook  and  rivulet.  The 
upper  part  of  the  island  was  rocky,  and  covered  by  a  dense  forest  ;  the 
lower  part  grassy,  and  rich  in  wild  fruits  and  flowers.  Grapes  and  flowers 
grew  in  abundance  in  the  fields,  and  nuts  of  various  kinds  were  plentiful 
in  the  forests,  which  were  also  filled  with  abundance  of  game.  The  brooks 
and  ponds  were  swarming  with  fish,  and  the  soil  was  of  luxuriant  fertility. 
In  the  vicinity  of  the  present  '  Tombs  '  was  a  deep,  clear  and  beautiful 
pond  of  fresh  water  (with  a  picturesque  little  island  in  the  middle) — so 
deep,  indeed,  that  it  would  have  floated  the  largest  ship  in  our  navy — 
which  was  for  a  long  time  deemed  bottomless  by  its  possessors.  This  was 
fed  by  a  large  spring  at  the  bottom,  which  kept  its  waters  fresh  and  flow- 
ing, and  had  its  outlet  in  a  little  stream  which  flowed  into  the  East  river, 
near  the  foot  of  James  street.  Small  ponds  dotted  the  island  in  various 
places,  two  of  which,  lying  near  each  other,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  present 
corner  of  Bowery  and  Grand  street,  collected  the  waters  of  the  high 
ground  which  surrounded  them.  To  the  northwest  of  the  fresh  water 
pond,  or  ■  Kolck,'  as  it  afterwards  came  to  be  called,  beginning  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  present  St.  John's  park,  and  extending  to  the  northward 
over  an  area  of  some  seventy  acres,  lay  an  immense  marsh,  filled  with 
reeds  and  brambles,  and  tenanted  with  frogs  and  water  snakes.  A  little 
rivulet  connected  this  marsh  with  the  fresh  water  pond,  which  was  also 
connected,  by  the  stream  which  formed  its  outlet,  with  another  strip  of 
marshy  land,  covering  the  region  now  occupied  by  James,  Cherry  and  the 
adjacent  streets.  An  unbroken  chain  of  water  was  thus  stretched  from 
James  street  at  the  southeast  to  Canal  street  at  the  northwest.  An  inlet 
occupied  the  place  of  Broad  street,  a  marsh  the  vicinity  of  Ferry  street, 
Rutgers  street  formed  the  centre  of  another  marsh,  and  a  long  line  of 
swampy  ground  stretched  to  the  northward  along  the  eastern  shore.  The 
highest  line  of  lands  lay  along  Broadway,  from  the  Battery  to  the  northern- 
most part  of  the  island,  forming  its  backbone,  and  sloping  gradually  to 
the  east  and  west.  On  the  corner  of  Grand  street  and  Broadway  was  a 
high  hill,  commanding  a  view  of  the  whole  island,  and  falling  off  grad- 
ually to  the  fresh  water  pond.  To  the  south  and  west,  the  country,  in 
the  intervals  of  the  marshes,  was  of  great  beauty — rolling,  grassy,  and  well 
watered.  A  high  range  of  sand-hills  traversed  a  part  of  the  island,  from 
Varick  and  Charlton  to  Eighth  and  Greene  Streets.  To  the  north  of 
these  lay  a  valley,  through  v/hich  ran  a  brook,  which  formed  the  outlet 
of  the  springy  marshes  at  Washington  square,  and  emptied  into  the 
Hudson  river  at  the   foot  of  Hammersley  street." 


222  HENRY    HUDSON,    THE   NAVIGATOR 

The  meagre  log-book  kept  by  Hudson's  mate,  the  Netherlander  Robert 
Ivet — often  called  Juet — is  the  best  record  of  events: 

"  Sept.  3.  The  morning  misty  until  ten  o'clock,  then  it  cleared,  and  the 
wind  came  to  the  south-southeast,  so  we  weighed  and  stood  to  the  north- 
ward. The  land  is  very  pleasant  and  high,  and  bold  to  fall  withal.  At 
three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  we  came  to  three  great  rivers.1  So  we 
stood  along  the  northernmost,  thinking  to  have  gone  into  it,  but  we  found 
it  to  have  a  very  shoal  bar  before  it,  for  we  had  but  ten  foot  of  water. 
Then  we  cast  about  to  the  southward,  and  found  two  fathoms,  three 
fathoms,  and  three  and  a  quarter,  till  we  came  to  the  southern  side  of 
them  ;  then  we  had  five  and  six  fathoms,  and  anchored.  So  we  went  in 
our  boats  to  sound,  and  they  found  no  less  water  than  four,  five,  six,  and 
seven  fathoms,  and  returned  in  an  hour  and  a  half.  So  we  weighed  and 
went  in,  and  rode  in  five  fathoms,  ooze  ground,  and  saw  many  salmons 
and  mullets,  and  rays  very  great. 

"  Sept.  4.  In  the  morning  as  soon  as  the  day  was  light,  we  saw  that  it 
was  good  riding  farther  up,  so  we  sent  our  boat  to  sound,  and  found  that 
it  was  very  good  harbour  ;  four  and  five  fathoms,  two  cables'  length  from 
the  shore.  Then  we  weighed  and  went  in  with  our  ship.  Then  our  boat 
went  on  land  with  our  net  to  fish,  and  caught  ten  great  mullets  of  a  foot 
and  a  half  long  apiece,  and  a  ray  as  great  as  four  men  could  haul  into  the 
ship.  So  we  trimmed  our  boat  and  rode  still  all  day.  At  night  the  wind 
blew  hard  at  the  northwest  and  our  anchor  came  home,  and  we  drove  on 
shore,  but  took  no  hurt,  thanked  be  God,  for  the  ground  is  soft  and  ooze. 
This  day  the  people  of  the  country  came  aboard  of  us,  seeming  very  glad 
of  our  coming,  and  brought  green  tobacco,  and  gave  us  of  it  for  knives 
and  beads. 

"  They  go  in  deer  skins  loose,  well  dressed.  They  have  yellow  copper. 
They  desire  clothes,  and  are  very  civil.  They  have  great  store  of  maize 
or  Indian  wheat,  whereof  they  make  good  bread.  The  country  is  full  of 
great  and  tall  oaks. 

"  Sept.  5.  In  the  morning,  as  soon  as  the  day  was  light,  the  wind  ceased 
and  the  flood  came,  so  we  heaved  off  our  ship  again  into  five  fathoms  of 
water,  and  sent  our  boat  to  sound  the  bay,  and  we  found  that  there  was 
three  fathoms  hard  by  the  southern  shore.  Our  men  went  on  land  there, 
and  saw  great  store  of  men,  women  and  children,  who  gave  them  tobacco 

1  Two  of  the  "three  great  rivers"  were  doubtless  the  Narrows  and  Staten  Island  sound; 
and  the  third,  being  the  northernmost,  was  probably  Rockaway  inlet.  From  thence  Hudson 
must  have  stood  over  toward  the  Hook,  and  finally  anchored  in  the  roadstead  called  the  Horse- 
shoe, or  Sandy  Hook  bay. 


HENRY    HUDSON,    THE   NAVIGATOR  223 

at  their  coming  on  land  ;  so  they  went  up  into  the  woods,  and  saw  great 
store  of  very  goodly  oaks,  and  some  currants.1  For  one  of  them  came 
aboard  and  brought  some  dried,  and  gave  me  some,  which  were  sweet  and 
good.  This  day  many  of  the  people  came  aboard,  some  in  mantles  of 
feathers,  and  some  in  skins  of  divers  sorts  of  good  furs.  Some  women 
also  came  to  us  with  hemp.  They  had  red  copper  tobacco-pipes  ;  other 
things  of  copper  they  did  wear  about  their  necks.  At  night  they  went  on 
land  again,  so  we  rode  very  quiet,  but  durst  not  trust  them. 

"  Sunday,  Sept.  6.  In  the  morning  was  fair  weather,  and  our  master  sent 
John  Colman,  with  four  other  men,  in  our  boat  over  to  the  north  side  to 
sound  the  other  river,  being  four  leagues  from  us.2  They  found  by  the 
way  shoal  water  two  fathoms,  but  at  the  north  of  the  river  eighteen  and 
twenty  fathoms, and  very  good  riding  for  ships,  and  a  narrow  river3  to  the 
westward  between  two  islands.  The  land,  they  told  us,  were  as  pleasant 
with  grass  and  flowers  and  goodly  trees  as  ever  they  had  seen,  and  very 
sweet  smells  came  from  them.  So  they  went  in  two  leagues,  and  saw  an 
open  sea  and  returned,  and  as  they  came  back  they  were  set  upon  by  two 
canoes,  the  one  having  twelve,  the  other  fourteen  men.  The  night  came 
on,  and  it  began  to  rain,  so  that  their  match  went  out,  and  they  had  one 
man  slain  in  the  fight,  which  was  an  Englishman,  named  John  Colman, 
with  an  arrow  shot  into  his  throat,  and  two  more  hurt.  It  grew  so  dark 
that  they  could  not  find  the  ship  that  night,  but  laboured  to  and  fro  on 
their  oars.  They  had  so  great  a  stream  that  their  grapnel  would  not  hold 
them. 

"  Sept.  7.  Was  fair,  and  by  ten  o'clock  they  returned  aboard  the  ship, 
and  brought  our  dead  man  with  them,  whom  we  carried  on  land  and 
buried,  and  named  this  point  after  his  name,  Colman 's  point.4  Then  we 
hoisted  in  our  boat,  and  raised  her  side  with  waste  boards  for  defense  of 
our  men.     So  we  rode  still  all  night,  having  good  regard  to  our  watch. 

"  Sept.  8.  Was  very  fair  weather,  we  rode  still  very  quietly.  The  people 
came  aboard  us,  and  brought  tobacco  and  Indian  wheat,  to  exchange  for 
knives  and  beads,  and  offered  us  no  violence.  So  we,  fitting  up  our  boat, 
did  mark  them,  to  see  if  they  would  make  any  show  of  the  death  of  our 
man,  which  they  did  not. 

"  Sept.  9.  Fair  weather.  In  the  morning  two  great  canoes  came  aboard 
full  of  men  ;  the  one  with  bows  and  arrows,  and  the  other  in  show  of 
buying  of  knives  to  betray  us  ;  but  we  perceived  their  intent.  We  took 
twe  of  them  to  have  kept  them,  and  put  red  coats  on  them,  and  would 

1  Whortleberries.  s  The  Narrows. 

3  Staten  Island  sound,  or  the  Kills.  4  Sandy  Hook. 


224  HENRY   HUDSON,    THE   NAVIGATOR 

not  suffer  the  other  to  come  near  us.  So  they  went  on  land,  and  two 
others  came  aboard  in  a  canoe;  we  took  the  one  and  let  the  other  go  ;  but 
he  which  we  had  taken  got  up  and  leaped  overboard.  Then  we  weighed 
and  went  off  into  the  channel  of  the  river,  and  anchored  there  all  night. 

''Sept.  10.  Fair  weather  ;  we  rode  till  twelve  o'clock.  Then  we  weighed 
and  went  over,  and  found  it  shoal  all  the  middle  of  the  river,  for  we  could 
find  but  two  fathoms  and  a  half  and  three  fathoms  for  the  space  of  a 
league;  then  we  came  to  three  fathoms  and  four  fathoms,  and  so  on  to 
seven  fathoms,  and  anchored,  and  rode  all  night  in  soft,  oozy  ground. 
The  bank  is  sand. 

"  Sept.  1 1.  Was  fair  and  very  hot  weather.  At  one  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon we  weighed  and  went  into  the  river,  the  wind  at  the  south-south- 
west ;  little  wind.  Our  soundings  were  seven,  six,  five,  six,  seven,  eight, 
nine,  ten,  twelve,  thirteen,  and  fourteen  fathoms.  Then  it  shoaled  again, 
and  came  to  five  fathoms.  Then  we  anchored,  and  saw  that  it  was  a  very 
good  harbor  for  all  winds,  and  rode  all  night.  The  people  of  the  country 
came  aboard  of  us,  making  show  of  love,  and  gave  us  tobacco  and  Indian 
wheat,  and  departed  for  that  night ;  but  we  durst  not  trust  them. 

"  Sept.  12.  Very  fair  and  hot.  In  the  afternoon  at  two  o'clock  we 
weighed,  the  wind  being  variable,  between  north  and  the  northwest  ;  so 
we  turned  into  the  river  two  leagues  and  anchored.  This  morning  at  our 
first  rode  in  the  river  there  came  eight  and  twenty  canoes  full  of  men, 
women  and  children  to  betray  us;  but  we  saw  their  intent,  and  suffered 
none  of  them  to  come  aboard  of  us.  At  twelve  o'clock  they  departed. 
They  brought  with  them  oysters  and  beans,  whereof  we  bought  some. 
They  have  great  tobacco  pipes  of  yellow  copper,  and  pots  of  earth  to 
dress  their  meat  in. 

"Sept.  14.  The  land  grew  very  high  and  mountainous.1 

"Sept.  15.  At  night  we  came  to  other  mountains,  which  lie  from  the 
river's  side  ;  there  we  found  very  loving  people,  and  very  old  men,  where 
we  were  well  used. 

"  Sept.  16.  This  morning  the  people  came  aboard  and  brought  us  ears  of 
Indian  corn  and  pompions2  and  tobacco,  which  we  bought  for  trifles. 

"  Sept.  21.  The  twenty-first  was  fair  weather,  and  the  wind  all  south- 
erly; we  determined  once  more  to  go  farther  up  into  the  river,  to  try  what 
depth  and  breadth  it  did  bear,  but  much  people  resorted  aboard,  so  we 
went  not  this  day.  Our  carpenter  went  on  land  and  made  a  fore-yard, 
and  our  master  and  his  mate  determined  to  try  some  of  the  chief  men  of 

1  Hudson  was  now  entering  the  Highlands,  and  approaching  West  Point.       2  Pumpkins. 


HENRY   HUDSON,   THE   NAVIGATOR  225 

the  country,  whether  they  had  any  treachery  in  them.  So  they  took  them 
down  into  the  cabin  and  gave  them  so  much  wine  and  aqua-vitce  that  they 
were  all  merry,  and  one  of  them  had  his  wife  with  him,  who  sat  as  mod- 
estly as  any  of  our  countrywomen  would  do  in  a  strange  place.  In  the 
end  one  of  them  was  drunk,  who  had  been  aboard  of  our  ship  all  the  time 
that  we  had  been  there;  and  that  was  strange  to  them,  for  they  could  not 
tell  how  to  take  it;  the  canoes  and  folks  went  all  on  shore,  but  some  of 
them  came  again  and  brought  stropes  of  beads — some  had  six,  seven, 
eight,  nine,  ten — and  gave  him.     So  he  slept  all  night  quietly. 

"  Sept.  22.  The  two-and-twentieth  was  fair  weather  ;  in  the  morning  our 
master's  mate  and  four  more  of  the  company  went  up  with  our  boat  to 
sound  the  river  higher  up.  The  people  of  the  country  came  not  aboard 
till  noon,  but  when  they  came  and  saw  the  savages — well,  they  were  glad. 
So  at  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  they  came  aboard  and  brought  tobacco 
and  more  beads  and  gave  them  to  our  master,  and  made  an  oration,  and 
shewed  him  all  the  country  round  about.  Then  they  sent  one  of  their 
company  on  land,  who  presently  returned  and  brought  a  great  platter  full 
of  venison,  dressed  by  themselves,  and  they  caused  him  to  eat  with  them  : 
then  they  made  him  reverence  and  departed,  all  save  an  old  man  that  lay 
aboard.  This  night  at  ten  o'clock  our  boat  returned  in  a  shower  of  rain 
from  sounding  of  the  river,  and  found  it  to  be  at  an  end  for  shipping  to  go 
in.  For  they  had  been  up  eight  leagues  and  found  but  seven  foot  water, 
and  unconstant  soundings.1 

u  Sept.  25.  We  rode  still,  and  went  on  land  to  walk  on  the  west  side  of 
the  river,  and  found  good  ground  for  corn  and  other  garden  herbs,  with  a 
great  store  of  goodly  oaks  and  walnut  trees,  and  chestnut  trees,  yew  trees, 
and  trees  of  sweet  wood  in  great  abundance,  and  great  store  of  slate  for 
houses  and  other  good  stones. 

"  Sept.  26.  In  the  morning  our  carpenter  went  on  land  with  our  master's 
mate  and  four  more  of  our  company  to  cut  wood.  This  morning  two 
canoes  came  up  the  river  from  the  place  where  we  first  found  loving 
people,  and  in  one  of  them  was  the  old  man  that  had  lain  aboard  of  us  at 
the  other  place.  He  brought  another  old  man  with  him,  who  brought 
more  strips  of  beads  and  gave  them  to  our  master,  and  showed  him  all  the 
country  thereabout,  as  though  it  were  at  his  command.  So  he  made  the 
two  old  men  dine  with  him  and  the  old  man's  wife,  for  they  brought  two 
old  women  and  two  young  maidens  of  the  age  of  sixteen  or  seventeen 
years   with    them,  who  behaved   themselves  very  modestly.     Our  master 

1  This  was  probably  in  the  neighborhood  of  Castle — now  called  Patroon's  island. 
Vol.  XXX.— No.  3.-15 


226  HENRY    HUDSON,    THE  NAVIGATOR 

gave  one  of  the  men  a  knife,  and  they  gave  him  and  us  tobacco.  At  one 
o'clock  they  departed  down  the  river,  making  signs  that  we  should  come 
down  to  them,  for  we  were  within  two  leagues  of  the  place  where  they 
dwelt. 

"  Sunday,  Sept.  27.  The  old  man  came  aboard,  and  would  have  had  us 
anchor  and  go  on  land  to  eat  with  him,  but  the  wind  being  fair  we  would 
not  yield  to  his  request,  so  he  left  us,  being  very  sorrowful  for  our 
departure. 

"  Sept.  29.  There  came  certain  Indians  in  a  canoe  to  us,  but  would  not 
come  aboard.  After  dinner  there  came  the  canoe  with  other  men,  whereof 
three  came  aboard  us  ;  they  brought  Indian  wheat,  which  we  bought  for 
trifles.  At  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  we  weighed,  as  soon  as  the  ebb 
came  in,  and  turned  down  to  the  edge  of  the  mountains,  or  the  norther- 
most  of  the  mountains,  and  anchored,  because  the  high  land  hath  many 
points  and  a  narrow  channel,  and  hath  many  eddy  winds  ;  so  we  rode 
quietly  all  night  in  seven  fathoms  water.1 

"  Sept.  30.  The  people  of  the  country  came  aboard  us,  and  brought 
some  small  skins  with  them,  which  we  bought  for  knives  and  trifles.  The 
road  is  very  near,  and  very  good  for  all  winds,  save  an  east-northeast 
wind.  The  mountains  look  as  metal  or  mineral  were  in  them  ;  for  the 
trees  that  grew  on  them  were  all  blasted,  and  some  barren,  with  few  or  no 
trees  on  them.  The  people  brought  a  stone  aboard  like  to  emery  (a  stone 
used  by  glaziers  to  cut  glass),  it  would  cut  iron  or  steel ;  yet  being  bruised 
small,  and  water  put  to  it,  it  made  a  colour  like  black-lead  glistening,  and 
it  was  also  good  for  painters'  colours.  At  three  o'clock  they  departed, 
and  we  rode  still  all  night. 

"Thursday,  Oct.  1.  The  people  of  the  mountains  came  aboard  us, 
wondering  at  our  ship  and  weapons.  We  bought  some  small  skins  of 
them  for  trifles.  This  afternoon  one  canoe  kept  hanging  under  our  stern 
with  one  man  in  it,  which  we  could  not  keep  from  thence,  who  got  up  by 
our  rudder  to  the  cabin  window,  who  stole  out  my  pillow,  two  shirts,  and 
two  bandeleeres.2  Our  master's  mate  shot  at  him,  and  struck  him  in  the 
breast,  and  killed  him,  whereupon  all  the  rest  fled  away,  some  in  their 
canoes,  and  so  leaped  out  of  them  into  the  water.  We  manned  our  boat 
and  got  our  things  back.  Then  one  of  them  that  swam  got  hold  of  our 
boat,  thinking  to  overthrow  it  ;  but  our  cook  took  a  sword,  and  cut  off  his 
hands,  and  he  was  drowned. 

'  This  was  in  the  vicinity  of  Newburgh,  where  Hudson  remained  two  days,  fearing  to  enter 
the  Highlands  on  account  of  the  violent  winds. 
-  A  short  sword  or  cutlass. 


HIE   NAVIGATOR  227 

"  Oct.  2.  Then  came  one  of  the  savages  that  swain  away  from  us  at  our 
going  up  the  river,  with  many  others,  thinking  to  betray  us.  But  we  per- 
ceived their  intent,  and  suffered  none  of  them  to  enter  our  ship.  Where- 
upon two  canoes  full  of  men,  with  their  bows  and  arrows,  shot  at  us  after 
our  stern,  in  recompense  of  which  we  discharged  six  muskets,  and  killed 
two  or  three  of  them.  Then  above  a  hundred  of  them  came  to  a  point  of 
land  to  shoot  at  us.  There  I  shot  a  falcon1  at  them,  and  killed  two, 
whereupon  the  rest  fled  into  the  woods.  Yet  they  manned  off  another 
canoe  with  nine  or  ten  men,  which  came  to  meet  us  ;  so  I  shot  at  it  also  a 
falcon,  and  shot  it  through,  and  killed  one  of  them.  Then  our  men  with 
their  muskets  killed  three  or  four  of  them.  So  they  went  their  way. 
Within  a  mile  after,  we  got  down  two  leagues  beyond  that  place,  and  anch- 
ored in  a  bay  clear  from  all  danger  of  them  on  the  other  side  of  the  river, 
where  we  saw  a  very  good  piece  of  ground  ;  and  hard  by  it  was  a  cliff 
that  looked  of  the  color  of  white  green,  as  though  it  were  a  copper  or  a 
silver  mine  ;  and  I  think  it  to  be  one  of  them  by  the  trees  which  grew 
upon  it  ;  for  they  be  all  burned,  and  the  other  places  are  green  as  grass  ; 
it  is  on  that  side  of  the  river  that  is  called  Manna-Hata.  There  we  saw  no 
people  to  trouble  us. 

"  Oct.  4.  We  weighed  and  came  out  of  the  river,  into  which  we  had 
run  so  far.  Within  a  mile  after,  we  came  out  also  of  the  great  mouth  of  the 
great  river,  that  runneth  up  to  the  northwest,  borrowing  upon  the  more 
northern  side  of  the  same,  thinking  to  have  deep  water." 

Only  fragments  of  Hudson's  journal  are  in  existence,  though  it  is  sup- 
posed that  De  Laet2  had  it  before  him  entire  when  he  wrote  his  Descrip- 
tion of  the  Nezv  Netherlands,  and  we  are  fortunate  in  having  preserved,  in 
this  work,  the  great  navigator's  description  of  the  people  he  found  dwell- 
ing within  the  bay: 

"  When  I  came  on  shore,  the  swarthy  natives  all  stood  around,  and  sung 
in  their  fashion  ;  their  clothing  consisted  of  the  skins  of  foxes  and  other 
animals,  which  they  dress  and  make  the  skins  into  garments  of  various  sorts. 
Their  food  is  Turkish  wheat  (maize  or  Indian  corn),  which  they  cook  by 
baking,  and  it  is  excellent  eating.  They  all  came  on  board  one  after 
another  in  their  canoes,  which  are  made  of  a  single  hollowed  tree  ;  their 
weapons  are  bows   and   arrows,  pointed  with   sharp   stones,   which    they 

1  A  kind  of  cannon. 

2  John  De  Laet  was  a  native  of  Antwerp,  and  one  of  the  most  distinguished  of  European 
geographers.  He  resided  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  Leyden,  where  his  works  were  issued  from 
the  unrivaled  press  of  the  Elzevirs.  He  was  a  director  of  the  West  India  company,  and  the  name 
of  New  Netherlands  first  appears  in  his  description  of  this  country. 


228  HENRY    HUDSON,    THE   NAVIGATOR 

fasten  with  hard  resin.  They  had  no  houses,  but  slept  under  the  blue 
heavens,  sometimes  on  mats  of  bullrushes  interwoven,  and  sometimes  on 
the  leaves  of  trees.  They  always  carry  with  them  all  their  goods,  such  as 
their  food  and  green  tobacco,  which  is  strong  and  good  for  use.  They 
appear  to  be  a  friendly  people,  but  they  have  a  great  propensity  to  steal, 
and  are  exceedingly  adroit  in  carrying  away  whatever  they  take  a  fancy 
to.*' 

In  latitude  400  4S',  where  the  savages  brought  very  fine  oysters  to  the 
ship,  Hudson  describes  the  country  in  the  following  manner  :  "  It  is  as 
pleasant  a  land  as  one  need  tread  upon  ;  very  abundant  in  all  kinds  of  tim- 
ber suitable  for  shipbuilding,  and  for  making  large  casks  or  vats.  The 
people  had  copper  tobacco  pipes,  from  which  I  inferred  that  copper  might 
naturally  exist  there  ;  and  iron  likewise,  according  to  the  testimony  of  the 
natives,  who,  however,  do  not  understand  preparing  it  for  use." 

Hudson  also  states  that  they  caught  in  the  river  all  kinds  of  fresh-water 
fish  with  seines,  and  young  salmon  and  sturgeon.1  In  latitude  420  18',  he 
landed.2  "  I  sailed  to  the  shore,"  he  says,  "in  one  of  their  canoes  with  an 
old  man,  who  was  the  chief  of  a  tribe  consisting  of  forty  men  and  seven- 
teen women  ;  these  I  saw  there  in  a  house  well  constructed  of  oak  bark, 
and  circular  in  shape,  so  that  it  had  the  appearance  of  being  built  with  an 
arched  roof.  It  contained  a  great  quantity  of  maize  or  Indian  corn  and 
beans  of  last  year's  growth,  and  there  lay  near  the  house,  for  the  purpose  of 
drying,  enough  to  load  three  ships,  besides  what  was  growing  in  the  fields. 
On  our  coming  into  the  house,  two  mats  were  spread  out  to  sit  upon,  and 
immediately  some  food  was  served  in  well-made  wooden  bowls,  two  men 
were  also  dispatched  at  once  with  bows  and  arrows  in  quest  of  game,  who 
soon  after  brought  in  a  pair  of  pigeons  which  they  had  shot.  They  like- 
wise killed  a  fat  dog,  and  skinned  it  in  great  haste  with  shells  which  they 
had  got  out  of  the  wrater.  They  supposed  that  I  would  remain  with  them 
for  the  night,  but  I  returned  after  a  short  time  on  board  the  ship.  The 
land  is  the  finest  for  cultivation  that  I  ever  in  my  life  set  foot  upon 
<Ts  het  schoonste  landt  om  de  bouwen  als  ick  oyt  myn  leven  met  voeten 
betrat),  and  it  also  abounds  in  trees  of  every  description.  The  natives  are 
very  good  people,  for  when  they  saw  that  I  would  not  remain,  they  sup- 
posed that  I  was  afraid  of  their  bows,  and  taking  the  arrows,  they  broke 
them  in  pieces  and  threw  them  into  the  fire." 

1  Often  called  "Albany  Beef." 

8  The  present  city  of  Hudson  is  in  latitude  420  14',  near  where  the  adventurous  navigator 
went  on  shore.  The  time  occupied  by  him  in  exploring  the  river  was  from  September  13  to 
October  3. 


HENRY   HUDSON,    THE   NAVIGATOR  229 

He  found  there  also  vines  and  grapes,  pumpkins  and  other  fruits  ;  "  from 
all  of  which  there  is  sufficient  reason  to  conclude  that  it  is  a  pleasant  and 
fruitful  country,  and  that  the  natives  are  well  disposed,  if  they  arc  well 
treated  ;  although  they  are  very  changeable,  and  of  the  same  general  char- 
acter as  all  the  savages  in  the  north.  They  have  no  religion  whatever, 
nor  any  divine  worship,  much  less  any  political  government,  except  that 
they  have  their  chiefs  whom  they  all  call  Sackmos,  or  Sagimos." 

The  Indian  tradition  of  the  first  arrival  of  Hudson  has  also  come  down 
to  us:  "  A  long  time  ago,  when  there  was  no  such  thing  known  to  the 
Indians  as  a  people  with  a  white  skin,  some  Indians  who  had  been  out 
a-fishing,  and  where  the  sea  widens,  espied  at  a  great  distance  something 
remarkably  large,  swimming  or  floating  upon  the  water,  and  such  as  they 
had  never  seen  before.  They  immediately,  returning  to  the  shore,  apprised 
their  countrymen  of  what  they  had  seen,  and  pressed  them  to  go  out  with 
them  and  discover  what  it  might  be.  These  together  hurried  out,  and  saw 
to  their  great  surprise  the  phenomenon,  but  could  not  agree  what  it  might 
be;  some  concluding  it  either  to  be  an  uncommon  large  fish,  or  other 
animal,  while  others  were  of  the  opinion  it  must  be  some  very  large  house. 
It  was  at  length  agreed  among  those  who  were  spectators,  that  as  this 
phenomenon  moved  toward  the  land,  whether  or  not  it  was  an  animal,  or 
anything  that  had  life  in  it,  it  would  be  well  to  inform  all  the  Indians  on 
the  inhabited  islands  of  what  they  had  seen,  and  put  them  on  their  guard. 
Accordingly,  they  sent  runners  and  watermen  off  to  carry  the  news  to 
their  scattered  chiefs,  that  these  might  send  off  in  every  direction  for  the 
warriors  to  come  in.  These  arriving  in  numbers,  and  themselfs  viewing  the 
strange  appearance,  and  that  it  was  actually  moving  toward  the  river  or 
bay,  concluded  it  to  be  a  large  canoe  in  which  the  great  Mannitto  *  himself 
was,  and  that  he  was  probably  coming  to  visit  them.  By  this  time  the 
chiefs  of  the  different  tribes  were  assembled  on  York  Island,  and  were 
counselling  on  the  manner  in  which  they  should  receive  the  Mannitto  on 
his  arrival.  Every  step  had  been  taken  to  be  provided  with  a  plenty  of 
meat  for  a  sacrifice ;  the  women  were  required  to  prepare  the  best  of 
victuals;  idols  or  images  were  examined  and  put  in  order;  and  a  great 
dance  was  supposed  not  only  to  be  an  agreeable  entertainment  for  the 
Mannitto,  but  might,  with  the  addition  of  a  sacrifice,  contribute  toward 
appeasing  him,  if  he  was  angry  with  them.  The  conjurers  were  also  set 
to  work,  to  determine  what  the  meaning  of  this  phenomenon  was,  and 
what  the  result  would  be.     Both  to  these,  and  the  wise  men  of  the  nation, 

1  The  Supreme  Being. 


r;o  HENRY   HUDSON,    THE   NAVIGATOR 

men,  women  and  children  were  looking  up  for  advice  and  protection. 
Between  hope  and  fear,  and  in  conclusion,  a  dance  commenced. 
While  in  this  situation  fresh  runners  arrive,  declaring  it  to  be  a  house  of 
various  colours  and  crowded  with  living  creatures.  It  now  appears  to  be 
certain  that  it  is  the  great  Mannitto  bringing  them  some  kind  of  game 
such  as  they  had  not  seen  before  ;  but  other  runners  soon  after  arriving 
declare  it  a  large  house  of  various  colors,  full  of  people  of  a  different 
color  than  they  (the  Indians)  are  of;  that  they  were  also  dressed  in  a  dif- 
ferent manner  from  them,  and  that  one  in  particular  was  dressed  altogether 
in  red,  which  must  be  the  Mannitto  himself.1 

"  They  are  soon  hailed  from  the  vessel,  though  in  a  language  they  do 
not  understand  ;  yet  they  shout  (or  yell)  in  their  way.  Many  are  for  running 
off  to  the  woods,  but  are  pressed  by  the  others  to  stay,  in  order  not  to 
give  offense  to  their  visitors,  who  could  find  them  out  and  might  destroy 
them.  The  house  (or  large  canoe,  as  some  will  have  it)  stops,  and  a 
smaller  canoe  comes  ashore  with  the  red  man  and  some  others  in  it ;  some 
stay  by  this  canoe  to  guard  it.  The  chiefs  and  wise  men  (or  councillors) 
had  composed  a  large  circle,  unto  which  the  red-clothed  man  with  two 
others  approach.  He  salutes  them  with  friendly  countenance,  and  they 
return  the  salute  after  their  manner.  They  are  lost  in  admiration,  both  as 
to  the  color  of  the  skin  (of  these  whites)  as  also  their  manner  of  dress,  yet 
most  as  to  the  habit  of  him  who  wore  the  red  clothes,  which  shone  with 
something  they  could  not  account  for.2  He  must  be  the  great  Mannitto, 
they  think,  but  why  should  he  have  a  white  skin  fs  A  large  hockhack4  is 
brought  forward  by  one  of  the  (supposed)  Mannitto's  servants,  and  from 
this  a  substance  is  poured  into  a  small  cup  (or  glass)  and  handed  to  the 
Mannitto.  The  (expected)  Mannitto  drinks;  has  the  glass  filled  again, 
and  hands  it  to  the  chief  next  to  him  to  drink.  The  chief  receives  the 
glass  but  only  smelleth  at  it,  and  passes  it  to  the  next  chief,  who  does  the 
same.  The  glass  thus  passes  through  the  circle  without  the  contents  being 
tasted  by  any  one ;  and  is  upon  the  point  of  being  returned  again  to  the 
red-clothed  man,  when  one  of  their  number,  a  spirited  man  and  great 
warrior,  jumps  up,  harangues  the  assembly  on  the  impropriety  of  return- 
ing the  glass  with  the  contents  in  it  ;  that  the  same  was  handed  them  by 
the  Mannitto  in  order  that  they  should  drink  it,  as  he  himself  had  done 
before  them  ;  that  this  would  please  him  ;  but  to  return  what  he  had  given 
to  them  might  provoke  him,  and  be  the  cause  of  their  being  destroyed  by 

1  Hudson  .must  have  had  on  a  suit  of  red  clothes,  as  red  suits  were  given  to  two  of  the 
native-,. 

2  Lace.  3  Their  own  expression.  4  Their  word  for  gourd,  bottle,  decanter. 


HENRY   HUDSON,   THE   NAVIGATOR  23 1 

him.  And  that,  since  he  believed  it  for  the  good  of  the  nation  that  the 
contents  offered  them  should  be  drank,  and  as  no  one  was  willing  to  drink 
it,  he  would,  let  the  consequence  be  what  it  would  ;  and  that  it  was  better 
for  one  man  to  die  than  a  whole  nation  to  be  destroyed.  He  then  took 
the  glass,  and  bidding  the  assembly  farewell,  drank  it  off.  Every  eye  was 
fixed  on  their  resolute  companion  to  see  what  effect  this  would  have  upon 
him  ;  and  he  soon  beginning  to  stagger  about,  and  at  last  dropping  to  the 
ground,  they  bemoan  him.  He  falls  into  a  sleep,  and  they  view  him  as 
expiring.  He  awakes  again,  jumps  up,  and  declares  that  he  never  felt 
himself  before  so  happy  as  after  he  had  drank  the  cup.  Wishes  for  more. 
His  wish  is  granted;  and  the  whole  assembly  soon  join  in  and  become 
intoxicated.1 

"  After  this  general  intoxication  had  ceased  (during  which  time  the  whites 
had  confined  themselves  to  their  vessel),  the  man  with  the  red  clothes  re- 
turned again  to  them  and  distributed  presents  among  them,  to  wit,  beads, 
axes,  hoes,  stockings,  etc.  They  say  that  they  had  become  familiar  to  each 
other,  and  were  made  to  understand  by  signs;  that  they  would  now  return 
home,  but  would  visit  them  next  year  again,  when  they  would  bring  them 
more  presents  and  stay  with  them  awhile;  but  that,  as  they  could  not  live 
without  eating,  they  should  then  want  a  little  land  of  them  to  sow  seeds, 
in  order  to  raise  herbs  to  put  in  their  broth.  That  the  vessel  arrived  the 
season  following,  and  they  were  much  rejoiced  at  seeing  each  other ;  but 
that  the  whites  laughed  at  them  (the  Indians),  seeing  they  knew  not  the 
use  of  axes,  hoes,  etc.,  they  had  given  them,  they  having  had  these  hang- 
ing to  their  breasts  as  ornaments ;  and  the  stockings  they  had  made  use  of 
as  tobacco  pouches.  The  whites  now  put  handles  (or  helves)  in  the  former, 
and  cut  trees  down  before  their  eyes,  and  dug  the  ground,  and  showed 
them  the  use  of  the  stockings.  Here  (say  they)  a  general  laughter  ensued 
among  them  (the  Indians),  that  they  had  remained  for  so  long  a  time 
ignorant  of  the  use  of  so  valuable  implements;  and  had  borne  with  the 
weight  of  such  heavy  metal  hanging  to  their  necks  for  such  a  length  of 
time.  They  took  every  man  they  saw  for  a  Mannitto,  yet  inferior  and  at- 
tendant to  the  Supreme  Mannitto,  to  wit,  to  the  one  which  wore  the  red 
and  laced  clothes.  Familiarity  daily  increasing  between  them  and  the 
whites,  the  latter  now  proposed  to  stay  with  them,  asking  them  only  for  so 
much  land  as  the  hide  of  a  bullock  would  cover  (or  encompass),  which  hide 
was  brought  forward  and  spread  on  the  ground  before  them.     That  they 

1  The  Delawares  called  New  York  island  Mannahattanink,  deriving  its  name  from  this  gen- 
eral intoxication,  the  word  meaning  place  of  getieral  intoxication. 


r;j  HENRY    HUDSON,    THE   NAVIGATOR 

readily  granted  their  request;  whereupon  the  whites  took  a  knife,  and 
beginning"  at  one  place  on  this  hide,  cut  it  up  into  a  rope  not  thicker  than 
the  finger  of  a  little  child,  so  that  by  the  time  this  hide  was  cut  up  there 
was  a  great  heap.  That  this  rope  was  drawn  out  to  a  great  distance,  and 
then  brought  round  again,  so  that  both  ends  might  meet.  That  they  care- 
fully avoided  its  breaking,  and  that,  upon  the  whole,  it  encompassed  a  large 
piece  of  ground.  That  they  (the  Indians)  were  surprised  at  the  superior 
wit  of  the  whites,  but  did  not  wish  to  contend  with  them  about  a  little 
land,  as  they  had  enough.  That  they  and  the  whites  lived  for  a  long  time 
contentedly  together,  although  these  asked  from  time  to  time  more  land 
of  them  ;  and  proceeding  higher  up  the  Mahicanittuk  (Hudson  river),  they 
believed  they  would  soon  want  all  their  country,  and  which  at  this  time 
was  already  the  case." 

A  magazine  article  does  not  permit  as  full  a  description  of  the  passing 
of  the  white  man  up  "the  great  river"  as  would  be  interesting.  It  has 
always  been  a  matter  of  dispute  among  historians  just  how  far  Hudson 
explored,  Ivet's  leagues  not  having  been  found  reliable.  De  Laet  says  he 
reached  430,  which  would  be  twenty-five  miles  above  Albany.  Ivet's  jour. 
nal  would  lead  us  to  suppose  that  the  limit  was  Patroon's  island,  just 
below  Albany,  and  Brodhead  thinks  the  distance  was  beyond  Waterford. 
In  any  case,  we  are  sure  that  the  navigator  reached  that  point  now  the 
site  of  the  city  of  Hudson,  and  that  he  landed  there.  There  is  also  a 
question  as  to  whether  the  Half-Moon,  or  only  one  of  her  boats,  passed 
up  the  river  above  Poughkeepsie. 

The  Half-Moon,  says  the  historian  Lossing,  ended  its  trip  up  the 
Hudson  just  below  Albany,  but  a  boat's  crew  went  on  and  gazed  upon 
the  foaming  Cohoes  at  the  mouth  of  the  Mohawk. 

These  questions  are,  however,  of  little  importance  except  to  the  his- 
torian. Hudson,  we  know,  went  far  enough  to  assure  himself  that  his 
course  did  not  lead  to  the  South  sea  or  to  China,  a  conclusion  similar  to 
that  reached  by  the  explorer  Champlain,  who  the  same  summer  had  been 
making  his  way  south  through  Lake  Champlain  and  Lake  St.  Sacrament1 
to  the  South  sea;  and,  strangely  enough,  the  two  explorers  approached 
within  twenty  leagues  of  each  other. 

On  Wednesday,  September  23,  at  twelve  o'clock,  the  Half-Moon 
"  weighed,"  and  began  her  passage  down  the  river,  and,  on  October  4, 
"  came  out  also  of  the  great  mouth  of  the  great  river,  and  sailed  for  Trexel." 

The  Dutch  mate,  Ivet,  wanted  to  winter  in  Newfoundland,  and  the 

1  Lake  George. 


HENRY   HUDSON,    THE    NAVIGATOR  233 

crew  threatened  mutiny  if  they  were  not  taken  back  at  once  to  Europe. 
Hudson  feared  trouble,  and  wished  to  carry  the  news  of  his  discovery  at 
once  to  the  East  India  company.  After  leaving  the  Kills  a  compromise 
was  effected,  and  it  was  decided  to  make  first  for  the  British  island--. 

Ivet  gives  us  this  description  of  the  passage:  "We  continued  our 
course  toward  England  without  seeing  any  land  by  the  way  all  the  rest  of 
this  month  of  October;  and  on  the  seventh  day  of  November,  stilo  novo, 
being  Saturday,  by  the  grace  of  God,  we  safely  arrived  in  the  range  of 
Dartmouth  in  Devonshire,  in  the  year  1609."  At  last,  at  anchor  in  Dart- 
mouth* harbor,  the  crew  were  for  a  time  contented,  and  Hudson  busied 
himself  in  forwarding  his  report  and  papers  to  Amsterdam,  intending  to 
present  himself  before  the  East  India  directors  as  soon  as  possible.  But 
when  the  news  of  his  arrival  was  received  in  London,  an  order  was  issued 
forbidding  him  to  leave  the  country,  and  reminding  him  that  the  English- 
men on  the  Half-Moon  owed  their  services  to  their  own  nation.  The  obli- 
gations of  nationality  were  arbitrarily  enforced  when  any  advantage  was  to 
be  gained,  and  the  English  government  realized  too  late  how  great  had 
been  its  mistake  in  letting  "  the  bold  Englishman,  the  expert  pilot,  the 
famous  navigator,"  slip  through  their  fingers. 

When  Hudson  sent  his  report  to  Amsterdam — and  it  is  strange  that  he 
who  accomplished  so  much  for  posterity  should  have  had  so  slight  a  com- 
prehension of  the  magnitude  of  his  labors  and  discoveries — he  also  sent  a 
proposal  to  the  company  that  they  allow  him  to  change  six  or  seven  of 
his  crew  and  try  the  frozen  seas  again.  His  communication  did  not  reach 
Holland  for  several  months,  and  his  employers  were  ignorant  of  his  arrival 
in  England.  When  they  finally  learned  the  fact  they  sent  a  most  peremp, 
tory  order  for  him  to  return  with  the  Half-Moon.  He  would  have  obeyed- 
but  he  was  forcibly  detained  and  compelled  to  re-enter  the  employ  of  the 
Muscovy  company,  to  whose  efforts  his  success  seems  to  have  given  new 
energy.  There  are  few  historical  facts  better  authenticated  than  this;  yet 
there  are  English  and  American  writers  who  say  in  an  off-hand  manner 
that  Hudson  made  this  voyage  under  an  English  commission,  and  sold  his 
discoveries  to  the  Dutch.  Their  only  authority  is  an  anonymous  writer1 
who  made  the  statement  forty  years  after  Hudson's  voyage. 

The  Half-Moon  was  detained  for  months  at  Dartmouth,  and  only  per- 
mitted   to    return   to  Amsterdam    in  July  of   the   year  of   her  captain's 

:  The  supposed  author  was  Sir  Edward  Ploeyden,  an  Englishman,  who  had  been  refused  a 
patent  for  land  in  America  by  the  king;  having  procured  one  from  the  viceroy  of  Ireland,  which 
was  void  on  its  face,  his  claim  was  not  recognized  by  the  Dutch  or  the  English.  His  statement 
is  not  recognized  by  respectable  historians. 


254  HENRY    HUDSON,    THE   NAVIGATOR 

departure.  Her  crew  was  engaged  by  a  few  shrewd  Dutch  merchants  to 
guide  a  vessel  of  their  own  to  the  great  bay  and  river,  and  three  years 
later  saw  the  lonely  "  River  of  the  Mountains  "  traversed  by  the  round- 
prowed  trading  vessels  of  the  Dutch.  The  river  at  this  time  began  to  be 
called  Mauritius,  after  the  Stadtholder  Maurice  of  Orange. 

The  English  gave  it  the  name  of  Hudson's  river  by  way  of  continual 
claim,  Hudson  being  of  English  birth.  The  Dutch  insisted  that,  being  in 
their  employ,  and  expressly  to  explore,  he  was,  as  a  discoverer,  to  be  con- 
sidered as  their  subject,  and  the  case  of  Columbus  was  cited  as  a  precedent ; 
"  He  a  native  of  Genoa,  and  the  king  of  Spain  taking  to  himself  the  benefit 
of  his  discoveries,  and  none  of  the  European  powers  gainsaying  it.  Nay, 
they  seemed  wholly  to  have  overlooked  their  own  case,  their  sovereign, 
James  L,  having,  prior  to  the  voyage  of  Hudson,  granted  all  the  land 
along  the  coast  of  North  America,  between  the  thirty-fourth  and  forty- 
fifth  degrees  of  latitude,  and  one  hundred  miles  into  the  country,  to  his 
subjects,  the  patentees  of  the  North  and  South  Virginia  patents,  he  claim- 
ing it  by  the  discoveries  of  the  Venetian  Cabots." 

Hudson's  failures  only  served  to  increase  confidence  in  the  existence 
of  a  northwest  passage. 

His  last,  and  fatal  voyage,  was  undertaken  in  the  spring  of  1610,  when 
he  was  fitted  out  by  Sir  Thomas  Smith,  Sir  Dudley  Digges,  and  other 
friends.  He  sailed,  April  17,  in  the  bark  Discovery — the  same  ship  that 
took  Waymouth,  in  1602,  in  the  same  direction — with  a  crew  of  twenty- 
three  men,  and  on  June  4  came  in  sight  of  Greenland.  Proceeding  west- 
ward, he  reached,  in  sixty  degrees  of  latitude,  the  strait  bearing  his  name. 
Through  this  he  advanced  along  the  coast  of  Labrador,  which  he  named 
Nova  Britannia,  until  it  issued  into  the  vast  bay  which  is  also  named  after 
him.  He  resolved  to  winter  in  the  most  southern  part  of  it,  and  the  ship 
was  drawn  up  into  a  small  creek,  where  he  sustained  extreme  privations, 
owing  to  the  severity  of  the  climate.  Hudson,  however,  fitted  up  his 
shallop  for  further  discoveries,  but  unable  to  communicate  with  the  natives 
or  to  obtain  provisions,  with  tears  in  his  eyes  he  distributed  his  little 
remaining  bread  to  his  men,  and  prepared  to  return.  Having  a  dissatis- 
fied and  mutinous  crew,  he  imprudently  threatened  to  set  some  of  them 
ashore,  when  he  was  seized  by  a  body  of  them  at  night  and  set  adrift,  in 
his  own  shallop,  with  his  son  John  and  seven  of  the  most  infirm  of  the 
crew,  and  never  heard  of  afterwards.  A  small  part  of  the  crew,  after 
enduring  most  incredible  hardships,  arrived  at  Plymouth,  England,  in 
September,  161 1. 

The   mate,  Ivet,  who  was  the  ringleader  of  the  mutiny,   suffered  the 


HENRY    HUDSON,    THE    NAVIGATOR  235 

same  death  as  his  master — a  just  retribution  for  his  outrageous  treatment 
of  the  man  who  had  treated  him  as  a  trusted  friend. 

In  1612  an  expedition  was  fitted  out,  by  order  of  James  I.  and 
Henry,  Prince  of  Wales,  to  search  for  the  gallant  mariner  and  his  com- 
panions. 

The  command  of  the  two  ships,  the  Resolution  and  the  Discovery,  the 
latter  being  Hudson's  vessel  in  his  last  expedition,  was  given  to  Sir  Thomas 
Button,  a  gentleman  of  Prince  Henry's  household,  and  himself  an  ex- 
plorer, and  the  discoverer  of  Button's  bay.  The  expedition  returned  to 
England  in  the  autumn  of  1613,  having  failed  to  discover  any  trace  of 
Hudson  or  his  men. 

The  fate  of  the  historic  little  craft  "  de  Halve  Moon  "  can  be  soon  told. 
On  May  2,  161 1,  she  sailed  with  other  vessels  for  the  West  Indies  under 
the  command  of  Laurens  Reael,  and  on  March  6,  161 5,  was  wrecked  and 
lost  on  the  island  of  Mauritius. 

From  the  time  that  he  entered  Holland,  Hudson  always  called  it  "  the 
land  of  his  adoption,"  hence,  possibly,  the  reason  that  we  so  often  find  him 
spoken  of  as  Hendrick  Hudson.  In  the  Dutch  contract  for  his  third 
voyage  he  is  called  Henry,  but  it  has  always  been  the  practice  in  Amer- 
ica to  give  his  name  the  Dutch  etymology,  "  a  custom  more  honored  in  the 
breach  than  in  the  observance." 

The  best  authorities  assert  that  "there  is  no  portrait  of  Henry  Hudson 
in  existence,  not  even  a  contemporaneous  print  of  doubtful  authenticity." 
This  is  the  more  remarkable  as  he  was  an  intimate  friend  of  Hendrick 
Hondius,  the  engraver,  and  he  lived  in  an  age  when  it  was  quite  the 
fashion  to  preserve  the  pictures  of  celebrities. 

We  must  fall  back  on  the  fanciful  pen-picture  of  the  man  who  thanked 
God  that  he  was  born  on  the  banks  of  the  Hudson  river,  our  old  friend 
Diedrich  Knickerbocker  : 

"  Hendrick  Hudson  was  a  seafaring  man  of  renown,  who  had  learned 
to  smoke  tobacco  under  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  and  is  said  to  be  the  first  to 
introduce  it  into  Holland,  which  gained  him  great  popularity  in  that 
country,  and  caused  him  to  find  great  favor  in  the  eyes  of  their  High 
Mightinesses,  the  Lords  States  General,  and  also  of  the  Honorable  West 
India  company.  He  was  a  short,  square,  brawny  old  gentleman,  with  a 
double  chin,  a  mastiff  mouth,  and  a  broad  copper  nose,  which  was  sup- 
posed in  those  days  to  have  acquired  its  fiery  hue  from  the  constant 
neighborhood  of  his  tobacco  pipe.  He  wore  a  true  Andrea  Ferrara,  tucked 
in  a  leathern  belt,  and  a  commodore's  cocked  hat  on  one  side  of  his  head. 
He  was  remarkable  for  always  jerking  up  his  breeches  when  giving  his 


2$6  HENRY    HUDSON,    THE    NAVIGATOR 

orders  :  and  his  voice  sounded  not  unlike  the  brattling  of  a  tin  trumpet, 
owing  to  the  number  of  hard  north-westers  which  he  had  swallowed  in  the 
course  of  his  seafaring  life." 

Hudson's  element  was  the  sea,  his  pride  to  brave  its  dangers,  his  am- 
bition the  glory  of  achieving  what  so  many  had  lost  their  lives  in  attempt- 
ing. "  He  suddenly  appeared  before  the  world  in  the  vigor  and  maturity 
of  unpretending  merit,  deriving  no  claims  from  birth,  self-taught,  self- 
educated,  self-sustaining.  Having  no  distinction  from  aristocracy  of  fam- 
ily, Hudson  was  the  sole  architect  of  his  celebrity,  and  we  see  how  daz- 
zling was  his  career."  Like  a  meteor  he  flashed  upon  the  world,  eager  for 
exploration,  his  origin  and  his  death  being  left  to  surmise. 

He  was  deservedly  a  favorite  with  a  large  portion  of  the  British  public. 
The  English  long  regretted  the  loss  of  their  countryman,  whose  achieve- 
ments as  a  navigator  had  reflected  honor  on  a  nation  already  distinguished 
for  its  illustrious  seamen. 

Hudson's  personal  qualities,  displayed  during  his  fourth  voyage,  at 
times  which  were  calculated  to  try  character,  will  ever  be  contemplated 
with  admiration  and  pleasure  ;  but  to  the  citizens  of  the  state  of  New 
York  the  character  of  this  heroic  navigator  should  be  peculiarly  the  theme 
of  eulogium.  He  was  not  faultless,  but  no  record  imputes  to  his  conduct 
any  crime,  or  willful  vice  ;  but  he  had  at  times  that  irritability  which  is  so 
peculiarly  the  trait  of  those  whose  lives  are  passed  on  the  ocean.  But  few, 
who  have  so  conflicted  with  its  dangers,  and  at  the  same  time  combated 
with  mutinous  crews,  could  have  preserved  presence  of  mind,  exercised 
moderation,  and  displayed  magnanimity  in  a  more  exalted  manner  than 
Hudson.  There  seem  to  be  only  two  occasions  when  his  conduct  could 
be  severely  criticised,  the  one  when  he  allowed  his  crew  to  attack  the 
Indians  at  Sagadahoc,  and  the  other  when  he  supplied  the  natives  of  the 
valley  of  the  Hudson  with  aqua  vit<z;  but  his  faults,  whatever  they  were, 
are  eclipsed  by  the  splendor  of  his  virtues. 

Possibly  the  time  may  come  when  the  noble  river  which  he  discovered 
shall  show  upon  its  banks  some  monument  to  commemorate  his  memory, 
and  hand  down  his  name  to  posterity  ;  in  any  case  his  merits  can  well  be 
reiterated  with  increased  praise  at  this  particular  time,  and  with  the  name 
of  Columbus  let  New  York  associate  that  of  Henry  Hudson. 

"  Fearless  and  firm,  he  never  quailed, 
Nor  turned  aside  for  threats,  nor  failed 

To  do  the  thing  he  undertook. 
How  wise,  how  brave,  how  well, 
He  bore  himself,  let  history  tell." 


INDEX 


ACADIA,  108;  Claude  and  Charles 
la  Tour  came  to,  1609,  no. 

Adams,  John  Quincy,  dramatic  end- 
ing of  his  career,  by  R.  C.  Win- 
throp,  394. 

Alabama,  colored  literary  and  his- 
torical society  organized  January 
2,  1893  !  fifst  paper  to  be  read  on 
"  Nature,  Necessity,  and  Object  of 
such  Society,"  285. 

Alamo,  siege  and  slaughter  of,  239 ; 
hymn  of  the,  by  R.  M.  Potter, 
242,  296  ;  defense  of,  281-2. 

Alaska,  administration  in,  by  L.  F. 
Bower,  390. 

Alexander,  Sir  Wm.,  Earl  of  Ster- 
ling, his  powers,  in. 

Allaben,  A.  E.,  La  Tour  and  Acadia 
in  the  Suffolk  deeds,  108. 

Alleghanies,  settlements  west  of,  332. 

America,  naming  of,  by  J.  A.  Bald- 
win, 72  ;  theory  of  its  population 
across  Bering  Strait,  410  ;  George 
III.,  proclamation  against  rebels 
of,  514  ;  fac-simile  of,  516. 

American  college,  first  attempt  to 
found,  367. 

American  history,  fountain-heads 
of,  388 ;  study  of,  540 ;  officers 
prisoners  of  war  on  L.  I.,  163. 

Anderson,  Major  Robert,  and  Fort 
Sumter,  196;  dispatch  of  the  fall 
of  Sumter,  198. 

Andre,  Major,  traditions  while  on 
Long  Island  in  1780,  522-3  ;  men- 
tioned, 539-40. 

Andros,  Sir  Edmund,  arrives  at 
Castine,  Me.,  1688,  and  demands 
its  surrender,  26. 

Arbuthnot,  Admiral,  on  privateers, 
248. 

Archdale,  John,  and  some  of  his 
descendants,  by  Stephen  B.  Weeks, 
!57  ?  governor-general  of  Caro- 
lina, 1695,  157  ;  pub.  in  London, 
1707,  a  description  of  Carolina, 
160. 

Arnold's  raid  on  Connecticut 
avenged,  393. 

Artois,  Count  of,  445  ;  plot  to  assas- 
sinate Bonaparte,  449  ;  becomes 
Charles  X.,  452. 

Association  of  American  authors, 
January  meeting,  review  of  late 
meeting  in  Boston,  the  mooted 
"  stamp "  plan  discussed  at 
length,  committees  appointed, 
187. 

Astor  library,  by  F.  Saunders,  view, 
150  ;  opened  January  9,  1854,  153. 

Authors  and  publishers,  relations 
of,  185. 

BADLAM,  W.   H.,  on  cruise   of 
Kearsarge  and  fight  with  the 
Alabama,  292. 
Baldwin,  J.  A.,  naming  of  America, 

72. 
Ballad    and    sonnet,    prize    compe- 
tition, 415. 

Vol.  XXIX.— No.  5--35 


Baltimore,    Columbus    celebration, 

1792,  527. 
Bancroft,  George,  library,  184. 
Barlow,  Joel,   vision  of  Columbus, 

Bartlett,  John  R.,  on  Columbus's 
birthplace,  15  ;  portrait,  15. 

Bassett,  J.  S.,  a  North  Carolina 
monastery,  131. 

Beardslee,  W.  A.,  first  attempt  to 
found  an  American  college,  367. 

Behring  sea  arbitration,  183. 

Behring  strait,  population  of  Amer- 
ica across,  410. 

Belknap,  Jeremy,  organized  Mass. 
Historical  Society,  1790,  2  ;  ad- 
dress at  first  Columbian  celebra- 
tion in  Mass.,  1792.  5;  sent  Mr. 
Pintard  an  Eliot's  Indian  Bible, 
1790,  3. 

Benedictine,  first  one  in  United 
States  in  1842,  132. 

Bennington  monument,  293. 

Berkshire  Historical  Society,  Feb- 
ruary meeting  at  Pittsfield,  ad- 
dress by  Prof.  John  Bascom  on 
Mark  Hopkins,  401. 

Besant,  Walter,  London,  noticed,  77. 

Beverly  Historical  Society,  held  an 
interesting  meeting,  Columbus 
and  other  topics  being  discussed, 
steps  taken  to  secure  a  desirable 
room,  401. 

Bibliography  of  Wisconsin  authors, 
293- 

Blackhawk's  farewell  speech,  40. 

Blair,  James,  commissary  of  Vir- 
ginia. 506  ;  his  opinion  of  Nichol- 
son—he governs  us  as  if  we  were 
galley  slaves,  511. 

Book,  a  perfect  book  never  yet 
been  printed,  192. 

Bradford.  Wm.,  200th  anniversary 
by  N.  Y.  Historical  Society,  534. 

Brinley,  Chas.  A.,  citizenship  and 
the  schools,  541. 

British  plot  discovered  at  Frederick, 
Md.,  to  seize  Fort  Pitt  to  liberate 
British  prisoners,  etc.,  532. 

Briton,  under  the  caption  of,  189. 

Broadhead,  G.  C,  settlements  west 
of  Alleghanies  prior  to  1776,  332. 

Broadway,  New  York,  in  1892,  68. 

Brooks,  Phillips,  Bp.,  obituary,  188. 

Brower,  J.  V.,  the  Mississippi 
river  and  its  source,  noticed,  186. 

Brown,  Alexander,  account  of  two 
manuscript  volumes  in  library  of 
congress,  371. 

Brown,  John,  what  support  did  he 
rely  upon  ?  348  ;  facsimile  letter 
of,  359 ;  reference  to,  541  ;  his 
daughter  Sarah,  297  ;  letter  of,  533. 

Browning  the  poet,  184. 

Buffalo  Historical  Society,  January 
meeting,  bequests  of  J.  Scoville 
and  Wm.  Moffatt,  gift  from  H.  F. 
Glowacki  of  Batavia  of  origi- 
nal title  deeds,  etc.,  of  Holland 
Land  Company,  290. 


Burgoyne's  surrender,  an  eye  wit- 
ness of,  279. 

Bushnells  submarine  torpedo,  262- 
65. 

Butler,  B.  F.,  the  flag  he  raised  over 
the  New  Orleans  custom  house, 
285. 

CALIFORNIA  Historical  Soci- 
ety, January  meeting,  election 
of  directors,  paper  read  on  early 
California  schools,  285. 

California  in  paragraphs,  by  C.  L. 
Norton,  61  ;  in  civil  war.  by  F.  K. 
Upton,  387  ;  files  of  southern  Cali- 
fornia newspapers,  285  ;  crossing 
the  plains,  etc.,  399. 

Calonne,  French  minister  of  finance, 

Campbell,  Douglas,  autograph  let- 
ter from  W.  E.  Gladstone  on  read- 
ing his  "  Puritan  in  Holland, 
etc.,"  181. 

Canada,  the  oldest  bell  in,  64  ;  com- 
mittee to  effect  a  union  with 
American  colonies  in  1776,  B. 
Franklin,  Samuel  Chase,  and 
Charles  Carroll,  532. 

Canada  Numismatic  and  Antiqua- 
rian Society,  a  paper  on  the  "Early 
Currency  of  Maryland  and  Early 
Trade  of  Wisconsin,"  538. 

Carlyle,  Thomas,  184,  189. 

Carolina,  John  Archdale,  governor- 
general,  1695,  157  ;  he  published  in 
London,  1707,  a  description  of 
Carolina,  160 ;  Cary  rebellion, 
1707-11.  161. 

Carrying-trade,  increase  of,  422. 

Cartier's  voyage  in  1534,  188. 

Cary  rebellion  in  N.  Carolina, 
1707-n,  161. 

Castine,  Me.,  the  story  of.  21  ; 
its  early  history,  22  ;  street  scene 
(view)  in  1892,  23  :  named  after 
Jean  Vincent  de  St.  Castin,  24; 
Gov.  Andros  demands  its  surren- 
der, 26  ;  ceded  to  the  English,  26. 

Cathedral  of  St.  John  the  Divine, 
by  Allan  Grant,  172. 

Catholics,  Old  Catholics  of  Italian 
revolution,  by  Wm.  C.  Langdon, 

73- 

Chamber  of  Commerce  organized, 
1768;  incorporated  by  legislature, 
1784,  312;  on  privateers,  248-50. 

Chambers,  Henry  E.,  how  to  study 
United  States  history.  37. 

Charles  X.,  440-58. 

Charleston  harbor,  called  "  Rebel- 
lion Roads  "  by  the  English,  1806, 
424. 

Charnisay,  d'Aulnay  de,  perfidy  to 
Lady  La  Tour,  120  ;  death  of,  123  ; 
account  of,  276-79. 

Chester,  Rebecca,  of  Groton,  394. 

Chicago  Historical  Society,  Mar- 
shall Field  presented  a  valuable 
collection  of  historical  documents, 
286. 


INDEX 


'.   church.   Boston,  signal  light 

Christmas  sentiments.  18. 

DShip  and  the  schools,  by 
Charles  A.  Brinley,  541. 

Goa      George,   death   and 
funeral  oi,  4;;. 
Coal,  price  of  in  1803,  297. 

grswell,   Dr.,    librarian  of  Astor 
library.  151-55. 

_e.  tirst  attempt  to  found  an 
American  college,  bv  Wm.  A. 
Beardslee,    367;    first'  periodical, 

Colonial  era.  the.  by  G.  P.  Fisher. 
noticed,  101. 

Colonial  society  of  Massachusetts, 
first  stated  meeting,  paper  on 
historical  work  in  Mass..  by  An- 
drew McF.  Davis,  revival  of  the 
Lady  Mowlson  scholarship  at 
Harvard,  the  first  of  the  sort  in 
this  country,  1643,  403. 

Colorado,  by  C.  L.  Norton.  271. 

Columbian  picture  gallery.  14. 

Columbian  celebration  of  1792,  the 
tirst  in  the  United  States,  by  E. 
F.  de  Lance y ,  1  :  originated  in 
X.  Y.,  1 ;  first' in  Mass..  1792,  4. 

Columbus,  illuminated  monument 
in  honor  of,  5  ;  description  and 
inscriptions  on,  8,  9  ;  dinner  in 
honor  of,  at  Tammany  Wigwam, 
6  ;  early  works  on.  12-13  ;  oration 
on,  by  Rev.  E.  Winchester,  1792, 
13  ;    ancient   portrait,    14  ;    birth- 

Elace  and  early  life,  16  ;  in  poetry, 
y  E.  Lawrence,  72  ;  letter  on  dis- 
covery of  America.  79. 

Columbus,  character  of,  189  ;  alle- 
gorical drawing  by,  267  ;  facsimile 
of.  268 ;  discussed.  289 ;  monu- 
ment in  Baltimore,  1792,  400 ; 
searching  for  relics  of,  409  ;  cele- 
bration in  Baltimore,  1792,  527; 
voyage  in  1493.  188. 

Commerce,  revolutionary  troubles 
and,  by  J.  A.  Stevens,  243  ;  world 
of,  408. 

Concord  monument,  hymn  to,  by 
Emerson.  266. 

Connecticut  Historical  Society.  Feb- 
ruary meeting,  paper  on  descrip- 
tion of  treasures  in  its  possession, 
398  :  application  to  legislature  for 
appropriation,  398 ;  tape  printed 
with  Prof.  Morse's  first  tele- 
graphic message,  and  identical 
flag  that  Gen.  Butler  raised  over 
New  Orleans  custom-house,  285  ; 
$1,000  by  the  state  annually  for 
compilation  and  publication  of 
documents,  530. 

Connecticut,  early  medicine  and 
early  medical  men  in,  by  G.  W. 
Russell,  noticed,  79  ;  East  India 
Company,  or  story  of  Wyoming, 
398  :  Arnold  s  raid  avenged,  393. 

Connecticut  Valley  Historical  Soci- 
ety (Springfield),  on  payment  of 
$50  for  life  membership  to  society 
should  inure,  upon  death,  to  old- 
est son  or  daughter,  letter  from 
John  Brown  was  read,  533. 

Constitutional  convention,  1787, 
327. 

Constitution  ('frigate),  launch  of. 
518  :  (.-scape  from  the  British,  518. 

Continental  army,  officers  of,  295. 

Cornbury.  Lord,  500. 

Cornwallia  surrendered  Yorktown 
0<  t.,  1781,  385. 


Cotton  industries,  53S. 

"  Cousin."  whether  used  in  16th 
and  17th  centuries  for  nephew  or 
niece.  184. 

Crandall.  W.  I.,  an  incident  in  the 
life  of  Webster,  252. 

Crown  Point  and  Ticonderoga  ex- 
pedition, 1759.  395- 

Curtain  is  the  picture,  69. 

Curtis,  Wm.  G.,  United  States  his- 
torical exhibit  at  Madrid.  180. 


DARLING,  Gen.  C.  W.,  early 
history  of  first  Presbyterian 
church  in  Whitestown.  Oneida 
Co.,N.  Y.,  535. 

Daves,  Edward  G..  Raleigh's  new 
fort  in  Virginia,  1585,  459. 

Davis.  A.  McF.,  classified  list  of 
historical  societies  in  Massachu- 
setts, 532. 

Davis,  Eugene,  Blackhawk's  fare- 
well speech,  40. 

Davis,  R.  H.,  defense  of  the  Ala- 
mo, 281-2. 

Dawson,  Sir  J.  W.,  Indian  names, 
183. 

Dedharn  Historical  Society,  annual 
meeting  in  March,  election  of 
officers,  reports.  403  ;  Historical 
Register,  Vol.  IV.,  295. 

De  Lancey  house,  afterwards 
Fraunce's  tavern,  10. 

Delaware  Historical  Society,  Feb- 
ruary meeting,  action  on  death  of 
ex-Chief  Justice  Joseph  P.  Com- 
egys,  398- 

Detroit,  surrender  of.  by  Gen. 
Hull,  398. 

Diodati,  Count  Jules,  sketch  of,  with 
portrait,  by  F.  D.  Thompson,  60. 

Dix,  Gen.  John  A.,  history  of  the 
famous  dispatch,  ''If  any  one  at- 
tempts to  haul  down  the  American 
flag*  shoot  him  on  the  spot,1'  with 
fac-simile,  194-5. 

Dress  worn  in  N.  Y. 


city  in  1789, 


104. 


Duane,  James,  sketch  of,  89. 
Du  Chaillu's  historical  novel,  183. 
Dustin,   Hannah,    captured    by   In- 
dians, 50. 


EDWARDS,  Amelia  B.,  queen  of 
Egyptology,  noticed,  79. 

Egyptology,  queen  of,  79. 

Elements  of  sea  power,  by  Capt. 
Mahan,  52. 

Eliot's  Indian  Bible,  3. 

Elizabeth,  Queen,  a  glance  at  the 
age  of,  32. 

Emancipation  of  slaves  in  New 
York,  314. 

Embargo  on  shipping,  246 ;  Col. 
Wm.  Tryon  against  it,  246. 

Emerson,  hymn  to  Concord  monu- 
ment, 266. 

Ephrata  house  at  Nazareth,  Pa., 
407. 

Erikson,  Leif,  claimant  for  discov- 
ering America,  297. 

Estrem,  A.,  statesmanship  of  Wil- 
liam H.  Seward,  noticed,  79. 

Ex-Confederate  Historical  and  Be- 
nevolent Association,  February 
meeting  at  St.  Louis,  treasury  in  a 
healthy  condition,  member  depu- 
ted to  find  the  St.  Louisan  who 
was  with  Jefferson  Dc'vis  when  he 
was  captured,  404. 


FAIR  in  Rochester,  1841  or  2,  252  ; 
Daniel  Webster  orator  of,  253. 

Fairfield  County  Historical  Society, 
meeting  in  March  at  Bridgeport, 
paper  on  Connecticut's  East  India 
Company,  or  the  story  of  Wyo- 
ming, 398 

Fall  River,  cotton  industries  in,  538. 

Farragut,  Admiral,  by  Capt.  A.  T. 
Mahan,  noticed,  301;  midshipman 
on  Essex.  1812,  438. 

Federal  Constitution  procession  in 
N.  Y.,  330. 

Fisher,  George  Park,  colonial  era, 
noticed,  191. 

Fisheries,  420. 

Fiske,  Prof.,  on  Gen.  Charles  Lee, 
288,  393. 

Fitchburg  Historical  Society,  Janu- 
ary meeting,  pay  for  clothing  from 
colony  of  Mass.  Bay,  1776,  288  ; 
March  meeting,  old  resident  now 
in  Colorado,  his  recollections  of 
town    in    boyhood,   war  of   1812, 

x^533'       , 

Flag  of  truce  at  surrender  of  Gen. 
Lee,  297. 

Florida,  along  the  Florida  reef,  by 
C.  F.  Holder,  noticed,  76. 

Florida,  South  Florida  Historical 
and  Archaeological  Society  (Or- 
lando), an  effort  to  resuscitate  it, 
531- 

Ford,  W.  C,  a  sketch  of  Sir  Francis 
Nicholson,  499. 

Fort  Ancient,  291. 

Fort  Pitt,  532. 

Fort  Harmer,  signing  treaty  at,  291. 

Fort  Sumter,  Major  Anderson  and, 
196  ;  fall  of,  198. 

Fountain-heads  of  American  his- 
tory, 388. 

Farmington,  Conn.,  resolutions  of, 
1774,  521. 

France  declares  war  with  Great 
Britain,  421. 

Franklin,  did  he  smoke,  69;  ob- 
jected to  adoption  of  eagle  as  em- 
blem of  his  country,  490  ;  commis- 
sion from  congress,  532. 

Franklin,  B.,  Saml.  Chase  and 
Charles  Carroll,  committee  in  1776 
to  Canada,  532. 

Fraunce's  tavern,  10  ;  view  of,  13. 

Frederick  County  Historical  Society 
(Frederick),  March  meeting,  ex- 
hibited the  original  commission 
on  parchment,  given  by  congress 
in  1776  to  B.  Franklin,  Saml. 
Chase,  and  Charles  Carroll  of 
Carrollton,  committee  to  go  to 
Canada,  532  ;  organized,  287. 

Free   trade  and   sailors'  rights.  436. 

French  officers  gracefully  yielded 
supremacy  of  rank,  385. 

French  war  and  the  Revolution,  by 
Wm.  M.  Sloane,  noticed,  413  ;  Rev- 
olution, 446. 

Freneau,  Philip,  his  poems  on  Co- 
lumbus, 12. 

GALLATIN,   Albert,  on    profits 
of  glass  made  by  his  fi^rn,  297. 
Gam  brail,    Rev.    Dr.,   early   Mary- 
land, 183. 
Gardiners  of  East  Hampton,  L.  I., 

522-3. 
Genoa,  description  of,  15;  view  of, 

George  III.'s  proclamation  against 
the  rebels  of  America,  514;  fac- 
simile of,  516. 


[NDEX 


547 


Georgia  Historical  Society,  Febru- 
ary meeting,  election  of  Gen. 
H.  R.  Jackson,  for  president,  re- 
ports of  officers,  398. 

German  Historical  Society  of  Mary- 
land, February  (annual)  meeting, 
presented  nth  a  German  book 
printed  in  Philadelphia  in  1705  (it 
has  eighty  members),  401. 

Giddings,  H.  A.,  the  ride  of  Paul 
Revere,  360. 

Gladstone,  W.  E.,  an  autograph 
letter  from,  to  Douglas  Camp- 
bell, October,  1892,  181. 

Glass,  price  of  window  glass  in  1797, 
297. 

Goblet  made  from  head  of  the  mace 
used  by  royal  governors  of  Vir- 
ginia, 520. 

Gordy,  Wilbur  F.,  a  pathfinder  in 
American  history,  noticed,  544. 

Grant,  Allan,  the  cathedral  of  St. 
John  the  Divine,  172. 

Grape,  the  Scuppernong  grape  of 
North  Carolina,  462. 

Grasse,  Count  de,  assists  Lafayette, 
385  ;  his  fleet  of  twenty-eight'ships 
and  six  frigates,  386. 

Great  Britain,  second  war  with, 
419  ;  France  declares  war  with, 
421  ;  on  international  maritime 
law,  425. 

Green,  Israel,  first  suggested  the 
name  of  A.  Lincoln  for  President, 
282. 

Grenville,  Sir  Richard,  expedition 
to  Virginia,  463  ;  death,  464. 

Griffin,  Cyrus,  president  of  con- 
gress, sketch,  99. 

HAKLUYT  Society's  early  Ma- 
ryland, by  Rev.  Dr.  Gam- 
brail,  183. 

Halifax,  log  of  a  privateer  of,  1757, 
407. 

Hamilton,  Alexander,  90;  engaged 
to  Betsey  Schuyler,  91. 

Hammond,  Mrs.  L.  M.,  history  of 
Madison  county,  N.  Y.,  442-4. 

Harford  County  Historical  Society, 
January  meeting  at  Bel  Air,  dona- 
tions by  President  Gilman,  401. 

Harland,  Marion,  story  of  Mary 
Washington,  noticed,  76. 

Harper's  Ferry,  John  Brown's  raid, 
348  ;  what  support,  348. 

Harrison.  President,  proclamation 
on  the  death  of  ex-President 
Hayes,  174. 

Harrison,  Mrs.  President,  memorial 
to,  68-9. 

Harrison,  Richard,  sketch  of,  89. 

Hayes,  Rutherford  B.,  President 
Harrison's  proclamation  on  the 
death  of,  174 ;  Gov.  McKinley's 
proclamation  on,  175  ;  funeral  of, 

Heckwelder,  Johanna,  the  first  white 
woman  born  on  Ohio  soil,  406. 

Heitman,  F.  B.,  historical  register 
of  officers  of  continental  army, 
notice  of,  295. 

Henchman,  Capt.  Daniel,  instruc- 
tions, 1676,  187. 

Henrico,  Va.,  first  college  in,  367  ; 
destroyed,  1622,  369. 

Hepburn,  Geo.  G.,  a  glance  at  the 
age  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  32. 

Herkimer,  Gen.  Nicholas,  monu- 
ment, 291. 

Hey  wood,  James,  and  the  British 
soldier  at  battle  of  Lexington,  392. 


Holder,  C.  F.,  along  the  Florida 
reef,  noticed,  76. 

Holland  Land  Company,  title  deeds, 
etc.,  291. 

Holly  song,  the,  18. 

Hopkins,  Mark,  address  on, by  Prof. 
John  Hascom,  401. 

Hopkins,  Mrs.  T.  E.,  reminiscences 
of  Rochester  female  seminary,  72. 

"  Horse  Shoe  Robinson"  (conclud- 
ing chapter,  continued  from  page 
468],  42. 

Houston,  Gen.  Sam.,  239-40. 

Howard,  Gen.  O.  O.,  the  great  com- 
mander series,  Gen.  Taylor, 
noticed,  192. 

Huguenot  Society  of  America,  De- 
cember meeting,  letter  read  from 
Hon.  John  Jay,  74  ;  reception  held, 
74  ;  lecture  on  the  moon  and  plan- 
ets, with  views,  by  Prof.  J.  K. 
Rees,  74  ;  badge  presented  to 
every  one  present,  by  Mrs.  Ander- 
son, 74;  on  death  of  Martha  J. 
Lamb,  296. 

Huguenots  of  New  Jersey,  186. 

Hull,  Capt., of  the  Constitution,  cap- 
tures the  Guerriere,  Capt.  Dacres, 
with  267  prisoners,  439  ;  voted  the 
freedom  of  city  01  New  York, 
43Q  • 

Hurlbut,  John,  journal  of  a  colonial 
soldier,  diary  of  the  expedition 
against  Crown  Point  and  Ticon- 
deroga  in  1759,  395. 

Hurst,  T.  M.,  battle  of  Shiloh,  408. 

Hyde  Park  Historical  Society,  Jan- 
uary meeting,  committee  ap- 
pointed on  celebration  of  the  25th 
anniversary  of  the  town,  in  April, 
401. 

TMPRESSMENT  of  seamen,  246, 

1  422,  436. 

Indians,  medals,  65-6  ;  Hannah  Dus- 
tin's  capture,  50. 

Indian  word  of  Missouri,  299  ;  skele- 
tons, 411. 

Indians  of  New  Jersey,  Wm.  Nelson, 
290  j  names,  by  Dawson,  183; 
Quinnipiac  Indians,  530;  Iroquois, 
260  ;  Wayne's  treaty,  406. 

Inglis,  Rev.  Charles,  with  portrait, 
short  sketch,  309. 

Iowa  Historical  Society,  board  of 
trustees  of  the  Iowa  historical  col- 
lection have  decided  to  revive 
their  publication  of  annals  erf 
Iowa,  first  number  to  be  issued 
in  February.  399  ;  printing  press 
curio,  a  funeral  notice,  399  ;  addi- 
tion has  been  made  to  the  Aldrich 
collection,  399. 

Iowa,  Adams  Co..  pit  discovered 
with  skeletons  and  tomahawks, 
411  ;  annals  of,  399. 

Iron,  the  first  iron  industry  in 
America,  66. 

Iroquois  Indians,  260 

Irving,  Leonard,  do  we  know 
George  Washington  ?  222  :  his- 
torical novel  and  American  his- 
tory, 338. 

JACKSON,  Gen.  Andrew,  an  inci- 
dent in  his  career,  19  ;  financial 
policy,  543  ;  life,  by  James  Parton, 
noticed,  542. 
Jay,  John,  sketch  and  birthplace  of, 
87 ;  residence  on  Broadway,  N.  Y., 
88. 
Jay,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John,  as  host  and 


hostess  at  dinners,  81  ;  residence 
in  Paris,  85. 

Jay,  Mrs.  John,  list  of  names  who 
attended  her  dinners  and  socia- 
bles, with  sketches.  8',. 

Jefferson,  letter  of  Luzerne  to,  1781, 
381. 

Jefferson  County  Historical  Society, 
trying  to  erect  a  building.  290. 

Johnston,  H.  P.,  Sergeant  Lee's  ex- 
perience with  Bushnell's  subma- 
rine torpedo  in  1776,  262;  X.  Y. 
after  Revolution,  1783-9,  305. 

Jumel,  Madame,  mansion,  178. 

KANSAS  Historical  Society, 
eighth  biennial  report,  286 ; 
endeavors  to  provide  suitable 
quarters,  400. 

Kearsargc  and  the  Alabama,  cruise 
and  right,  292. 

Kemble,  F'anny,  obituary,  1S8. 

Kennedy,  John  P.,  sketch  of,  his 
works,  wrote  the  fourth  chapter 
second  volume  of  Virginians  for 
Thackeray,  48  :  how  he  came  to 
write  "  Horse  Shoe  Robmson,"'  49. 

King  Hendrick,  68. 

Kings  College  changed  to  Colum- 
bia, May  1,  1784,  315. 

King's  Mountain,  battle  of .  4  3 ;  Philip 
Lindsay,  45. 

LADIES'  Historical  Society  of 
Washington,  attention  to  Scan- 
dinavian history  and  mythology, 
286. 

Lamar,  L.  Q.  C,  obituary,  188. 

Lamb,  Mrs.  Martha  J.,  sketch  of, 
by  Daniel  Van  Pelt,  portrait,  126.; 
resolutions  on,  by  colonial  dames 
of  America,  283,  292,  204,  296 ; 
sketch,  by  E.  W.  Whittaker.  404; 
as  a  literary  worker,  409  ;  earliest 
successful  literary  effort,  540,  188. 

Lander,  E.  T..  the  great  seal  of  the 
United  States,  471. 

Lang,  Andrew,  Mary  Stuart,  189. 

Langdon,  Wm.  C,  Old  Catholics  of 
the  Italian  revolution,  73. 

Langtry,  Rev.  J.,  history  of  the 
Church  in  eastern  Canada,  no- 
ticed, 77. 

Lanier,  Sidney,  psalm  of  the  West, 
72. 

La  Tour  and  Acadia  in  the  Suffolk 
deeds,  by  A.  E.  Allaben,  108. 

^a  Tour,  Charles,  goes  to  Acadia, 
1609,  no;  lieutenant-general,  112; 
Charnisay's  intrigues  against,  113  ; 
commission  revoked,  ordered  to 
France,  refused,  113  ;  arrives  at 
Boston,  114;  articles  of  agreement, 
115;  marries  Charnisay's  widow 
to  secure  peace,  124  ;  grant  to,  119; 
mentioned,  276-79. 

La  Tour,  Lady,  secures  a  fleet  at 
Boston  to  convey  her  ani  supplies 
to  Fort  La  Tour,  117  ;  takes  com- 
mand of  the  fort  and  defeats  Char- 
nisay,  120;  his  perfidy,  120;  death 
of  Lady  La  Tour,  121. 

La  Tour,  grant  from  Sir  Wm.  Alex- 
ander to  Claude  and  Charles.  119. 

La  Tour,  Claude,  no;  goes  over  to 
the  English,  in;  returns  to  French 
allegiance,  112. 

Lawrence,  Eugene,  Columbus  in 
poetry,  72. 

Lee,  Gen.  Charles,  Prof.  John  Fiske 
on,    393 ;    the  soldier  of    fortune, 


>4« 


INDEX 


Lee.  Sergeant  Ezra,  experience 
with  Bushnell's  submarine  tor- 
pedo in  17-- 

Lee,  Gen.  R.  E..  piece  of  white  tow- 
eling used  as  flag  of  truce  at  sur- 
render of 

Leisler.  Jacob,  executed  for  treason, 
1601,  1. 

Lewis.  Morgan,  oj. 

Lexington,  instantaneous  duel  at 
battle  of,  ;or  :  James  Heywood 
and  the  British  soldier  at.  392 ; 
1  t8th  anniversary  of  battle.  554. 

Lexington  Historical  Society,  cele- 
brated uSth  anniversary  of  the 
battle  by  services  in  the  churches 
on  Sunday.  April  16th.  a  ball  on 
the  iSth,  concert  on  10th  for  school 
children,  oration  by  Hon.  A.  S. 
Rowe.  and  poem,  and  public  re- 
ception. 534. 

Libraries  :  Astor.  by  F.  Saunders, 
150  ;  Congressional,  by  A.  R.  Spof- 
ford.  492-S  ;  Bancroft*.  184. 

Lincoln.  A.,  expressions  to  Sickles 
on  the  resolutions  from  N.  Y..  199  ; 
assassinated.  219;  obsequies  in 
N.  Y.,  220  :  letter  to  his  wife  from 
City  Point.  174  :  first  suggestion 
for  President,  282. 

Lindsay.  Philip,  of  Virginia,  mor- 
tally wounded  at  King's  Moun- 
tain. 45. 

Livingston.  John,  short  sketch,  with 
portrait.  88. 

Livingston,  Robert  R.,  his  services, 
9i- 

Livingston,  Sarah  Van  Brugh,  her 
marriage  to  John  Jay,  84. 

Lodge.  Henry  Cabot,  294. 

Long  distance  rides,  183. 

Longfellow,  H.  W.,  189. 

Long  Island,  moneys  furnished  by 
Lewis  Pintard  to  Am.  officers  and 
prisoners  on,  163 ;  courtesies  be- 
tween residents  and  British 
officers.  522  ;  old  houses  in  South- 
hampton. Port  Jefferson,  and 
Southold,  528. 

Long  Island  Historical  Society, 
manuscripts  of  Wm.  Gilmore 
Simms  in,  280. 

Lotteries  in  Rhode  Island,  537. 

Louisiana  Historical  Association, 
March  meeting,  election  of  officers, 

Lowe,  Emanuel,  leader  in  the  Cary 
Rebellion  in  N.  C,  161. 

Lowell  (  Mass.),  old  residents'  histor- 
ical association  holds  quarterly 
meetings,  at  which  sketches  are 
given  of  the  lives  of  prominent 
citizens,  403. 

Loyalists  leave  New  York,  306. 

Luzerne's  letter  to  Jefferson,  1781, 
382;  facsimile  of,  384. 

MACON,  Ga..  historical  club 
formed  of  ladies  and  gentle- 
men, 398. 

Madrid.  U.  S.  historical  exhibit  at, 
180. 

Malum,  Capt.  A.  T.,  influence  of 
sea  power,  noticed,  75  :  Admiral 
larragut.  noticed,  75,  301;  ele- 
ments of  fea  power,  52. 

Maine,  Henry  C,  an  unknown 
exile  :  w;.s  he  Charles  X.?  440. 

Maine  Historical  Society,  paper  on 
pre-Columbian  discovery.  287  ; 
promised  gift  of  sword  from  Brit- 
ish brig  Boxer.  400. 


Martinique  captured  from  the 
French.  24^. 

Maryland,  proposal  to  establish  a 
state  historical  museum  in.  41  r  ; 
capital  removed  from  St.  Mary's 
to  Annapolis.  504  ;  first  provision 
for  a  free  school.  505  ;  early  cur- 
rency, 538 :  early  Maryland,  by 
Rev.  Dr.  Gambrall,  1S3. 

Maryland  Historical  Society.  Feb- 
ruary meeting,  reports  of  officers, 
besides  papers  read  at  successive 
meetings,  has  issued  2  vols,  of 
state  archives,  400  ;  March  meet- 
ing, paper  on  Columbus  monu- 
ment erected  in  Baltimore,  1792, 
400 ;  presented  with  replica  of 
bronze  work  on  monument  to 
Maryland  line  on  battlefield  of 
Guilford  Court-house,  and  oil  por- 
traits, has  portraits  of  all  its  presi- 
dents. 531  ;  organization,  287. 

Maryland  Society  of  Colonial  Wars, 
organized  in  Baltimore  in  March, 
53i- 

Massachusetts  Bay  Colony,  letter 
asking  pay  for  clothing  of  the 
colony,  288. 

Massachusetts,  classified  list  of  his- 
torical societies  in,  by  A.  McF. 
Davis,  532  ;  apathy  toward  war  of 
1812,  533. 

Massachusetts  Society,  the,  organ- 
ized in  Boston,  January,  1893, 
288. 

Massachusetts  Society  of  Sons  of  the 
Am.  Revolution,  April  meeting, 
continuing  the  marking  of  historic 
spots,  etc.,  534. 

Massachusetts  Historical  Society, 
organized  1790,  2  ;  the  first  in 
America,  2  ;  by  bequest  of  R.  C. 
Waterston  receives  $40,000,  and 
after  his  widow's  death  his  books, 
MSS.,  autographs,  etc.,  53^. 

Massachusetts  Historical  Society, 
January  stated  meeting,  notice  of 
death  of  Dr.  F.  E.  Oliver,  three 
unpublished  letters  read,  a  paper 
on  voyage  of  Columbus  in  1493, 
and  voyage  of  Cartier  in  1534,  by 
Justin  Winsor,  instructions  to 
Capt.  Henchman  in  May,  1676,  187. 
February  meeting,  presented  with 
a  silver  watch  once  owned  by 
Cotton  Mather  and  an  original 
miniature  of  Increase  Mather,  sent 
*by  Mrs.  Elizabeth  A.  B.  Ellis,  a 
lineal  descendant  of  Cotton 
Mather,  402 ;  Reminiscences  of 
Bishop  Brooks,  402. 

Mather,  Cotton,  silver  watch  once 
owned  by  him,  402. 

Mather,  Increase,  original  miniature 
of,  402. 

Mayes,  Wm.  H..  the  struggle  of 
Texas  for  independence,  235. 

McLean  County,  111.,  Historical 
Society,  March  meeting  at  Bloom- 
ington,  several  papers  read,  one 
on  "Sports  and  Amusements  of 
the  Pioneers,"  and  another  on 
"Experiences  in  Crossing  the 
Plains  and  in  California  in  its 
early  Days,1'  399. 

McKinley,  William,  proclamation 
on  the  death  of  ex-President 
Hayes,  portrait,  175. 

Memorial  Association  of  the  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia  preserving  the 
most  noteworthy  houses  and 
marking  by  tablets,  etc.,  530. 


Mercer,  H.  C,  the  grave  of  Tam- 
enend  (Tammany),  255. 

Mercer,  Gen.,  at  Princeton,  byChas. 
D.  Piatt,  370  ;  application  and  ap- 
pointment as  colonel,  410. 

Mexico,  first  revolt  against,  236. 

Minisink  Valley  Historical  Society, 
March  meeting  at  Port  Jervis, 
reading  of  a  poem,  addresses  and 
music,  405. 

Mines,  J.  F.,  a  tour  around  New 
York,  noticed,  80. 

Minnesota  Historical  Society, 
November  meeting,  valuable  gifts 
reported,  steps  for  a  fire-proof 
building,  73 ;  January  meeting, 
vol.  vii.  of  collections  issued, 
memorial  to  legislature  for  $150,- 
ooo  for  building,  186 ;  March  meet- 
ing, opening  library  on  Sunday 
discussed,  the  vol.  on  the  Missis- 
sippi, noticed,  403. 

Mississippi  river  and  its  source,  by 
Prof.  J.  V.  Brower,  noticed,  186. 

Missouri,  Indian  word  of,  "wooden 
canoe,1'  299. 

Missouri  Historical  Society,  pre- 
sented with  shackle  once  worn 
by  a  slave  at  Lexington,  Mo., 
404. 

Mohawk  valley,  New  Year's  day  in, 
68. 

Montana  Historical  Society,  its  vol- 
umes, newspapers,  diaries,  letters, 
MSS.,  Indian  relics,  403. 

Montreal,  capture  of,  243. 

Monument  to  Columbus,  5  ;  descrip- 
tion and  inscription  on,  8,  9,  287, 
400  ;  Herkimer,  291,  405  ;  Miles 
Standish,  288  ;  Confederate,  72  ; 
Concord,  266  ;  Bennington,  293. 

Moore,  Tom,  probably  wrote  the 
first  poem  composed  in  Buffalo, 
but  also  the  first  poem  which  con- 
tained the  first  allusion  to  Niag- 
ara, 536. 

Moravian  Historical  Society,  list  of 
members,  headquarters  are  at 
Nazareth  in  the  old  Ephrata 
house,  begun  by  George  Whit- 
field in  1740,  the  fourth  volume 
now  in  process  of  publication, 
407. 

Moreau,  Gen.,  in  America,  451. 

Morris,  Gouverneur,  in  Europe, 
humorous  description  of  his  din- 
ner in  Paris  with  the  poets,  54  ;  in 
London,  55 ;  his  brother,  S.  L. 
Morris,  a  general  in  the  British 
army,  56 ;  letter  to  Washington 
about  Pitt,  56  :  dines  with  Madame 
de  Stael  and  others,  57  ;  Washing- 
ton's letter  to,  58 ;  Minister  to 
France,  58  ;  sympathy  for  French 
king  and  queen,  59 ;  plan  for 
their  escape,  59  ;  generosity  to  son 
of  Louis  Philippe,  179. 

Morse,  Prof.,  tape  of  his  first  tele- 
graphic message.  285. 

Mound-builders  of  Ohio,  etc.,  71. 

Moustier,  Marquis  de,  French  am- 
bassador, in  N.  Y.,  100 ;  ball 
given  by,  106. 

Mowlson,  Lady,  founder  of  a 
scholarship  at  Harvard  univer- 
sity, 1643,  the  first  "foundation  " 
of  the  sort  in  this  country,  and 
amongst  the  oldest  in  the  world, 

4°3- 
Muller,  Louis  Anathe,   at   George- 
town,  Madison    Co.,   N.    Y.,  44c, 
etc. 


[NDEX 


519 


NAPOLEON,  184,442-457. 
National     History    Company, 
189. 

Nelson,  Lord,  fears  trouble  with  the 
American  navy,  422. 

Nelson,  Wm.,  Indians  of  N.  J.,  2qo. 

Newark  Historical  Society  (Ohio) 
has  a  likeness  of  Johanna  Heck- 
welder,  the  first  white  woman 
born  on  Ohio  soil,  b.  1781,  d.  in 
Bethlehem,  Pa.,  1868,  406. 

Newburgh  Historical  Society,  an- 
nual meeting  on  March  1,  election, 
405. 

New  Century  Historical  Society  of 
Columbus,  January  meeting,  100th 
anniversary  of  signing  treaty  at 
Fort  Harmer,  291  ;  to  celebrate 
landing  of  Ohio  pioneers,  April  7, 
1788,  536. 

New  England  Historical  Genealo- 
gical Society,  November  meet- 
ing, Prof.  Fiske  read  a  paper  on 
Charles  Lee :  January  meeting, 
election  of  officers,  288. 

New  France  organized,  113. 

New  Haven  Colony  Historical  So- 
ciety, February  meeting,  paper 
on  Surrender  of  Detroit  by  Gen. 
Hull,  398 ;  Man-h  meeting,  paper 
by  Capt.  C.  H.  Townshend  on 
Quinnipiac  Indians,  530  ;  new 
building,  530. 

New  Jersey,  Huguenot  families  of, 
J.  C.  Pumpelly,  186. 

New  Jersey  Historical  Society,  Jan- 
uary meeting,  paper  by  Wm.  Nel- 
son on  the  "  Indians  of  New  Jer- 
sey," 290  ;  election  of  officers,  and 
die  for  centennial  medal  for 
society  finished,  404. 

Newport  Historical  Society,  March 
meeting,  election  of  officers,  a  vol- 
ume of  deeds  and  wills  prior  to 
1770  is  being  arranged,  also  de- 
posited for  use  of  public,  private 
alphabetical  lists  of  births,  mar- 
riages and  deaths,  537. 

New  Year's  day  in  Mohawk  vallev, 
68. 

New  York  city,  tour  around,  Felix 
Oldboy  (J.  F.  Mines),  noticed,  80  ; 
30ciety  in  early  days  of  republic, 
81  ;  ministers  and  physicians,  93  ; 
corner-stone  of  cathedral  of  St. 
John  the  Divine  laid,  with  view, 
172 :  memorial  history,  noticed, 
190  ;  N.  Y.,  by  Gen.  T.  F.  Roden- 
bough,  193 ;  Lincoln  obsequies, 
220  j  resolutions  on  war  for  the 
Union  sent  to  President,  199  ; 
Seventh  Regiment's  departure  for 
Washington,  203  ;  women  of,  their 
work  and  patriotism,  205  ;  a  for- 
eigner's views  in  1861,  207  ;  draft 
riot,  212-16 ;  letter  from  Gen. 
Washington,  in  answer  to  address 
sent  him,  day  after  evacuation, 
withfac-simile,  232-4 ;  newspapers 
in  1772,  246;  City  Hall,  295  ;  after 
the  Revolution,  305 ;  loyalists, 
306;  societies  in,  313  ;  emancipa- 
tion of  slaves,  314  ;  restoration  of 
city  government,  310;  politics, 
320;  Chamber  of  Commerce,  312; 
Federal  Constitution  procession, 
330;  freedom  of  city  to  Capt. 
Hull,  439 ;  Papists  in,  501  ;  price 
of  slaves  in,  523-4. 
New  York  Historical  Society,  De- 
cember meeting,  final  paper  on 
Columbus  in  poetry,  72  ;  January 


meeting,  annual  reports,  $350,000 
for  new  building,  additions,  elec- 
tion of  officers,  186;  April  8,  200th 
anniversary  of  printing  press  in 
N.  Y.,  by  Wm.  Bradford,  at  Cot- 
ton Exchange.  Charles  F.  Lewis 
delivered  oration,  tablet  placed, 
death  of  Benj.  H.  Field  noticed, 
534-5- 

New  York  Genealogical  and  Bio- 
graphical Society,  January  meet- 
ing, paper  on  some  Huguenot 
families  of  New  Jersey,  by  J.  C. 
Pumpelly,  election  of  officers,  186. 

N.  Y.  state  fair  in  Rochester.  1841 
or  2,  252. 

Niagara  and  the  poets,  by  F.  H. 
Severance,  535. 

Nichols,  Rev.  Geo.  W.,  miscellanies, 
religious  and  personal,  and  ser- 
mons, noticed,  192. 

Nicholson,  Sir  Francis,  sketch  of, 
by  W.  C.  Ford,  499  ;  gov.  of  New 
England  1688,  501  ;  gov.  of  Vir- 
ginia, 502,  508  ;  gov.  of  Maryland, 
1693,  504  ;  removes  capital  from 
St.  Mary's  to  Annapolis,  504 ; 
horsewhipped,  508  ;  his  abuse  and 
temper,  509-1 1  ;  opinions  of  him, 
511-12  ;  gov.  of  Nova  Scotia,  512  ; 
gov.  of  South  Carolina,  512. 

Non-importation  act  passed.  424. 

North  Carolina,  459  ;  Scuppernong 
grape  of,  462  ;  monastery,  by  J.  S. 
Bassett,  131  ;  gold  in,  72. 

North  Carolina  Historical  Society, 
October  meeting,  paper  on  Colum- 
bus and  the  spirit  of  his  age,  by 
Dr.  Stephen  B.  Weeks,  72  ;  selec- 
tions from  Sidney  Lanier's  psalm 
to  the  West,  by  Prof.  J.  L.  Arm- 
strong, 72  ;  paper  on  naming  of 
America,  by  J.  A.  Baldwin,  72; 
paper  on  the  fortunes  and  fate  of 
Columbus,  by  J.  F.  Shinn,  72; 
December  meeting,  paper  on  first 
discovery  of  gold  in  North  Caro- 
lina, by  Mr.  Shinn,  72  ;  Dr.  Weeks 
on  subscriptions  to  new  Confeder- 
ate monument  and  on  work  of  the 
Confederate  press,  72. 

Norton,  Chas.  Ledyard,  the  United 
States  in  paragraphs— California, 
61 ;  Colorado,  271. 

Norwegian  prelates  to  ordain  priests 
for  Greenland  by  order  of  Pope 
Nicholas  V.  in  1448,  389. 

Nova  Scotia,  Sir  F.  Nicholson  gov- 
ernor, 512. 

Nova  Scotia  Historical  Society,  an- 
nual meeting,  February,  election 
of  officers,  reports,  paper  on  the 
log  of  a  Halifax  privateer  in  1757, 
read  by  Prof.  MacMeehan,  407. 


OBITUARY,  January  :  Bp.  Phil- 
lips Brooks,  Gen.  B.  F.  But- 
ler, Gen.  and  ex-President  R.  B. 
Hayes,  Mrs.  Frances  Anne  Kem- 
ble,  L.  Q.  C.  Lamar,  Mrs.  Martha 
J.  Lamb,  188. 

Ohio  Archaeological  and  Historical 
Society,  Gen.  R.  Brinkerhoff  elect- 
ed president  to  succeed  the  late 
ex-President  Hayes,  decided  to 
have  a  celebration  at  Greenville  in 
1895.  on  Gen.  Wayne's  treaty  with 
the  Indians,  relics  for  the  World's 
Fair,  406,  536  ;  8th  annual  report, 
on  Fort  Ancient,  291. 

Old  Colony  Historical  Society,  Jan 


uary   meeting,   paper  by  Rev     P, 

W.   Lyman    on  Shay's    Rebellion, 

additions.  288. 
Oldest  dwelling-house  in  N.  Y.,  284. 
O'Leary.    Dr.    Charles,    on    expert 

ences  of  an  army   surgeon  in  the 

rebellion,  537. 
Oliver,  Dr.  F.  E.,  death  of.  1   7 
Oneida   Historical  Society,  to  erect 

monument  to  Gen.  Herkimer.  291; 

February       meeting.       Herkimer 

monument,  405 ;    women  elected 

exempt  from  dues,  405. 
Onondaga     Historical    Association, 

January  meeting,  election  of  offi- 
cers and  directors,  290. 
Oriskany,  battle  of.  291. 
Our  leading  libraries :  Congressional 

library,   by  A.  R.  Spofford,  492-8; 

Astor    library,    by    F.    Saunders, 

150. 


PAPERS  sent  by  the  Pope  to  the 
Columbian  fair,  389. 
Papists  in  New  York.  501. 
Parker,  Mrs.  J.    M.,  on  Jesuit  rela- 
tions, 72. 
Parton,  J.,  Andrew  Jackson,  noticed, 

S42  ;  his  last  work.  542. 
Pasteur,  M.,  189. 
Pathfinder  in  American  history,  a, 

544- 

Peale,  C.  W.,  portrait  painter,  275. 

Pelletreau  house  in  Southampton, 
528. 

Pennsylvania,  early  WelshQuakers 
in,  by  Dr.  J.  L.  Levick,  536  :  the 
constitution  of  1776,  by  Dr.  Stille, 
536. 

Pennsylvania  Historical  Society, 
March  meeting,  paper  on  early 
Welsh  Quakers,  by  Dr.  J.  L. 
Levick  ;  April  meeting,  the  Penn- 
sylvania constitution  of  1776,  by 
Dr.  Stille,  536. 

Persian  and  Arabic  paean,  Ave  Kai- 
sar-i-Hind,  188. 

Phelps  and  Gorham  purchase,  294. 

Philadelphia,  oldest  house  in,  412. 

Philippe,  Louis,  50,  179. 

Philipse,  Mary,  one  of  Washington's 
sweethearts,  177  ;  married  Capt. 
Roger  Morris,  178. 

Phillipse  bridge,  battle  of,  404. 

Philosophy,  189. 

Pintard,  John,  founder  of  historical 
societies,  and  Tammany  Society, 
and  its  first  sagamore,  1-3  ;  first 
suggested  Columbian  celebration, 
1791,  2. 

Pintard,  Lewis,  account  of  moneys 
furnished  by,  to  American  officers; 
prisoners  of  war  on  Long  Island, 
163. 

Polignac,  Duke  of,  449. 

Politics  in  New  York,  320. 

Port  Royal  taken,  in  ;  surrendered 
to  the  French,  in. 

Potter,  Rubin  M.,  hymn  of  the 
Alamo,  in  facsimile,  242. 

Prime,  W.  C,  along  New  England 
roads,  noticed,  78. 

Prisoners  of  war  on  Long  Island, 
t63. 

Privateers,  Gov.  James  Robertson 
on,  247  :  Admiral  Arbuthnot  on, 
248  ;  Chamber  of  Commerce  on, 
248-50  ;  log  of  Halifax  privateers, 

i757i  407-     .  . 
Prize  competition,  303.  415. 
Provoost,  Bishop  Samuel,  95. 


INDEX 


Pulling-.  John,  placed  signal  light  on 

Christ    church.    Boston,   36a  ;    his 

escape  and  return.  3   5 
Pumpelly.  J.  C,  Huguenot  families 

of  New  Jersey,  t86. 
Puritan  Sunday.  i8q. 
Putnam,  Capt.,  of  Minn.,  anecdote 

on.  by  Thuriow  Weed,  215. 
Pynchon,  William,  the  meritorious 

of  price  of  our  redemption,  192. 

O TAKER  element  of  Somerset, 
R.  I..  538. 

Queries.— Januarj  :  Tom  Thumb 
and  Haydon,  69;  did  Washington 
and  Franklin  smoke.  6q.  Febru- 
:  oldest  dwelling-house  inN.V. 
state.  185;  C  H.  Gardiner  claims 
Sayre  house  at  Southampton, 
L.  I.,  oldest,  built  1048, 185.  March: 
house  occupied  by  Lafayette  ; 
David  Crockett  ;  burning  of  the 
Tiger  ;  first  place  of  worship  on 
Manhattan  island,  284.  April ;  La- 
fayette's body  guard.  397  ;  Indian 
war  of  iS^s  in  Alabama  and 
Georgia,  397.  May  and  June : 
LordSterling's  house.  52S  ;  pow- 
der mill  of  the  Revolution,  528. 

Quebec  built  and  sent  to  sea  first 
ocean  steamship,  186. 

Quebec  Historical  Society,  January 
meeting,  annual  report  for  the 
year,  on  view  the  original 
wooden   model   of   the  steamship 


Roval   William,    addition    of 


357 


vols.,  treasurer's  report,   election 
of  officers,  186. 
Quinnipiac    Indians,    by    Chas.   H. 

Townshend.  530. 

RALEIGH,  Sir  Walter,  reception 
of,  463  ;  named  the  new  coun- 
try Virginia,  463  ;  second  expedi- 
tion in  1585,  463.  469  :  new  fort  in 
Virginia,  1585,  by  E.  G.  Daves, 
459- 

"  Rebellion  Roads."  Charleston  har- 
bor, named  by  the  English  in  1806, 
424. 

Reed.  Capt.  J.  C  on  the  General 
Armstrong  at  battle  of  Fayal,  394. 

Rees.  Prof.  J.  K.,  on  the  moon  and 
planets.  74. 

Replies.  January  :  the  curtain  is 
the  picture,  69 ;  Bishop  William 
R.  Whittingham.  69  :  mound- 
builders  of  Ohio,  70;  the  mound- 
builders.  71  ;  error  corrected.  71. 
February  ;  Tom  Thumb  killed 
poor  Haydon,  185.  March  :  first 
college  periodical,  oldest  dwell- 
ing house  in  N.  Y.  state,  284. 
Ajril  :  oldest,  dwelling-house  in 
.V  Y.  state,  the  Moore  house  at 
Southokl.  built  1647.  397  ;  house 
occupied  by  Lafayette  in  Rin- 
goes.  N.  J-.  307  :  first  place  of 
worship  on  Manhattan  island, 
397.  May  and  June  :  oldest 
dwelling-house  in  N.  Y.  state, 
528  ;  burning  of  the  Tiger  in  N. 
V.  harbor  in  16 14,  528  ;  Lafay- 
ackness.  528-9. 

Revere.  Paul,  the  ride  of.  360, 

Revolutionary  army  conditionally 
discharged.  299. 

Rf.-lijtionary  document,  moneys 
furnished  by  Lewis  Pintard  to 
American  officers,  prisoners  of 
wax  on  Lon^c  island,  16  \, 

Rhode    Island     Historical     Society, 


November  meeting,  lecture  on  the 
Old  Catholics  of  the  Italian  rev- 
olution, by  Rev.  Wm.  C.  Lang- 
don,  73 ;  January  meeting,  Mrs. 
Lamb's  death,  papers  to  be  pub- 
lished, 202  j  February  meeting, 
paper  on  Samuel  Gorton;  March 
meeting,  paper  on  world  of  com- 
merce, 408  ;  paper  by  Judge  Sti- 
ness,  a  century  of  lotteries  in, 
537  :  April  meeting,  empowered 
committee  to  issue  a  quarterly, 
537- 

Rhode  Island  Soldiers'  and  Sailors1 
Historical  Society,  January  meet- 
ing, paper  by  W.  H.  Badlam  on 
the  "  Cruise  of  the  Kearsarge  and 
fight  with  the  Alabama,  202 ; 
March  meeting,  paper  by  Dr. 
Chas.  O'Leary  on  experiences  of 
an  army  surgeon,  537. 

Rhode  Island  Veteran  Citizens' 
Historical  Association,  January 
meeting,  paper  on  the  valley  of 
the  Taunton  river,  292  :  paper  by 
Hon.  B.  G.  Chace,  valley  of  the 
Taunton  river,  and  influence  of 
Quaker  element  of  Somerset,  538. 

Richmond  Literary  and  Historical 
Association  organized,  293  ;  Feb- 
ruary meeting,  constitution  read, 
and  several  added  to  roll,  408. 

Right  of  search,  423,  426. 

Roanoke  island,  459,  462  ;  first 
English  colony,  459. 

Rochambeau  arrived  with  6,000 
troops  in  1780,  383. 

Rochester  (N.  Y.)  female  seminary 
reminiscences,  by  Mrs.  T.  E. 
Hopkins,  72  ;  state  fair  in  1841  or 
1842,  252  ;  tableaux  relating  to 
early  history  of  city,  294. 

Rochester  Historical  Society,  De- 
cember meeting,  paper  on  the 
Jesuit  relations,  by  Mrs.  J.  M. 
Parker,  72  ;  paper  on  the  remi- 
niscences of  the  Rochester  fe- 
male seminary,  by  Mrs.  T.  E. 
Hopkins,  72  ;  February  meeting, 
paper  on  "An  Unknown  Exile," 
by  Henry  C.  Maine  ;  he  might 
have  been  a  brother  of  Louis 
XVI.  (afterward  Charles  X.  of 
France),  406  ;  March  meeting, 
Frank  H.  Severance  read  a  paper 
on  "  Niagara  and  the  Poets,'1 
535- 

Rockland  County  Historical  Soci- 
ety, annual  meeting  in  February, 
dinner,  election  of  officers,  and 
display  of  recently  acquired  relics, 
405  ;  has  official  records  of  civil 
war  and  old  documents  and 
relics,  535. 

Rodenbough,  Gen.  T.  F.,  Great 
cities  in  the  civil  war  :  I.  New 
York,  193. 

Rodgers,  Com.,  receives  orders  on 
June  20  and  sails  against  the  ene- 
tnyi  436  ;  fires  the  first  shot,  437. 

Rodgers,  Rev.  John,  with  portrait, 
94. 

Roxbury  Military  Historical  Soci- 
ety, annual  dinner,  January, 
statue  of  Gen.  Warren,  289. 

Royal  Exchange,  Broad  street,  view 
of,  IO. 

Royal  William,  original  wooden 
model  of,  the  first  ocean  steam- 
ship, 186. 

Rumford  Historical  Association 
(Woburn;,    March  meeting,    con- 


sidered the  question  of  securing 
a  replica  of  the  statue  ot  Count 
Rumford  in  Munich,  534. 
Russell,  G.  W.,  early  medicine  and 
medical  men  in  Connecticut,  no- 
ticed, 79. 


SANTA  Anna,  Gen.,  281  :  cruelty, 
239- 

Saunders,  F.,  the  Astor  library, 
view,  150. 

Savage,  Edward,  Columbian  pict- 
ure gallery,  14. 

Scott,  Walter,  184. 

Scott,  Gen.  Winfield,  calls  President 
Buchanan's  attention  in  Oct.,  i860, 
to  unprotected  state  of  certain 
fortifications,  196. 

Seal  of  the  United  States,  471  ;  de- 
scriptions, 474  ;  Franklin  objects 
to  the  eagle  as  the  emblem  of  his 
country,  490. 

Secession,  truth  about,  178. 

Seventh  Regiment  of  New  York 
leaves  for  Washington,  203. 

Seward,  Wm.  H.,  statesmanship  of, 
by  A.  Estrem,  noticed,  79. 

Shackleton,  R.,  Jr.,  what  support 
did  John  Brown  rely  upon,  348. 

Shay's  rebellion,  by  P.  W.  Lyman, 
288. 

Shiloh,  battle  of,  by  T.  M.  Hurst, 
408. 

Shinn,  J.  F.,  the  fortunes  and  fate 
of  Columbus,  72  ;  first  discovery 
of  gold  in  N.  C,  72. 

Sickles,  Gen.  Daniel  E.,  resolutions 
draughted  by,  199  ;  Lincoln's  ex- 
pressions on  them,  199. 

Sidney,  Sir  Philip,  34. 

Simetlere,  Eugene  Pierre  du,  artist, 
473- 

Simms,  W.  Gilmore,  his  MSS.  in  the 
Long  Island  Historical  Society, 
280  ;  life  by  W.  P.  Trent,  noticed, 
300. 

"  Sinewes  of  Warre,1'  mentioned  in 
l639i  *93- 

Slaves  in  New  York,  314  ;  price  of, 
523-4- 

Sloane,  Wm.  M.,  the  French  war 
and  the  Revolution,  noticed,  413. 

Society  in  the  early  days  of  the  Re- 
public, by  J.  G.  Wilson,  81. 

South  Carolina,  how  we  lose  our 
history,  280 ;  Sir  F.  Nicholson, 
governor  of,  1720-5,  513. 

Southern  California  Historical 
Society,  annual  meeting,  election 
of  officers,  74  ;  March  meeting, 
papers  on  events  in  history  of  the 
state,  530  ;  exhibit  to  World's  fair, 
530 ;  complete  files  of  southern 
California  newspapers,  285. 

Spencer,  Emanuel,  the  successful 
novel  of  fifty-six  years  ago,  42. 

Spofford,  A.  R.,  Congressional 
library,  history  of,  492-8. 

Sports  and  amusements  of  pioneers, 

399- 

Stamp  act,  246,  514. 

Standish,  Miles,  monument  to,  288. 

Starin  family  in  America,  by  W.  L. 
Stone,  noticed,  78. 

St.  C^stin,  Jean  Vincent  de.  sketch 
of,  24  ;  his  marriage  with  daughter 
of  chief  Madockawando,  25 ;  re- 
turned to  France,  1701.  26. 

Sterling,  Lord,  grant  to  La  Tour, 
119  ;  house  on  Broad  street,  N.  Y., 
528. 


INDEX 


551 


Stevens,  John  Austin,  revolutionary- 
troubles  and  commerce,  243  ;  sec- 
ond war  with  Great  Britain,  419. 

Stevenson,  E.  I  ,  story  of  Castine, 
Me.,  21. 

Stille,  Dr.,  Pennsylvania  constitu- 
tion of  1776,  536. 

Stone,  W.  L.,  Starin  family  in 
America,  noticed,  78. 

Stow,  Samuel,  annals  of  God's  bless- 
ing of  N.  E.,  387  ;  sketch  of  Stow, 
388. 

Stuart,  Mary,  by  Andrew  Lang, 
189. 

Suffolk  County  Historical  Society, 
at  Riverhead,  L.  I.,  annual  meet- 
ing in  February,  election  of  offi- 
cers, Rev.  E.  W.  Whittaker  read 
a  biographical  sketch  of  Mrs. 
Martha  J.  Lamb,  4045  expects  a 
permanent  home,  535. 

Sumter,  Gen.,  of  South  Carolina,"^. 

TAMENEND,  Indian  chief,  see 
Tammany,  255. 

Tammany,  the  grave  of  Tamenend 
(Tammany),  by  H.  C.  Mercer, 
255-61. 

Tammany  and  Columbus  in  charac- 
ter, 11. 

Tammany  Society  or  Columbian 
order  organized,  1789,  4  ;  wigwam 
in  Broad  street,  5  ;  view  of  Tam- 
many hall  in  1830,  7  ;  corner-stone 
of  new  building  (now  Sun  office), 
1811,  11  ;  hall,  259  ;  society,  259. 

Tappan,  ;t  1776  House  "  at,  540. 

Taunton  river  (R.  I.),  valley  of, 
292  ;  valley  of  the,  by  Hon.  B.  G. 
Chace,  538. 

Taylor,  Gen.,  biography  of,  by  Gen. 
O.  O.  Howard,  noticed,  192. 

Tea,  non-importation  of,  515. 

Tennessee  Confederate  Historical 
Association,  special  meeting,  on 
death  of  Gen.  E.  Kirby  Smith, 
table  at  the  Confederate  bazaar  in 
Richmond,  538. 

Tennessee  Historical  Society,  Jan- 
uary meeting,  donations,  proceed- 
ings of  Confederate  Veterans'  As- 
sociation, etc.,  292 ;  February 
meeting,  paper  on  battle  of  Shiloh, 
by  T.  M.  Hurst,  408. 

Texas,  the  struggle  for  indepen- 
dence, by  W.  H  Mayes,  235  j  Aus- 
tin, colony  of,  235 ;  poem  on,  by 
Whittier,  241. 

Thompson,  F.  D.,  Count  Jules  Dio- 
dati.  sketch  with  portrait,  60. 

Thornton,  Col.,  of  85th  Regiment 
(English), on  Gen.  Jackson,  at  New 
Orleans,  19. 

Thurston  County  Historical  Society, 
at  Olympia,  Wash.,  293. 

Ticonderoga  expedition  in  1759,  395. 

Timrod's  poems,  183. 

Tom  Thumb  and  B.  R.  Haydon,  69, 
185. 

Townshend.  Chas.  H.,  the  Quinni- 
piac  Indians,  530. 

Trade  and  commerce,  243. 

Trent,  W.  P.,  life  of  Wm.  Gilmore 
Simms,  noticed,  300. 

Tryon,  Col.  Wm.,  against  embargo, 
246. 

Tyler,  J.  G.,  the  successful  novel 
of  fifty-six  years  ago,  "Horse 
Shoe  Robinson 11  [concluding 
chapter],  42 ;  Whittier's  birth- 
place, 50. 


UNITED  STATES,  how  to  study 
its  history,  by  H.  E.  Chambers, 
37;  in  paragraphs,  California,  61  ; 
historical  exhibit  at  Madrid.  180; 
archives  in  state  department,  298  ; 
school  history  acceptable  to  the 
south,  412,  539  ;  second  war  with 
Great  Britain,  419  ;  between  two 
fires,  424-6  ;  great  seal  of,  471  ; 
various  devices,  474  ;  Franklin  ob- 
jects to  the  eagle,  490. 
Upton,  Capt.  F.  K.,  on  California  in 
the  civil  war,  387. 


WANDERBILT,  Com.  C,  fitted 
V  out  steamer  Vanderbilt  and  pre- 
sented her  to  government,  204 ; 
congress  votes  him  a  gold  medal, 
204. 

Vaudreuil,  Marquis  de,  451. 

Van  Pelt,  Daniel,  Mrs.  Martha  J. 
Lamb,  126. 

Vespucius,  Americus,  an  autograph 
manuscript  of,  by  Walter  S.  Wil- 
son, 169. 

Virginia,  Raleigh's  new  fort  in 
I58s,  459  ;  description  of,  463-5  ; 
Sir  Richard  Grenville's  expedi- 
tion, 463  ;  first  white  child  born  in, 
467  ;  savage  Manteo  baptized, 
467  ;  social  regime  of  colony,  503  ; 
origin  of  discord,  507 ;  goblet 
made  from  head  of  mace  carried 
by  royal  governors,  520. 

Virginia  company,  of  London, 
gives  land  for  college  at  Henrico, 
1618,  367  ;  charter  revoked,  369  ; 
records  of  the  courts,  1619-24, 
2  MS.  vols,  in  library  of  con- 
gress, 371. 

Virginia  Historical  Society,  No- 
vember meeting,  gifts  reported  of 
a  large  mass  of  papers  and  docu- 
ments relating  to  the  Carter  fam- 
ily, from  1700  to  1800,  72  ;  bequest 
from  Cassius  F.  Lee,  books  and 
papers  of  the  Lee  family,  72  ; 
arrangements  for  annual  meeting, 
72  ;  new.  quarters,  report  MSS., 
several  by  Conway  Robinson  on 
early  history  of  colony,  etc.,  538. 


WADSWORTH,  Gen.  J.  S.,  220. 
Wagner's  manuscripts,  184. 
War  of  1812,  second  war  with  Great 
Britain,  by    J.   A.   Stevens,    419 ; 

E reclamation,  435  ;  Com.  Rodgers 
rst  to  sail  against  the  enemy, 
436  ;  forgotten  battle  of  the  "  Big 
Sandy,"  524  ;  apathy  of  Massachu- 
setts, 533. 

Warren,  Gen.,  statue,  289. 

Washington,  Gen.,  letter  to  Gov. 
Morris,  58  ;  description  of  his  own 
person  and  height,  1763,  66  ;  did 
he  smoke,  69  ;  note  to  Mrs.  Jay, 
82 ;  title,  or  mode  of  address,  102  ; 
receptions,  103  ;  one  of  his  sweet- 
hearts, 177  ;  do  we  know  George 
Washington,  222 ;  McMaster's 
sneer,  222  ;  H.  C.  Lodge  on,  222- 
32 ;  passions,  228  ;  facsimile  let- 
ter, 233  ;  letter  in  reply  to  N.  Y. 
residents,  232  ;  first  portrait  by 
Peale,  275,  298  ;  annoyances,  409 ; 
first  public  employment,  513  ; 
headquarters  near  Tappan,  539  ; 
mentioned,  184,  294. 

Washington,     Mary,    story   of,    by 


Marion  Harland  (Mrs.  Terhune), 
noticed,  76. 

Watcrston,  R.  C,  bequeathes  to 
Massachusetts  Historical  Society 
$40,000,  533. 

Watertown  Historical  Society.  Jan- 
uary meeting,  address  by  O.  W. 
Dimick  on  Marco  Polo,  Miss  E. 
M.  Crafts  read  Barlow's  vision  of 
Columbus,  Columbus  discussed, 
289. 

Wayne's  treaty  with  Indians,  406. 

Webster,  Daniel,  incident  in  life  of, 
by  W.  I.  Crandall,  252  ;  orator  at 
Rochester  fair,  253. 

Weeks,  Stephen  B.,  Columbus  and 
the  spirit  of  his  age,  72  ;  subscrip- 
tions to  new  Confederate  monu- 
ment, 72  ;  on  extent  and  charac- 
ter of  Confederate  press,  72  ;  John 
Archdale  and  some  of  his  de- 
scendants, 157. 

Wellington,  184. 

Western  Pennsylvania  Historical 
Society,  March  meeting,  recita- 
tions, songs,  and  reading  papers, 
etc.,  536. 

West  Virginia  Historical  and  Anti- 
quarian Society,  293. 

Whitestown,  N.  Y.,  first  Presby- 
terian church,  535. 

Whittaker,  Rev.  E.  W.,  on  Mrs.  M. 


J.  Lamb,  535. 

"  G.,iE 


birthplace,  by 


Whittier,  J. 
J.  G.  Tyler,  50. 

Whittingham,  Bp.  Wm.  R.,  69. 

Willing,  J.  C,  on  Behring  sea  arbi- 
tration, 183. 

Wilson,  J.  G.,  society  in  the  early 
days  of  the  Republic,  81  ;  on  Bay- 
ard Taylor,  136  ;  memorial  history 
of  N.  Y.,  noticed,  190. 

Wilson,  Walter  S.,  an  autograph 
manuscript  of  Americus  Vespu- 
cius, 169. 

Winchester,  Mrs.,  widow  of  famous 
inventor  of  the  rifle,  297. 

Winchester,  Rev.  E.,  oration  on 
Columbus,  noteworthy  for  a  pro- 
phecy since  fulfilled,  1792,  13. 

Winthrop,  Gov.  John,  an  injustice 
to,  275. 

Winthrop,  R.  C,  on  the  death  of 
John  Quincy  Adams,  394. 

Wisconsin  Historical  Society,  Jan- 
uary (40th  annual)  meeting,  re- 
ports, bibliography  of  authors  of 
Wisconsin,  293. 

Wisconsin,  abill  introduced  to  appro- 
priate $200,000  for  a  building  for 
the  libraries  of  Historical  Society, 
University,  etc.,  408  ;  early  trade 
of,  538. 

Witchcraft,  monument  in  Salem,  411. 

Women  of  New  York,  work  and 
patriotism  in  civil  war,  205. 

World's  fair,  papers  sent  by  the 
Pope  to,  3S9. 

Wyoming  Historical  Society  dedi- 
cated its  building,  292  ;  February 
meeting,  election  of  officers,  re- 
ports, to  arrange  for  a  public  open- 
ing of  rooms  in  April,  408. 

Wyoming,  story  of,  398. 

Wrangell,  Baron  F.  P.  von.  Russian 
explorer,  sketch  of,  390. 

YONKERS  Historical  and  Library 
Association,  March  meeting,  a 
paper  was  read  on  the  battle  of 
Phillipse's  Bridge,  404.